| Brandon Miller | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 4, 1979 , Orangeville, ON, CA |
| Position | Goaltender |
| Height |
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| NLL Team F. Teams |
Philadelphia Wings Chicago Shamrox San Jose Stealth Albany Attack |
| Nationality | Canada |
| Pro Career | 2001–present |
| Shoots | Right |
| Nickname | B |
Brandon Miller (born May 4, 1979 in Orangeville, Ontario) is a goaltender for the Philadelphia Wings in the National Lacrosse League, and the Brampton Excelsiors in the Ontario Lacrosse Association's Major Series, with whom he has been a part of two Mann Cup winning teams.
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Miller started his career in 2001 with the Albany Attack (re-named the San Jose Stealth after the team relocated to California). He spent the early part of his career backing up Rob Blasdell and Anthony Cosmo, before joining the Chicago Shamrox and earning a spot as their starting goaltender.
Chicago selected Miller first overall after San Jose left him unprotected in the 2006 expansion draft (when Chicago and the New York Titans joined the league).[1]
At the 2007 All-Star Game in Portland, Miller was named to the All-Star team for the first time, as a reserve for the East squad. He split time with Matt Roik, allowing eight goals on 34 shots to earn the win. He also assisted on one of the East team's 20 goals.[2]
Despite Miller's stalwart play in net - he led the league in saves with 602, an average of 48.7 shots per game - the Shamrox scored the third-fewest goals in the league in 2007, and missed the playoffs with a 6-10 record.
Midway through the 2008 season with the Shamrox struggling, Miller was dealt to the Philadelphia Wings for Roik and defenseman Brad Self.[3]
In 2008, Philadelphia finished 10-6, and qualified as the fourth seed for the playoffs; the Shamrox finished 6-10, in last place in the East Division. The Wings took on the Buffalo Bandits in the first round of the playoffs, but were eliminated after a 14-12 loss. Miller replaced starting goaltender Rob Blasdell for the second half of the game, allowing five goals on 21 shots and picking up the loss.
Miller split time with Blasdell again in 2009, his first full season with Philadelphia. Miller played about 60 per cent of the team's minutes, registering a 11.90 GAA and 76.94% save percentage. He also contributed offensively, registered six points - including a goal on March 28, 2009, against the Colorado Mammoth.[4] The team, however, struggled, finishing the season 7-9 and missing the playoffs.
Philadelphia again missed the playoffs in 2010, finishing last in the East division with a 5-11 record. Miller earned the lion's share of the playing time (a career-high 885 minutes), and as a result, faced the most shots in the league (764) and made the second-most saves (581). Offensively, he contributed 9 assists, good for second in the league behind Cosmo's 13.
He has been named Defensive Player of the Week five times in his career - once with San Jose, and twice each with Chicago and Philadelphia - and Overall Player of the Week once with Philadelphia.
In the NLL's offseason, Miller competes for the Brampton Excelsiors in the Ontario Lacrosse Association's Major Series Lacrosse league. He joined the team in 2001, helping them to a Mann Cup appearance, where they were beaten in seven games by the Coquitlam Adanacs.
In 2002, he teamed again with Bob Watson in goal, and this time helped Brampton to a Mann Cup win over the Victoria Shamrocks, again in seven games, their second Mann Cup in five years. They lost just one game in the MSL playoffs on the way to the championship game, sweeping the St. Catharines Athletics and defeating the Brooklin Redmen four games to one.
The Excelsiors made a third straight Mann Cup appearance in 2003, again against the Shamrocks, but were unable to repeat as champions, losing in five games.
From 2004 to 2007, Miller and the Excelsiors were defeated in the MSL finals by the Peterborough Lakers, twice in seven games and twice in six games.[5]
In 2008, the Excelsiors were finally able to overcome Peterborough, winning a decisive seventh game 7-2 at home in Brampton. They were easily able to overcome the New Westminster Salmonbellies in four games, although Miller saw no action as he backed up eventual Mann Cup MVP Anthony Cosmo.
He is also a three-time recipient of the Harry Lumley Trophy - awarded to the goaltenders of the team that allowed the fewest goals in the regular season. In 2002, he shared the award with Bob Watson, and in 2007 and 2008, he and Cosmo received the award.[6]
Miller played his Junior A lacrosse for the Orangeville Northmen.
In 2000, he shared the Dean McLeod Award - awarded to the MVP of the OLA Junior A playoffs - with Matt Vinc, as well as the Robert Melville Memorial Trophy - awarded to the Junior A league's outstanding goaltender - which he shared with teammate Kevin Samuel.[7][8]
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Min | GA | Sv | GAA | Sv % | LB | GP | Min | GA | Sv | GAA | Sv % | LB | ||
| 2001 | Albany | 2 | 60 | 14 | 38 | 14.12 | 73.08% | 15 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2002 | Albany | 16 | 26 | 7 | 10 | 16.45 | 58.82% | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00% | 0 | ||
| 2003 | Albany | 15 | 113 | 21 | 71 | 11.11 | 77.17% | 30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2004 | San Jose | 14 | 363 | 73 | 186 | 12.06 | 71.81% | 30 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 9 | 21.95 | 60.00% | 1 | ||
| 2005 | San Jose | 3 | 103 | 18 | 59 | 10.45 | 76.62% | 16 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2006 | San Jose | 14 | 257 | 49 | 150 | 11.46 | 75.38% | 9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2007 | Chicago | 15 | 865 | 177 | 602* | 12.28 | 77.28% | 20 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2008 | Chicago | 7 | 228 | 65 | 157 | 17.04 | 70.72% | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Philadelphia | 9 | 295 | 60 | 223 | 12.18 | 78.80% | 2 | 1 | 29 | 5 | 16 | 10.01 | 76.19% | 0 | |||
| 2009 | Philadelphia | 15 | 570 | 113 | 377 | 11.90 | 76.94% | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2010 | Philadelphia | 16 | 885 | 183 | 581 | 12.40 | 76.05% | 25 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| NLL Totals | 126 | 3,705 | 761 | 2,409 | 12.32 | 75.99% | 157 | 4 | 45 | 11 | 25 | 14.67 | 69.44% | 1 | |||
* - Led league
| Mann Cupp | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Min | GA | Sv | GAA | Sv % | ||
| 2001 | Brampton | 6 | 143 | 26 | 77 | 10.85 | 74.76% | ||
| 2002 | Brampton | 2 | 100 | 16 | 74 | 9.52 | 82.22% | ||
| 2003 | Brampton | 2 | 78 | 12 | 51 | 9.22 | 80.95% | ||
| 2008 | Brampton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 00.00% | ||
| Mann Cup Totals | 10 | 321 | 54 | 202 | 10.09 | 78.91% | |||