2006 Major League Lacrosse

Major League Lacrosse

Major League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...

 season was the 6th season of the league. The season began on May 20 and concluded with the championship game on August 27, 2006.

General information

The season marked the first expansion teams in the MLL. Chicago Machine

Chicago Machine

The Chicago Machine is a mens field lacrosse team that plays in Major League Lacrosse that was based in Chicago, Illinois until the franchise left after the 2009 season to be a travel team in 2010. The team then transferred its roster to the reborn Rochester Rattlers on November 23, 2010 when it...

, Denver Outlaws

Denver Outlaws

The Denver Outlaws are a Major League Lacrosse professional men's field lacrosse team based in Denver, Colorado. They began playing in the MLL in 2006 as an expansion team. From 2006 to 2008, they were in the Western Conference. With the MLL contraction in the 2009 season from 10 to 6 teams The...

, Los Angeles Riptide

Los Angeles Riptide

The Los Angeles Riptide were a lacrosse team based in Carson, California. From 2006 to 2008, they played in Major League Lacrosse. They ceased operations before the 2009 season due to the economic situation in the United States.-Franchise history:...

 and San Francisco Dragons

San Francisco Dragons

The San Francisco Dragons were a professional field lacrosse team based in San Francisco and San Jose, California. From 2006–2008, they played in Major League Lacrosse and they ceased operations before the 2009 season due to the economic situation in the United States.-Franchise history:The San...

 made up the new Western Conference. The original six teams formed the Eastern Conference.

New Jersey moved its home games to Yurcak Field

Yurcak Field

Yurcak Field is a multi-purpose soccer and lacrosse stadium on the main campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway Township, New Jersey, United States. It was built in 1994 and holds 5,000 people. The stadium is officially named "The Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium at Yurcak Field" in honor of Ronald N...

 and Rochester moved its home games to PAETEC Park

PAETEC Park

Sahlen's Stadium, formerly PAETEC Park and Marina Auto Stadium, is a soccer-specific stadium in Rochester, New York, USA. It is home to the Rochester Rhinos soccer team of the USL Pro league and the Western New York Flash of Women's Professional Soccer. It is also home of the Major League Lacrosse ...

.

On April 21, MLL announced a trade involving six teams and 24 players and draft picks. MLL believes it to be the largest trade in sports history.

The June 29 game between Boston at Philadelphia was called with 13:00 remaining in the fourth quarter due to a lightning storm. Boston won the game 16-5.

The Chicago Machine became the first MLL team to go a whole season without a victory after losing in overtime to San Francisco on August 12.

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, PTS = Points, PCT = Winning Percentage, GF = Goals For, 2ptGF = 2 point Goals For, GA = Goals Against, 2ptGA = 2 point Goals Against

Qualified for playoffs

New Jersey finished 3rd in the East based on overall conference record (5-5) verses (4-6) for both Long Island and Rochester. Long Island finished 4th based on total points scored margin in games against Rochester (+10).

All Star Game

July 6, 2006

• Team USA 18-10 MLL All Stars at Nickerson Field
  Nickerson Field
  Nickerson Field is a stadium on the site of Braves Field, in Boston, Massachusetts, the former home of the National League Boston Braves baseball team which is now located in Atlanta...
  
   Boston, Massachusetts Kevin Cassese
  Kevin Cassese
  Kevin Cassese is a professional lacrosse player with the Philadelphia Barrage, and Head Coach of the Lehigh University Men's lacrosse team....
  
   of Team USA MVP

Playoffs

Semi Finals
August 25 @The Home Depot Center

The Home Depot Center

The Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles. Its title sponsor is hardware retailer The Home Depot. The $150 million complex was...

, Carson, California

Carson, California

Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....

Denver 23-14 San Francisco

Philadelphia 17-12 Boston

Championship
August 27@The Home Depot Center

The Home Depot Center

The Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles. Its title sponsor is hardware retailer The Home Depot. The $150 million complex was...

, Carson, California

Carson, California

Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....

Philadelphia 23-12 Denver

Bracket

Awards

Award	Winner	Team
MVP Award Major League Lacrosse MVP Award The Bud Light Major League Lacrosse MVP Award is awarded annually to the best performing player of Major League Lacrosse....	Ryan Powell Ryan Powell (lacrosse) Ryan Powell , is an American lacrosse player from West Carthage, New York. He was a four-time All-American at Syracuse University. He currently plays for the Boston Blazers of the National Lacrosse League and the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse. His brothers Casey and Mike also have enjoyed...	San Francisco
Rookie of the Year Award Major League Lacrosse Rookie of the Year Award The Cascade Major League Lacrosse Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to the top first-time athlete of the season.Cascade began sponsorship of the award in 2003....	Matt Ward Matt Ward (lacrosse player) Matt Ward is an American lacrosse player who played at the University of Virginia and currently plays for the Washington Bayhawks.-High school career:...	Baltimore
Coach of the Year Award Major League Lacrosse Coach of the Year Award The Brine Major League Lacrosse Coach of the Year Award is given annually to the best coach of the MLL. Merrill Lynch was the sponsor of the award from 2001-2003. Warrior was the sponsor from 2004 to 2006....	Tony Resch Tony Resch Tony Resch was the head coach of the Philadelphia Barrage of Major League Lacrosse. Resch graduated from Yale University, where he was a two-time All-American and three-time All-Ivy League player. He is the former head coach of the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League from 1994 to...	Philadelphia
Defensive player of the Year Award Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award Warrior Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award is given annually to the individual judged to be, from amongst all MLL players, the best all-around defensively across a given season. Brodie Merrill has largely dominated this award, winning it a record six consecutive...	Brodie Merrill Brodie Merrill Brodie Merrill is a Canadian lacrosse player. He currently plays in the National Lacrosse League for the Philadelphia Wings and Major League Lacrosse for the Hamilton Nationals.-High school career:...	Rochester
Offensive player of the Year Award Major League Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Year Award Warrior Major League Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Year Award is given annually to the best all around offensive player of the MLL....	Ryan Powell Ryan Powell (lacrosse) Ryan Powell , is an American lacrosse player from West Carthage, New York. He was a four-time All-American at Syracuse University. He currently plays for the Boston Blazers of the National Lacrosse League and the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse. His brothers Casey and Mike also have enjoyed...	San Francisco
Goaltender of the Year Award Major League Lacrosse Goaltender of the Year Award Krauter & Co. Major League Lacrosse Goaltender of the Year Award is given annually to the top goaltender of the season. Warrior sponsored the award from 2001 to 2004....	Brian Dougherty Brian Dougherty Brian "Doc" Dougherty is a lacrosse goaltender. He attended The Episcopal Academy before attending University of Maryland. He is currently the head coach at Chestnut Hill College....	Philadelphia
Sportsman of the Year Award Major League Lacrosse Sportsman of the Year Award The New Balance Major League Lacrosse Sportsman of the Year Award is given annually to the best sportsman of the MLL. The award recognizes a player who has consistently demonstrated sportsmanship through tenacity, determination and fair play on the field over the course of the regular season. This...	Michael Culver	Chicago
Most Improved Player of the Year Award Major League Lacrosse Most Improved Player of the Year Award Warrior Major League Lacrosse Most Improved Player of the Year Award is given annually to the most improved player of the MLL. This award was first given in 2005....	Johnny Christmas Johnny Christmas John Christmas is an American lacrosse player for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League and for the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse....	Boston