1997 Major Indoor Lacrosse League season

1997 MILL season
League Major Indoor Lacrosse League
Sport Indoor lacrosse
Duration January 4, 1997 - April 12, 1997
Number of teams 6
Regular season
League champions Philadelphia Wings
Runners-up New York Saints
Season MVP Gary Gait (Baltimore Thunder)
Top scorer Gary Gait (Baltimore Thunder)
Champion's Cup
Champion's Cup champions Rochester Knighthawks
  Runners-up Buffalo Bandits
Champion's Cup MVP Steve Dietrich (Rochester)
MILL/NLL seasons
← 1996 season

1998 season →

The 1997 season, the last as the MILL, began on January 4, 1997 and concluded with the championship game on April 12. The league was renamed to the National Lacrosse League after this season.

Contents

Team Movement

The Charlotte Cobras, who debuted in the 1996 MILL season, folded after only a single winless season.

Regular season

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

Qualified for playoffs
Team W L GB PCT Home Road GF GA
Philadelphia Wings 7 3 - .700 3-2 4-1 137 115
New York Saints 6 4 1 .600 4-1 2-3 134 127
Buffalo Bandits 6 4 1 .600 3-2 3-2 158 153
Rochester Knighthawks 5 5 2 .500 2-3 3-2 156 136
Boston Blazers 4 6 3 .400 3-2 1-4 120 135
Baltimore Thunder 2 8 5 .200 1-4 1-4 125 165

All Star Game

No All-Star Game was played in 1997.

Playoffs

  Semifinals Championship
                 
2  New York 10  
3  Buffalo 19  
    4  Rochester 15
  3  Buffalo 12
4  Rochester 15
1  Philadelphia 13  

Awards

Award Winner Team
MVP Award Gary Gait Philadelphia
Rookie of the Year Award Jeff Wilfong Boston
Championship Game MVP Steve Dietrich Rochester

Weekly Awards

Each week, a player is awarded "Player of the Week" honours.

Week Player of the Week
1 Paul Gait
2 Roy Colsey
3 Sal LoCascio
4 Paul Gait
5 Paul Gait
6 John Tavares
7 Derek Collins
8 Thomas Carmean
9 Matt Panetta
10 Tom Marechek
11 Ted Dowling
12 Dallas Eliuk

Monthly Awards

An award is also given out monthly for the best overall player.

Month Player of the Month
Jan Paul Gait
Feb Derek Collins
Mar Tom Marechek

All-Pro Teams

First Team:

Second Team:

Statistics Leaders

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

Stat Player Team Number
Goals Gary Gait Philadelphia 40
Assists Gary Gait Philadelphia 32
Points Gary Gait Philadelphia 72
Penalty Minutes Tom Phair Buffalo 58
Shots on Goal Paul Gait Rochester 131
Loose Balls John Tavares Buffalo 104

See also

References

Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League
Major Indoor Lacrosse League
1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997
National Lacrosse League
1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004
2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011
East Division
West Division
Awards
Articles
Related Articles: Box lacrosse · Lacrosse · Major League Lacrosse