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Breaking: League Adopts Unified Standings Format & Updated Playoff Structure for 2023-24 Season

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 1
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Halifax
Fri, Dec 1
22:00:00
Albany
Las Vegas
Fri, Dec 1
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
Sat, Dec 2
19:00:00
Calgary
Rochester
Sat, Dec 2
19:30:00
Philadelphia
New York
WK
2
Sat, Dec 9
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Dec 9
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Dec 9
19:30:00
Colorado
Georgia
Sat, Dec 9
20:00:00
Rochester
Saskatchewan
Sat, Dec 9
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sun, Dec 10
16:00:00
Las Vegas
Panther City
WK
3
Fri, Dec 15
22:00:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
Sat, Dec 16
13:00:00
Albany
Philadelphia
Sat, Dec 16
19:30:00
Halifax
New York
Sat, Dec 16
19:30:00
San Diego
Buffalo
Sat, Dec 16
22:00:00
Georgia
Vancouver
WK
4
Fri, Dec 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Panther City
Fri, Dec 22
21:00:00
Georgia
Colorado
Sat, Dec 23
19:00:00
Vancouver
Rochester
WK
5
Fri, Dec 29
18:30:00
Philadelphia
Halifax
Fri, Dec 29
19:30:00
Georgia
Buffalo
Fri, Dec 29
22:00:00
Rochester
San Diego
Sat, Dec 30
16:00:00
New York
Toronto
Sat, Dec 30
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Sat, Dec 30
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sun, Dec 31
20:00:00
Albany
Saskatchewan
WK
6
Sat, Jan 6
19:00:00
Halifax
Albany
Sat, Jan 6
19:30:00
Panther City
Georgia
Sat, Jan 6
19:30:00
Colorado
Buffalo
Sun, Jan 7
15:00:00
New York
Philadelphia
WK
7
Fri, Jan 12
18:30:00
Toronto
Halifax
Fri, Jan 12
22:00:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
Sat, Jan 13
19:00:00
Buffalo
Rochester
Sat, Jan 13
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Philadelphia
Sat, Jan 13
19:30:00
Panther City
New York
Sat, Jan 13
19:30:00
Albany
Georgia
Sat, Jan 13
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Jan 13
22:00:00
Calgary
Vancouver
WK
8
Fri, Jan 19
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Jan 20
19:00:00
Georgia
Toronto
Sat, Jan 20
19:00:00
San Diego
Albany
Sat, Jan 20
20:00:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sat, Jan 20
21:00:00
Calgary
Colorado
WK
9
Fri, Jan 26
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Jan 27
18:00:00
Rochester
Halifax
Sat, Jan 27
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Jan 27
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Jan 27
19:30:00
San Diego
Philadelphia
Sat, Jan 27
22:00:00
Panther City
Las Vegas
WK
10
Fri, Feb 2
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Fri, Feb 2
19:30:00
Vancouver
Georgia
Fri, Feb 2
21:00:00
New York
Calgary
Sat, Feb 3
19:00:00
Las Vegas
Albany
Sat, Feb 3
19:30:00
Rochester
Buffalo
Sat, Feb 3
20:00:00
Panther City
Saskatchewan
Sat, Feb 3
21:00:00
Toronto
Calgary
Sun, Feb 4
18:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
WK
11
Fri, Feb 9
18:30:00
Las Vegas
Halifax
Fri, Feb 9
20:00:00
Colorado
Panther City
Sat, Feb 10
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Feb 10
19:00:00
Calgary
Toronto
Sat, Feb 10
19:30:00
San Diego
New York
Sat, Feb 10
22:00:00
Saskatchewan
Vancouver
WK
12
Fri, Feb 16
18:30:00
Buffalo
Halifax
Fri, Feb 16
22:00:00
Philadelphia
Las Vegas
Sat, Feb 17
19:00:00
Colorado
Albany
Sun, Feb 18
19:00:00
Halifax
Calgary
WK
13
Fri, Feb 23
21:00:00
New York
Colorado
Fri, Feb 23
22:00:00
Georgia
San Diego
Sat, Feb 24
19:00:00
Las Vegas
Rochester
Sat, Feb 24
19:00:00
Vancouver
Toronto
Sat, Feb 24
19:30:00
Albany
Buffalo
Sat, Feb 24
20:00:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Feb 24
21:00:00
Philadelphia
Calgary
Sun, Feb 25
16:00:00
Georgia
Panther City
WK
14
Fri, Mar 1
19:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Fri, Mar 1
20:00:00
San Diego
Panther City
Fri, Mar 1
22:00:00
Toronto
Las Vegas
Fri, Mar 1
22:00:00
Buffalo
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 2
13:00:00
Calgary
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 2
19:00:00
New York
Albany
Sat, Mar 2
21:00:00
Saskatchewan
Colorado
Sat, Mar 2
22:00:00
Toronto
San Diego
Sun, Mar 3
16:00:00
Rochester
Panther City
WK
15
Fri, Mar 8
19:00:00
Vancouver
Albany
Fri, Mar 8
19:30:00
Calgary
Georgia
Fri, Mar 8
19:30:00
Saskatchewan
Buffalo
Sat, Mar 9
17:00:00
Colorado
Toronto
Sat, Mar 9
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Mar 9
19:30:00
Las Vegas
New York
Sat, Mar 9
22:00:00
Halifax
San Diego
Sun, Mar 10
15:00:00
Panther City
Philadelphia
WK
16
Fri, Mar 15
18:30:00
Panther City
Halifax
Fri, Mar 15
21:00:00
San Diego
Calgary
Fri, Mar 15
22:00:00
Las Vegas
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 16
19:00:00
Rochester
Albany
Sat, Mar 16
19:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Mar 16
19:30:00
Philadelphia
Georgia
Sat, Mar 16
20:30:00
New York
Saskatchewan
WK
17
Fri, Mar 22
20:00:00
Buffalo
Panther City
Fri, Mar 22
21:00:00
Albany
Calgary
Sat, Mar 23
19:00:00
Halifax
Toronto
Sat, Mar 23
19:00:00
Vancouver
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 23
19:30:00
Saskatchewan
New York
Sat, Mar 23
21:00:00
Rochester
Colorado
Sat, Mar 23
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Mar 24
17:30:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
WK
18
Sat, Mar 30
13:00:00
Buffalo
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 30
19:00:00
Halifax
Rochester
Sat, Mar 30
19:30:00
Toronto
New York
Sat, Mar 30
22:00:00
Vancouver
Las Vegas
WK
19
Fri, Apr 5
21:00:00
Saskatchewan
Calgary
Fri, Apr 5
21:00:00
Buffalo
Colorado
Fri, Apr 5
22:00:00
Panther City
San Diego
Fri, Apr 5
22:00:00
Halifax
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 6
19:00:00
New York
Rochester
Sat, Apr 6
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Apr 6
19:30:00
Las Vegas
Georgia
Sat, Apr 6
20:00:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 7
16:00:00
Philadelphia
Panther City
WK
20
Fri, Apr 12
21:00:00
Philadelphia
Colorado
Sat, Apr 13
19:00:00
Rochester
Toronto
Sat, Apr 13
19:30:00
Calgary
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 13
20:00:00
San Diego
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 13
22:00:00
Colorado
Las Vegas
Sat, Apr 13
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sun, Apr 14
16:00:00
Albany
Panther City
WK
21
Fri, Apr 19
19:30:00
Rochester
Georgia
Fri, Apr 19
22:00:00
Vancouver
San Diego
Sat, Apr 20
18:00:00
Colorado
Halifax
Sat, Apr 20
19:30:00
Albany
New York
Sat, Apr 20
20:00:00
Toronto
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 20
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 20
22:00:00
Buffalo
Las Vegas
Sun, Apr 21
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
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Black Wolves Look To Break Out In ’16

After a disappointing 4-14 record in their debut season, the New England Black Wolves spent the offseason building a stronger, faster pack. With a new coaching staff and blockbuster trades creating a much different lineup, the Black Wolves have much higher expectations for the 2016 season.

“Need to improve,” said new Black Wolves head coach Glenn Clark. “Need to improve on the season from last year. That’s what a lot of these acquisitions have been about; identifying that we need to improve our talent. I think in certain areas we’ve done that, but there’s still work to do.”

Among the trades is the acquisition of the National Lacrosse League’s reigning MVP Shawn Evans. Coming off the best season of his impressive 10-year career, Evans could be the veteran experience the Black Wolves have been missing. While the trade itself was a bit of a shock, based on the subtle hints dropped during the offseason, the pack is the perfect fit for Evans and his family.

“[Black Wolves GM] Rich [Lisk] and I were talking and he said there might be a chance that Shawn’s available because he’s expressed an interest to come back to the East,” said Clark. “It took about a month to put all the pieces together and to actually make it work.”

“Having three kids and a wife and living on the East coast, playing the last four years on the West coast was a little difficult,” Evans said. “Being closer to home, being closer to family, it’s easier to get to games and keep the body healthy. Make sure the body’s healthy so I can keep going, keep producing, and keeping playing at the highest level.”

Though the Evans trade will make a huge difference for the Black Wolves during the 2016 season, the coaching staff made sure to lock in most of the players from the 2015 roster. Looking back at game film and individual performances throughout the season, the pack was strong to begin with coming into the new season. 

Fan favorite Bill O’Brien and team leading scorer Pat Saunders both signed on for two more seasons, while rookie defender Sheldon Burns earned another year in New England after an impressive first year in the NLL. Goalkeepers Evan Kirk and Tye Belanger are also returning for another year with the pack. Though Kirk was the starter for most of the 2015 season, Belanger is just as experienced and statistically naming a starter could prove to be very tricky.

“They had a very level camp in terms of performance,” Clark said. “A healthy competition is ongoing and there is still a battle for that starter’s role. We’re going to let it play out.”

With the return of forward Kevin Crowley, the team morale will receive a much needed lift from a well-known leader both on the field and in the locker room. Crowley was traded to the Toronto Rock in a move that seemed more like a desperate attempt to fire up an ice cold offense than a strategic move to save the team’s overall performance. At the time he was traded, Crowley led the Black Wolves in goals scored and was an assistant captain and the team essentially lost a leader who offered more for team morale than most would suspect. 

“We had a mandate, we wanted to improve the team and Kevin helps us do that,” Clark said. “Ownership was familiar with him, players are familiar with him, so he was certainly someone we targeted and were interest in. In a sense, it was a priority, it was something we had identified and we had looked into doing.”

“I’m definitely happy to be back,” stated Crowley. “I like the trades and the players we’ve picked up. It’s definitely an exciting time. I know ‘Evvy’ [Evans] as a competitor and a great lacrosse player and it’s exciting to have him on my side. I look forward to getting to know him even better than I do…Any time you bring someone of that caliber in, it obviously raises the level of play on the team.”

After signing Crowley and Evans to multi-year deals, the Black Wolves made yet another big move. The pack traded Drew Petkoff to the Georgia Swarm in exchange for forward Shane MacDonald. In 11 games with the Swarm last season, MacDonald proved to be a quiet contributor to the offense, scooping up 16 loose balls and collecting 6 goals and 7 assists. 

With the 2016 season closing in, the Black Wolves are building team chemistry and fighting to prove the doubters wrong. While most teams would want to forget about a 4-14 season and move on, there’s a lot more than a losing season to come back from for the pack. The mix of new coaches and acquisitions, along with a mostly set roster of returning players, the New England Black Wolves are starting over and attempting to make up for their debut season.

“I think it’s a breath of fresh air to be honest,” added Crowley. “I love the coaching staff they’ve brought in, and I think it’s really going to be great for the players and the culture around the team.”

“Obviously New England didn’t do well the first year, but I think they’re making moves to be the next team and want to win,” Evans said. “When you see moves being made, that means the ownership and the coaching staff are trying to make this team better. I think, right now, they’ve put in place a few key players and I think it’s going to be good for the season. I think we’re going to shock some people this year.”

The New England Black Wolves open the 2016 NLL season on January 9, 2016 as they hit the road to take on the Vancouver Stealth at 7 p.m. ET.

Story by Alyssa McLaughlin (@BlackWolvesBeat) for NLL.com.

NLL