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Season opens on December 1st. Find 2023-24 schedules here and buy your tickets today

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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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Stories/Op-Ed

Crouching Liger, Hidden Dragon

How Eli McLaughlin's refocused mindset has helped the Mammoth to the brink of the NLL Finals

The woolly Colorado Mammoth are lucky to have another animal on the team, a wily Liger with skills in lacrosse magic.

What’s a Liger? It’s like a lion and a tiger mixed. Who’s a Liger on the Mammoth? It’s high-scoring forward Eli McLaughlin. The nickname first started out simply as “Li” in high school then later morphed into “Liger.”

“It was off the cuff and just stuck,” says McLaughlin, who at age 28 and with seven seasons of NLL experience is now considered a wily veteran. “It’s a great nickname.”

McLaughlin says he is “Crouching Liger, Hidden Dragon” in the playoffs. He has indeed been dynamite for Colorado since entering the NLL as the fourth overall draft pick in 2014 and being named to the 2015 All-Rookie Team.

This season, McLaughlin set career-highs in goals (38), assists (45) and points (83) to finish 16th in league scoring. His 38 snipes were 10th best, and his four game-winning goals were tied for second.

“Liger is a perfect description of Eli,” says NLL insider and TSN broadcaster Teddy Jenner. “The guy loves to score big goals. He is relentless. His ability to beat you from the outside with a heavy shot and drive hard underneath makes him a very difficult matchup for defenders. He never stands still and you constantly have to be aware of him on the floor.”

Just as important, McLaughlin played in all 18 games during the 2021-22 regular season after being limited by injury in 2020 and 2019. Despite that, Liger was named to 2019 All-Pro Second Team after putting up 35 goals and 41 assists for 76 points in 16 games, his previous career-best numbers.

“Having that extra time off [during the COVID-19 pandemic], and dealing with injuries the last couple of years, it allowed me to get the body right and refocus on how I wanted to be as a player this season,” McLaughlin says.

For McLaughlin, the mental game has become just as, if not more, important than the physical. “I’m more mentally sound this year and not beating myself up about mistakes,” he says.

Which helped lead to the game-winning goals.

“When the game is on the line, I personally feel comfortable in that situation and am not afraid to shoot the ball late in the game,” says McLaughlin, who grew up in Surrey, British Columbia and played his junior lacrosse in Delta, New Westminster and Coquitlam.

McLaughlin’s confidence has come from playing with and learning from Mammoth players, now lacrosse legends, who were vets when he was a young player. Among them: John Grant Jr., Adam Jones, Callum Crawford, Zack Greer, Stephen Keogh and Ryan Benesch.

“Those guys all played a part in helping me mature as a pro lacrosse player,” McLaughlin says. “They all gave me the opportunity to learn by watching them, and during practice teaching me the nuances of the game. Just having teammates and a coaching staff that believed in me since I got here. Without those guys I wouldn’t have had quite the success.”

That success has suddenly piled up for McLaughlin, who passed the 400 career-point mark this season and now sits at 182 goals and 227 assists for 409 points in 116 games played. He also passed lacrosse legend Gary Gait in games played for Colorado, and Jones in points.

McLaughlin trails only Brian Langtry (503), Grant Jr. (552), Gavin Prout (664) and Gait (722) in career points for the Mammoth. Those four all have their numbers retired and in the rafters at Ball Arena in Denver.

“I mean, anytime your name is mentioned with guys of that calibre it’s kind of an honour and shock,” says McLaughlin, who has scored most of his goals with Gait Lacrosse Torq stick heads and custom Gait gloves. “When you start, you never put yourself up with those guys.”

But Liger says team success is more important than personal milestones and accolades. “We’ve got to win that big one,” he says.

Colorado is chasing its first NLL championship since 2006, a team that included Prout and Langtry as well as current Mammoth coach Pat Coyle and Vancouver coach Chris Gill all coached by Gary Gait. They are now one game away from making their first NLL Finals appearance since that 2006 championship season.

“It’s something we’ve being trying to do since I got here,” says McLaughlin. “We’ve had a few close ones, made it to the division finals, but can’t seem to get over that hump. The fans deserve it for sure. They’ve been waiting long enough. It would be an unbelievable feeling to being back a championship to Denver.”

McLaughlin has done his part in the playoffs, recording 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points in eight career postseason games between 2015-19. So far this postseason, he has led the Mammoth with 14 points on six goals and eight assists in two games. He ignited the Mammoth offence in Game 1 of the West Conference Final, scoring three goals and the insurance goal in the second half.

“I think I kind of enjoy the pressure and when things are on the line,” he says. “It brings out the best in me, and hopefully I bring out the best in the rest of the guys, and we keep it rolling. We’re not ready to go home yet.”

Left-hander Liger’s linemates on the Colorado offence include right-hander Ryan “Leezer” Lee, who was second in league scoring this season and broke Grant Jr.’s Mammoth single-season points record with 119, and fellow lefty Connor Robinson, who was sixth in the league in goals with 42, as well as crafty Chris Wardle, steady Zed Williams and midseason acquisition Tyson Gibson.

“Anytime Leezer has the ball in his stick good things are going to happen,” McLaughlin says. “If the ball’s moving [from side to side] the goalie can’t set his feet quick and we get good looks.

“Overall, we’re not a selfish offence. If I’m not having a good night, I’m getting Connor the ball and doing all the dirty work. We’re all willing to do what needs to be done. If one guy scores, we all score.”

NLL insider Jenner agrees that McLaughlin’s improved mental game has been key for Colorado.

“Battling through injuries the last few seasons, Eli has taken his game to a new level with a refocused mindset,” says Jenner, who watched McLaughlin closely as the Mammoth’s play-by-play announcer for four seasons leading up to the pandemic.

“He’s realized the importance of his off-ball game and that he can be just as impactful without the ball in his stick.”

Crouching Liger, Hidden Dragon indeed.

NLL