Albany Attack - 2002 Highlights

2002 Highlights

The 2002 Albany Attack team was the most successful Attack team during the franchise's four years in Albany, NY. It is the only Attack team to have made the NLL playoffs. (Note: The San Jose Stealth made the NLL playoffs in their inaugural season, 2004, as well as the 2007 and 2008 seasons.) The team went 14-2 in the regular season winning the Central Division championship, and went 15-3 overall having lost to the Toronto Rock in the 2002 NLL Champion's Cup Game in Albany.

• Before the season began, Head Coach Terry Sanderson left the Albany Attack to become the Head Coach of the expansion Montréal Express. He was replaced by Bob McMahon.
• The 2002 season began in Albany on November 16, 2001. On that date, the Albany Attack defeated the expansion New Jersey Storm who were playing their first game. Storm owner and former NBA star Jayson Williams was in attendance.
• With a regular season record of 14–2, and overall record of 15–3, the Albany Attack established new NLL records for most regular season wins and most overall wins.
• The Attack finished first in the Central Division, one game ahead of the Rochester Knighthawks who had finished with a regular season record of 13–3, the second best in the NLL that season. Ironically, those two Attack regular season losses were both to Rochester; one game in Albany and another in Rochester.
• In the playoffs, the Albany Attack (the #1 seed) had a bye during the first round. They then hosted and defeated the Rochester Knighthawks (the #4 seed), 14–10, in a semifinal game with an attendance of 5074. On Saturday April 13, 2002, the Albany Attack hosted the #2 seed Toronto Rock for the Champion's Cup, but they lost to Toronto by a score of 13–12 in front of 9289 fans.
• Head Coach Bob McMahon was named NLL Head Coach of the Year.
• Forward Josh Sanderson established a new NLL record for Most Assists (68). (Update: In the 2005 season, Sanderson, then with the Toronto Rock, broke his own record and accumulated 71 assists.)
• Goalie Rob Blasdell was named 2002 Goalie of the Year.
• Forward Josh Sanderson and Goalie Rob Blasdell were selected to the NLL All-Pro First Team.
• Five Albany Attack players were selected to play on the South Team of the 2002 NLL All-Star Game: Rob Blasdell (G, starter), Cam Woods (D, starter), Jim Moss (D), Josh Sanderson (F, starter), and Gary Rosyski (F). The Head Coach of the South Team was the Albany Attack Head Coach, Bob McMahon.