SPLASH TONIGHT

Opponent--Portland Pride

Site--The Pond

Time--7:35

Records--Splash 12-9, Portland 9-14

Splash update--Midfielders Armando Valdivia (four games missed, concussion) and Terry Rowe (seven games, knee) are available to return tonight. The Splash--tied for second place with Sacramento, 3 1/2 games behind Seattle--goes for its eighth consecutive victory at the Pond. The Splash’s four-game winning streak was stopped in its 5-4 shootout loss to Portland, in which it blew a three-goal lead. The Splash has had two shootouts in a row and four overtime games in its last eight contests. The Splash won seven of its last nine games. Bernie Lilavois is second in the CISL in goals (30) and shooting percentage (.353) and sixth in points (44). Danny Barber (18 goals, 13 assists) and Dale Ervine (21 goals, 16 assists) have moved into the league’s top 20 in points. Ervine needs one more point to reach 700 in his career and five to move into the all-time top 20. Ruben Fernandez’s 4.77 goals-against average is the league’s third-best, and defender John O’Brien is ninth in blocks (40).

Pride update--The Pride lost to the Splash in the season opener at the Pond, 7-2, and also the last meeting, in Portland, 7-3, but won twice at the Rose Garden Arena, 5-4 and 7-6 (overtime). Since naming Ralph Black its player/coach, Portland is 8-9. Portland is one of two teams with lower power-play (30%) and penalty-killing (54%) percentages than the Splash (32.4%, 57.1%). Jeff Betts (29 goals) is fourth in the league in scoring, and Franklin McIntosh (15 goals) is in the top 20. Goalkeeper Brett Phillips (5.73 goals-against average) leads the league in minutes and losses (14).