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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

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