2003 NLL season

The 2003 National Lacrosse League season began on December 27, 2002 and concluded with the championship game on May 3, 2003.

In 2003, the NLL became the first major men's sports league in North America to feature a woman playing in a regular-season game. Ginny Capicchioni, a stand-out goaltender at Sacred Heart University, was signed by the New Jersey Storm as their third-string goaltender. She dressed for three games, though only played in one. Capicchioni collected one loose ball and made six saves while allowing 7 goals in 11 minutes of play. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DF103BF937A25757C0A9659C8B63|work=The New York Times|title= PLUS: LACROSSE; First Woman Plays In League Game|date=April 14, 2003|accessdate=2007-02-04]

Team Movement

2003 saw the Montreal Express suspend operations, and also saw the Washington Power move to Colorado, where even they were unprepared for the warm welcome they received in Denver. The franchise had drawn small crowds in Washington as well as in Pittsburgh and Baltimore before that, but averaged more than 16,000 fans per game [cite web|url=http://www.lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/news030811.htm|title=Denver to host 2004 All Star Game|author=Philly, R.A.|date=August 11, 2003|accessdate=2007-02-04|work=Outsider's Guide to the NLL] in 2003, second in the league only to Toronto.

Milestones

*January 31: John Tavares became the 3rd player in NLL history (after Gary and Paul Gait) with 400 career goals, scoring 5 and adding 6 assists as the Buffalo Bandits defeated the Columbus Landsharks 19-16 [cite web|url=http://www.lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/game0306bucb.htm|title=Tavares hits 400 as Bandits top 'Sharks, 19-16|work=Outsider's Guide to the NLL|date=February 1, 2003|accessdate=2007-02-04]

Final standings

Regular Season

"W = Wins, L = Losses, GB = Games Behind Division Leader, PCT = Winning Percentage, Home = Home record, Road = Road record, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against"

Playoffs

3RoundBracket-Byes | RD1=Quarterfinals
RD2=Semifinals
RD3=Championship
RD1-seed3=6
RD1-team3=Vancouver
RD1-score3=12
RD1-seed4=4
RD1-team4=Colorado
RD1-score4=15
RD1-seed5=5
RD1-team5=Calgary
RD1-score5=9
RD1-seed6=3
RD1-team6=Buffalo
RD1-score6=16
RD2-seed1=4
RD2-team1=Colorado
RD2-score1=11
RD2-seed2=2
RD2-team2=Toronto
RD2-score2=15
RD2-seed3=3
RD2-team3=Buffalo
RD2-score3=13
RD2-seed4=1
RD2-team4=Rochester
RD2-score4=16
RD3-seed1=2
RD3-team1=Toronto
RD3-score1=8
RD3-seed2=1
RD3-team2=Rochester
RD3-score2=6

emifinals

Colorado 11 @ Toronto 15
Buffalo 13 @ Rochester 16

Championship

Toronto 8 @ Rochester 6

All Star Game

No NLL All-Star game was held in 2003.

Awards

tatistics Leaders

Bold numbers indicate new single-season records. "Italics" indicate tied single-season records.

See also

* 2003 in sports

References

External links

* [http://www.lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/arch031211.htm 2003 Archive at the Outsider's Guide to the NLL]