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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
20:30:00
San Diego
Panther City
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 25
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Mar 25
21:30:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Buffalo
San Diego
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 25
22:30:00
Rochester
Las Vegas
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

Blackjack: Black Wolves Bust Up Swarm, 21-11

The New England Black Wolves (10-6) clinched a home playoff game, taking down the Georgia Swarm (7-10) by a score of 21-11 on Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Swarm continued to use their newfound momentum, but the Black Wolves were able to come back and fight hard for the much-needed victory. While the pack has secured a home playoff game for the first round, they are still in a very tight race with the Buffalo Bandits (12-5) for the number one seed in the East. With the win, the Black Wolves tied a franchise-high in wins, reaching 10 for the first time since 2008. 

“The best part for me, I mean the result was like lightning in a bottle, was we got back to what we wanted to be,” said Black Wolves head coach Glenn Clark. “The first half was more indicative of the game, I think it got away from them late, but we played well. We played well in the back end, we were more active offensively, and we got back to the team we want to be and that’s the best part.”

“They were very good tonight and we weren’t,” said Swarm head coach Ed Comeau. “New England could probably say the same for last week. In this game, in this league, you’ve got to show up to play and if you don’t, that’s the outcome you get. We were down, we battled back to get it close, then we had a couple of calls that didn’t go our way. I think we lost our focus and then we couldn’t dig ourselves out of the hole we’d put ourselves in.”

“We knew we let one slide away from us last week and we weren’t our best, so we came back, we regrouped as a team, and I think we played a solid game,” stated Black Wolves forward Shawn Evans. “Besides the first three minutes where they were up 3-0 or something like that, we stuck together and defense pulled it out, offense put the ball in the net, and Kirky [Evan Kirk] made the timely saves we needed. Overall, we stuck together, put the last game behind us, and we moved on and moved forward in this game.”

In a rematch of Last Friday’s game, the tensions were running high from the start. The Black Wolves came out firing right from the first face-off, with multiple rebounds, offensive resets, and shots in transition. However, the Swarm defense held on and the offense scored the first two goals of the game. The pack’s defense worked hard and forced turnovers, but the Swarm’s offense was too much and every forward in the lineup had a hand in the team’s goals before the first quarter ended. The Swarm held a 5-3 lead after the first quarter.

“I personally think I had a bad start,” Black Wolves goalkeeper EvanKirk stated. “But the offensive and defensive guys in front of me carried us, that’s for sure. They allowed me to get going and I think I picked up in the second, third, and fourth.”

The Black Wolves offense came out very slow in the second quarter, but the Swarm were not able to capitalize on the advantage. The pack got the scoring started in the second quarter and ended up tying the game at five goals each. The Swarm answered quickly, but the back-and-forth continued and the Black Wolves tied the game at six goals shortly after. From there, the Swarm were held scoreless with key saves from the pack’s veteran goalkeeper, and the Black Wolves scored three consecutive goals to hold a 9-6 lead at halftime. 

The Swarm came out hot in the third quarter, scoring three consecutive goals to tie the game at 9. However, the Black Wolves responded immediately, taking a 10-9 lead halfway through the third quarter. The pack’s defense took over, and allowed the Swarm to score only once more in the third quarter off a power-play. On the other hand, the Black Wolves scored four goals and headed into the fourth quarter with a 14-10 lead. The sudden influx by the Black Wolves sent the Swarm into the locker room for a pep talk before the fourth quarter started.

“I think Kirky [Evan Kirk] wanted a few of those back,” Clark stated. “We were talking to him and he was having trouble with his stick or something. I think a few uncharacteristic goals went in, but the key was we didn’t get rattled, we knew what the process was, and our language is don’t get off script because if you do that it unravels. We stayed on script, stuck to the game plan, and it started rolling for us.”

“There were some special team’s goals, some 6-on-5 goals, and a couple face-off goals which are momentum goals,” Comeau said. “They gained some momentum and I thought we had some good chances. Their goaltending was really good in the second half and made a couple of big saves when the game was still in doubt that would’ve given us a spark.”

The fourth quarter was all Black Wolves, as the defense completely stunted the Swarm offense and Shawn Evans fired off four consecutive goals. The Swarm were able to get one goal in the fourth quarter, but could not get the momentum necessary to get a run going. Also, any time they seemed to get a bit of a shift going offensively, a goal was overturned or a call went against them. The offensive outing by New England in throughout the game was something they did not have in Friday’s loss to the Swarm. 

“We had some good efforts,” Clark stated. “Evvy [Evans] buried a few pinpoint shots. We had some good individual efforts, but we were also good collectively.”

For the Swarm, the defense fought hard to keep the Black Wolves at bay, but it was not enough. Goalkeeper Brodie MacDonald had a good night in goal and acted as a brick wall for the Swarm, but was replaced by backup Zach Higgins just before the fourth quarter began. MacDonald had 35 saves on 49 shots, and Higgins had 10 saves on 17 shots. Offensively, Jessie King led the way with four goals and two assists, while Shayne Jackson collected three goals and two assists. Rookie Randy Staats added two goals and three assists.

The Black Wolves’ defense kept a strong Swarm team on their toes, allowing the offense to take control. Goalkeeper Evan Kirk proved why he is one of the best in the league, making 45 saves on 56 shots with many coming on key head-to-head matchups. For the offense, Shawn Evans started off slow, but got a hot stick in the fourth quarter and set a new single-season career high in goals with 49. Evans finished with five goals and six assists, while Pat Saunders and Kevin Buchanan collected four goals and two assists. Saunders set new single-season career highs in goals, assists, points, and loose balls with his performance tonight. Kyle Buchanan added two goals and four assists, and Kevin Crowley had one goal and five assists. 

“When you’re winning games and the ball’s going in the net, it’s definitely a huge accomplishment,” Evans stated. “As a team, I think we all know we’re having a great season right now, but we need to get better heading into playoffs. We still have two games left. Our goal is to get first place and host playoffs here at the Mohegan Sun. This was a big game, so we’re going to enjoy it tonight and move forward and move on to Buffalo and Rochester.”

Three Stars of the Game:

1) Evan Kirk
2) Shawn Evans
3) Pat Saunders

The New England Black Wolves (10-6) return to action on April 30, 2016 as they hit the road to face the Buffalo Bandits (12-5) at 7 p.m. ET. The Georgia Swarm (7-10) return to action April 30, 2016 as they take on the Vancouver Stealth at 7:05 p.m. ET. 

Story by Alyssa McLaughlin for NLL.com. Photo by Khoi Ton.

NLL