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LANGLEY, B. Patrick Eaves Jersey .C. -- The Vancouver Stealth picked up the win in front of a boisterous crowd Saturday, and it was veteran sniper Rhys Duch who ignited the fans as the National Lacrosse League returned to British Columbia. Duch scored twice and had an assist as the Stealth defeated the Minnesota Swarm 8-5 in the first regular season NLL game in B.C. since 2004. The Stealth moved to Langley from Everett, Wash., during the off-season, giving the province its first professional lacrosse team since the Vancouver Ravens folded 10 years ago. Duch scored the first two goals of the night Saturday, electrifying the near-capacity crowd. The Langley fans came out in droves to show their appreciation for their new club, which has made three of the past four NLL finals. When doors opened an hour before game time, the line-up snaked around the Langley Events Centre, which can seat about 5,200. "We were in Colorado last weekend and there really wasnt much difference," said the Stealths Tyler Richards. "Twelve-thousand there and 6,000 here. You can hear it in my voice -- I have nothing left because I had to scream over it." The Stealth averaged 4,184 during their final season in Everett. "The energy in the building, even in the warm ups, was great," said Duch. "It certainly a change from going into Denver where youre the most hated people on the planet. The crowd support was great and it was great to see the full building. Its super loud in here for how small the arena is." Richards made 45 saves in the win, including many key stops early in the game while the Stealth seemed to be playing a little nervous. "Even though it was a home game for us, there was a lot of pressure on us," said head coach Chris Hall. "We played nervous for the first five minutes but we managed to get the two early goals and that seemed to settle us down." Richards was voted the games first star. "When he gets settled in there, hes probably one of the hardest goalies in the league to beat, in my opinion," said Duch. Cody Bremner, Mike Grimes, Cliff Smith and Tyler Digby had a goal and an assist each, while Jeff Moleski and Lewis Ratcliff also scored for Vancouver (1-1), which was coming of a 13-12 loss to the Colorado Mammoth last weekend in the season opener. Duch now has a team-high nine points in the first two games, though it was the timing of his goals that were essential for the club Saturday. "Guys look to you to make plays when things arent going right," said Duch, in his sixth year with the franchise. "The guys picked it up for me in the middle of the game when I was struggling. It feels good to get the team going, but they turn around and lift me up when I need it too." Kiel Matisz had two goals and an assist to lead the visiting Swarm. Josh Gillam, Scott Jones and Callum Crawford also scored for Minnesota (0-2), which hadnt played since losing its season opener 8-6 in Rochester on Dec. 28. Tyler Carlson finished with 26 saves. Duch scored the opening goal at 5:42, using a quick release from the slot to beat the netminder after taking a feed from Bremner. Duch made it 2-0 at 9:58, taking a pass from Alex Gajic before beating the goalie five-hole for the power-play goal. Matisz got the visitors on the board, getting a shot over Richards shoulder at 12:26. The Stealth regained the two-goal cushion in the final minute of the first with Moleski scoring a short-handed goal. Minnesotas Jones scored at 1:12 of the second, giving the rookie his first NLL goal. However, Vancouvers Grimes restored the two-goal lead just over a minute later. Gillam drew the Swarm back to within one at 8:30 with a nifty move in close. Smith scored at 3:46 of the third, giving Vancouver a 5-3 lead. However, a power-play goal by Crawford at 7:52 for the Swarm again cut the deficit to one. Bremner gave the Stealth some momentum heading into the final quarter, scoring with 68 seconds left in the third to make it 6-4. Digby then gave the Stealth their largest lead of the game, scoring at 2:09 of the fourth as he beat Carlson stick side. Ratcliff scored with less than four minutes left to make it 8-4. "Youre always trying to get separation and in this league its probably three goals," said Hall. "But when we got that goal from Lewis Ratcliff, with a real good screen from Smith ... it gave us a little bit of a sense of relief." Minnesota didnt give up, however. With the goaltender pulled, Matisz scored with 2:22 remaining, cutting the deficit back to three to cap the scoring. With the home opener in the books, now the challenge will be to keep the seats full for the remaining eight home games, and for that itll take more of the same. "Keep winning. Especially in a city like Vancouver -- they like their winners," said Duch, a Victoria native. "And were going out to sign autographs tonight. Its not a sport that sells itself, unfortunately, so we have to go out and sell it." But regardless, the players loved the new setting since the team is loaded with 14 B.C.-born players, many from the Lower Mainland. "I woke up late this morning for shoot around and I got to practice in 12 minutes," said Richards. "Its great." Troy Terry Jersey . Earnshaw, 31, most recently spent time on loan in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv from Welsh club Cardiff City, which plays in Englands second-tier League Championship. Earnshaw began his career with Cardiff Citys youth program and turned professional in 1998. Sam Carrick Jersey . The best round belonged to Pat Perez. Tiger Woods didnt come close to claiming either Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open, where the seven-time champion failed to break par in the opening round for first time in his career.WINNIPEG -- An Olympic dream moved a step closer to reality for John Morris Saturday, as he handed his former skip a ticket home. And Kevin Martin said he had no one to blame but himself. Morris and Brad Jacobs will square off in the mens final Sunday at the Olympic trials, while Jennifer Jones and Sherry Middaugh were set to play Saturday evening in the womens final. "Either my first or second one in six, that was the game-breaker," said Martin. "We force them to one there, weve got all the momentum going into seven." Instead, Martin lost 7-5, letting Morris score a deuce in six and another in eight, then losing the hammer in nine when he failed to blank on an open hit. It was a sweet win for Morris, who took over as skip this year on Jim Cotters B.C. rink with the Olympics in his sights. Cotter moved to third, although he still throws fourth rocks. "It feels great, its been a real grind of a year . . . We seem to be playing our best curling right now and Im just real proud of the guys," he said. He gave full marks to Cotter. Martin said he was surprised at the shots Cotter made. As the strategist, Morris watched his former skip all week and put a rock in the one spot in nine where Martin had nosed one earlier in the round robin. Martin, who was trying for his fourth trip to the Olympics, kept his composure but said this will be his last Olympic Trials. A frustrated Marc Kennedy, Martins second, couldnt hide his feelings as he smaashed is broom into shards in the hallway after he left the ice. Samuel Pahlsson Jersey. Lead Ben Hebert said Martin kept them in the hunt all week (they lost only once to Jacobs). "Kevin was the best player here all week, standing on his head just to keep us in it, thats the reason we were 6-1, and he didnt play good today," he said, adding that he isnt giving up on a return trip to the Olympics, after winning gold with Martin in 2010. "The game should have been over after five or six and we let them off the hook." Morris, who was also part of that 2010 gold-medal team, said they knew they werent favoured to win. "We didnt mind the underdog tag and we knew what we were capable of." As for the future of the team if they dont beat Jacobs Sunday, Cotter said that remains up in the air. "Weve talked about the future and who knows," he said. "Were focusing on this moment here and now and what our game plan is going to be tomorrow. Were just going to go out and try and play our best game." Their best game will be needed against Brier winner Jacobs, who swept the field in the round robin, handing Martin his only loss, to move directly to the final. "We just need to keep doing what weve been doing," said Jacobs, who practised Saturday. "Everyone is throwing the rock great on this team . . . We just need to come out and perform like weve performed all week and let the chips fall where they may." ' ' '