Rest Concerns Socker Coach

When the Sockers take the field in Game 1 of the MSL Western Division finals at 7:35 tonight at the Sports Arena, it will be their first game in 12 days.

Their opponent, the St. Louis Storm, concluded the division semifinal against Tacoma on Saturday.

Last year at this time, the Sockers were in the same position St. Louis now finds itself. They eliminated the Storm in the playoffs while the Dallas Sidekicks spent two weeks waiting for the outcome.

“We had such high intensity after the first series, and we walked right into Dallas and took them apart,” Coach Ron Newman said.

The Sockers defeated Dallas in six games and went on to beat Baltimore for their eighth championship in nine years.

Now St. Louis has the momentum, and Newman is concerned.

As Newman pointed out, “We’re a better team when we’re busy and playing a lot of games.”

The Sockers and St. Louis split their eight-game regular-season series. Five went to overtime, and six were decided by one goal.

“The big thing,” Sockers defender Ben Collins said, “is we have to win the first two games at home because if we don’t, the home-field advantage goes to St. Louis. The next three games are in St. Louis.”

In its series with Tacoma, Preki scored six goals, and Thompson Usiyan assisted on five others. Also, goalie Zoltan Toth played all three games and allowed only eight goals.