The Philadelphia Wings advanced to the Major Indoor Lacrosse League playoffs yesterday, beating the Baltimore Thunder, 17-9, before a crowd of 5,006.
The Wings (3-5), who finished the regular season third in the four-team league, will be involved in a one-game playoff against the second-place team – either the Washington Wave or the New Jersey Saints – next Sunday.
Washington and New Jersey will meet in a regular-season finale today, with the winner finishing first. The Wings will face the loser on the road.
The Wings went on top by 2-0 in the first three minutes yesterday, getting goals from John Tucker and Paul French.
After Baltimore’s Mark Hahn cut the margin to 2-1, French, Lou Delligatti and Gary Martin scored to extend the Wings’ lead to 5-1, and Philadelphia was not threatened after that.
French finished with five goals and one assist, Dave Tasker added three goals and an assist, and Tucker, Delligatti, Martin and Pat Lamon each scored two goals.
One of Baltimore’s goals was a gift from Wings goalie Kevin Bilger. Bilger made a save on Rutger Colt, but the ball fell out of his stick and into the net. Colt was credited with the goal.
Bilger wound up with 31 saves.
(Philadelphia Inquirer, February 28, 1988)