Mohegan - The New England Black Wolves spent the first two weeks of their inaugural National Lacrosse League season as the irreverent young team, quick in transition, ready to take on the world. The Black Wolves even beat three-time defending league champion Rochester soundly the last time out.

And then Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Minnesota Swarm became the team with those exact characteristics.

"We knew what they were going to do and they did it," Black Wolves forward Jamie Lincoln said. "That's what made it sting a little."

Getting off to a four-goal lead in the first quarter, Minnesota went on to beat New England 19-13 before 3,563 fans which had only seen the Black Wolves (2-1) win so far this season.

Minnesota, with the reigning NLL Rookie of the Year in Logan Schuss and the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft, Miles Thompson, beat New England down the floor for goals several times and was able to withstand a five-goal flurry from the Black Wolves which gave the home team a 7-6 lead midway through the second quarter.

The Black Wolves, despite taking the lead, however, lost rookie forward Quinn Powless to an injury, leaving them only five offensive players on the roster.

New England was also coming off a bye week, which coach Blane Harrison said seemed to have halted his team's momentum.

Meanwhile, Minnesota (2-1) kept running.

The Swarm got four goals from Shayne Jackson and three each from Jordan MacIntosh and Callum Crawford. Zach Higgins made 41 saves in the win.

"We knew it was important to match that intensity we'd seen on film," Minnesota coach Joe Sullivan said of the Black Wolves. "It was a great game between two young teams."

"We had six offensive players and we went down a man in basically a track meet," Harrison said. "… We played like we had a week off. We were playing pretty good and then we went our separate ways (for the bye week). (Minnesota) was battle-tested and ready to go and they took it to us."

Harrison said his team prepared for Minnesota's transition and the pressing nature of its defense, but the Black Wolves' plan didn't come to fruition.

"Teams are going to score. You're going to give up 12-13 goals," Lincoln said. "But we've got to be better at getting back. … It's a great league. Any team is capable of coming in and stealing one."

Kevin Buchanan tied his career high with five goals for the Black Wolves and added four assists. Lincoln had three goals and one assist and Pat Saunders and Kevin Crowley scored two goals each.

Minnesota led 6-2 with 1:48 to play in the first quarter when Buchanan dove past his last defender and launched a point blank shot that beat Higgins to pull the Black Wolves within three, the first of three straight goals for Buchanan.

New England then won the second-quarter faceoff after a brief scramble and got the ball to Buchanan, who scored just 36 seconds in, and Buchanan scored again three minutes later to pull within 6-5.

Goalie Evan Kirk went to the ground for a save on Minnesota's next trip down the floor and Kyle Buchanan tied things 6-6 at 5:04 of the period on assists by Saunders and Kevin Buchanan. Kevin Crowley's first goal of the game a minute and a half later gave the Black Wolves their only lead at 7-6.

It took Minnesota only 15 seconds to tie on a goal by MacIntosh.

The game was then tied 8-8 when the Swarm took the lead for good at 9-8 and scored four in a row in all to push the lead back to 12-8, never allowing the Black Wolves to catch their breath.

After three straight home games, the Black Wolves now hit the road for the first time, traveling to Edmonton for a game Friday night before returning home for a Feb. 15 matchup against Rochester.

v.fulkerson@theday.com

Twitter: @vickieattheday