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BUF at SD - Sat. 10pm ET on ESPNews Schedule

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 2
FINAL
Philadelphia
8
Halifax
18
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Vancouver
8
Toronto
19
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
San Diego
15
New York
14
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Albany
11
Buffalo
10
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Rochester
16
Georgia
11
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Colorado
6
Saskatchewan
18
WK
2
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL
Las Vegas
11
Panther City
13
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
12
San Diego
13
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Toronto
7
Rochester
11
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Vancouver
9
Calgary
11
WK
3
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
5
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Panther City
9
Las Vegas
3
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Buffalo
11
Toronto
8
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Rochester
14
Albany
13
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Philadelphia
13
Georgia
12
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Halifax
20
New York
11
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Colorado
12
Panther City
9
WK
5
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
Halifax
13
Buffalo
18
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
San Diego
17
Calgary
14
Sat, Dec 31
FINAL
Panther City
9
Saskatchewan
11
WK
6
Fri, Jan 6
FINAL
Philadelphia
14
Las Vegas
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Panther City
9
Rochester
17
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Halifax
14
Albany
11
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Buffalo
18
Georgia
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Toronto
15
New York
7
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Calgary
8
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Vancouver
11
San Diego
16
WK
7
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Albany
11
Halifax
10
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
10
Colorado
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Halifax
8
Toronto
17
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Panther City
12
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Georgia
9
Buffalo
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
San Diego
10
Calgary
14
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Las Vegas
16
Vancouver
19
Sun, Jan 15
FINAL
Rochester
11
New York
8
WK
8
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Buffalo
12
Rochester
15
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
15
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
Toronto
14
Philadelphia
5
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
New York
16
Albany
10
WK
9
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Rochester
7
Halifax
17
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Buffalo
13
Philadelphia
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Buffalo
16
New York
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Las Vegas
10
Saskatchewan
15
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL/OT
Toronto
11
Calgary
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
San Diego
13
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Panther City
20
Vancouver
7
WK
10
Fri, Feb 3
FINAL
Georgia
10
Colorado
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL/OT
Calgary
12
Halifax
11
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
New York
14
Toronto
22
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Albany
5
Philadelphia
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Rochester
10
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Panther City
10
San Diego
12
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
14
Vancouver
8
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Colorado
8
Las Vegas
13
WK
11
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Toronto
11
Georgia
10
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
13
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Halifax
14
Rochester
16
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Albany
12
New York
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Vancouver
13
Panther City
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Colorado
9
Calgary
13
WK
12
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
9
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
16
San Diego
11
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Georgia
7
Toronto
16
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
Albany
10
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
12
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Colorado
7
Panther City
13
Sun, Feb 19
FINAL
New York
12
Halifax
13
WK
13
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Panther City
12
Colorado
14
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Calgary
9
Las Vegas
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL/OT
New York
10
Rochester
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Albany
4
Georgia
20
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Vancouver
16
Saskatchewan
12
WK
14
Fri, Mar 3
FINAL
Buffalo
10
Halifax
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
New York
12
Philadelphia
19
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
San Diego
15
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Rochester
8
Toronto
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL/OT
Georgia
9
Albany
8
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
10
Panther City
16
Mon, Mar 6
FINAL
Toronto
10
Philadelphia
11
WK
15
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL/OT
Halifax
9
Buffalo
10
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL
Calgary
16
Colorado
10
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Albany
6
Toronto
12
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Philadelphia
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
San Diego
12
Saskatchewan
11
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
5
Sun, Mar 12
FINAL
Rochester
19
Georgia
18
WK
16
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
11
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
San Diego
16
Vancouver
9
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Georgia
13
Philadelphia
12
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Toronto
12
Halifax
14
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Albany
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Colorado
13
Buffalo
8
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
8
Panther City
11
Sun, Mar 19
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
9
Rochester
8
WK
17
Fri, Mar 24
FINAL
San Diego
17
Panther City
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Toronto
11
Albany
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Halifax
14
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Georgia
13
New York
8
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Calgary
14
Saskatchewan
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL/OT
Buffalo
7
San Diego
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Colorado
12
Vancouver
14
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Rochester
7
Las Vegas
12
WK
18
Fri, Mar 31
19:00:00
New York
Georgia
Fri, Mar 31
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Colorado
Fri, Mar 31
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sat, Apr 1
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Apr 1
20:00:00
Albany
Panther City
Sat, Apr 1
21:30:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 2
13:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Sun, Apr 2
18:00:00
Rochester
Philadelphia
WK
19
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sat, Apr 8
22:30:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
WK
20
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Georgia
Albany
Sat, Apr 15
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 15
21:30:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 15
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
WK
21
Fri, Apr 21
20:30:00
Calgary
Panther City
Sat, Apr 22
18:00:00
New York
Halifax
Sat, Apr 22
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 22
21:30:00
Colorado
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 22
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Apr 23
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Albany
WK
22
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Halifax
Georgia
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 29
22:30:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
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Stories/Op-Ed

After All That Has Changed, FireWolves Are Searching For Rhythm

Future shock is the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time.” – Alvin Toffler.

When author and futurist Alvin Toffler wrote of this concept in his 1970 book Future Shock, he was speaking about how the rapid influx of technology could impact society.

It is an idea that, stripped away from its original technologically-focused context, can be apparent in any situation, including, hyperbolically speaking, the Albany FireWolves 16-7 loss a few weeks ago to the Rochester Knighthawks.

That late-December game was one that the team would like to forget. FireWolves Head Coach, Glenn Clark, explained that it was a night where it felt everything didn’t work out as planned.

“It was just a bad game,” Clark said. “You’re going to have one or two stinkers during the year. Unfortunately, ours was the first game in the building in Albany.”

The crushing home-opening loss put the team at 0-2 for the first time since 2017 (when the FireWolves were the New England Black Wolves). And, it was only the 9th time in the team’s 35-year history going all the way back to the original Philadelphia Wings days that one of their teams started 0-2.

Further adding to the pain of the nine-goal defeat, it was just the 6th time in Glenn Clark’s FireWolves/Black Wolves coaching era – which began in 2016 – that one of his teams lost by nine goals or more.

Finally, however, after three frustratingly long weeks following the loss, which included a holiday break and a week of games/practices postponed due to COVID-19, the FireWolves were eventually able to avenge their ‘stinker’ of a loss and notch their first win of the season, an impressive10-5 victory against the Saskatchewan Rush.

Now, a win is a win, but, how was the early-season hole that the FireWolves needed to dig themselves out of created? Future Shock seems to be one of the key reasons.

It may feel like an eternity ago, but it was less than 20 months ago in March of 2020 that the New England Black Wolves (now FireWolves) were sitting atop the NLL’s East Division while holding a league-best 8-3 record. Those were the days they played out of Uncasville, Connecticut, as the Black Wolves, led by dynamic scorer Callum Crawford. Then COVID-19 hit.

Since the league’s COVID-canceled season, The Black Wolves have packed up and moved about 150 miles northwest to a new home in Albany, with a new name and color scheme,and without Crawford on the team. There’s also the fact that other players such as Stephan Leblanc are also now competing for different teams.

If those changes weren’t jarring enough, during training camp this past November, it was difficult to arrange for the entire team (or coaches) to attend practices due to COVID-19, work commitments and injuries.

It didn’t get any less complicated for this group to gain some continuity once the seasons started. Manney and other defensemen such as Adam Bomberry and Greg Downing were on the injured reserve list and the newly aligned offense was still trying to find its way. The addition of future Hall of Famer last week, forward Ryan Benesch, will be one of those critical pieces fitting into the offense.

The FireWolves were constantly butting heads with drastic changes to their environment and their team’s strategy in a way that no other non-expansion franchise was, and it was severely impacting the team’s rhythm.

It’s hard to find your way when everything is constantly changing. It’s even more challenging to find your way when things are constantly changing and you don’t have the usual opportunities to adapt then prosper.

Coach Clark and his staff have used new and different methods to keep the players up to date with the team’s strategies. They have used video conferences throughout the season to go over game film in preparation for upcoming games, but that isn’t the same as being able to run through plays on the floor with your teammates.

This weekend’s game against the Philadelphia Wings will be the first time the FireWolves are playing on back-to-back weekends this season. Andrew Kew, one of the FireWolves elite young scorers, knows how beneficial playing on weekly basis will be to this team who is trying to find its way.

“Playing every weekend will make us more comfortable with each other and that will only help us,” Kew said. “Hopefully, once we start doing that, that’s when we can get on a roll.”

According to Clark, there were moments in the win over the Rush where it felt the team was getting into the rhythm they were feeling last season. Manney and Bomberry were back from injury, Benesch, Kew, and the other offensive pieces were figuring out each other’s tendencies and goaltender Doug Jamieson showed he can still play at NLL Goaltender the Year-form. All the pieces were coming together and were being given real-world opportunities to show what they could do as a unit.

“I think in that Saskatchewan game, we were close, at least defensively, to where we were pre-COVID,” Clark said. “We’ve got some new bodies and some changes offensively, and often times that take a little longer to gel. There have been moments where we’re playing the way we think we should offensively, but it’s taking a little longer to get that consistency.”

Manney echoed what Kew and Clark had stated about being able to regularly suit up on the floor for NLL action. For the FireWolves, now is the time to seize another day. Manney said it’s time to keep the ball rolling after their first win.

“We have to continue to build off this momentum we now have,” Manney said. “This will be the first time this season that we’ll be playing in consecutive weeks. Being able to get into a rhythm as a team will help us tremendously.”

Despite not reaching the heights they would like as a team yet, FireWolves defense coach Clem D’Orazio knows the FireWolves excelled in many ways against the Rush. Because of that performance, D’Orazio and the coaching staff are urging their players to keep building off those successes so they can challenge a formidable opponent this weekend in the Philadelphia Wings.

“We know that on both sides of the ball, we’re going to get better each game,” D’Orazio said. “I think we started to hit our stride this past weekend, but we need to be consistent to be great. We need to find our stride again in Philadelphia.”

Now, if the FireWolves come out on the wrong side of the matchup on Saturday, so be it. It does not mean their time is up, that their season is over. They have played one of the most disjointed schedules in the NLL thus far, which takes a mental toll.

The FireWolves have January 29th marked as a key date on their calendar because that begins an intense stretch of having no weeks off until mid-April. From January 29th to April 2nd, the FireWolves play 12 games, including having two weekends where they play on back-to-back nights.

This team already has a robust and budding sense of camaraderie, confidence and cohesion. The FireWolves already know that they are more balanced than in years past. They know they have a reasonable amount of depth on the roster. And, most importantly, they know that it’s possible to replicate the team’s winning ways of the 2019-20 season if they can embrace the now and focus on the goals in front of them.

With a couple of weekends until the 29th, the FireWolves hope to find a rhythm and confidence that they can ride through their rigorous mid-season schedule. If they can do that, the effects of future Shock will continue to wear off.

NLL