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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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Doubleheader Weekends Providing Unique Challenges and Opportunities for Knighthawks and Wings

Doubles are everywhere in sports, even the NLL.

In baseball there are of course doubles and double plays, steals and switches. In basketball there are double dribbles and fouls, and of course double-doubles. In football there are double blocks and coverages. In hockey there are double minors.

In the NLL, due to a mix of pandemic-related postponements and rescheduled games, there will be a unique double-double lacrosse weekend with two teams, the Rochester Knighthawks and Philadelphia Wings, both playing two games in two days.

The action kicks off tonight as Rochester hosts the Swarm at Blue Cross Arena on ESPN (6:30 pm ET/ESPNU) then kicks into high gear Saturday night as the Knighthawks travel 350 miles south to face Philadelphia at Wells Fargo Center (7 p.m.) before wrapping up on Sunday afternoon with the Wings entertaining New York (4 p.m.).

“It’s different for sure,” says Philadelphia captain Kiel Matisz. “The biggest thing we need to focus on is taking it one game at a time. Especially with a quick turnaround. Mentally, our approach is to be ready and available to step in at any moment. Especially this season with COVID, every week has had its own adversity. Physically, prep and recovery will be the same as normal.”

This weekend’s double dips are important to both Philadelphia (3-2) and Rochester (2-1) as the teams look to solidify their positions in the East Division standings. The path is perhaps easier for the Wings, who play twice at home.

“We’re looking forward to facing off against the Knighthawks,” says Matisz, who has 2 goals and 11 assists in 5 games this season. “I feel like they have a very similar team, also in the middle of the standings. Specifically, we’ll focus on ourselves and putting together a full 60 minutes. We have had a bit of trouble with that the last couple of games, and we’re looking to be on and ready to go for every shift.”

Philadelphia lost last weekend 9-8 versus Albany while Rochester has not played since Dec. 18, a 16-7 win at Albany that included a goalie fight from young starter Rylan Hartley. The Wings will be looking to their O for inspiration. In the 2019-20 season, Philadelphia beat the Knighthawks 12-4 in their lone matchup.

“Our offence needs to be better,” says Wings leading scorer Kevin Crowley, seventh in the league with 25 points (9 goals, 16 assists.) “We have great goal-scorers; we need to average more goals a game and work harder to take pressure off our goalie.”

Curiously, the Wings are in the bottom half of the league averaging both 11.00 goals for per game and 11.00 goals against so far this season. The Knighthawks, led by team-leading scorer Holden Cattoni (10 goals, 10 assists), are averaging 12.33 goals (t-3rd in NLL) for and 10.33 goals against (t-4th in NLL).

“It will obviously be better if we can come off of a win [Saturday], which will give us confidence heading into Sunday,” says Crowley, from New Westminster, British Columbia. “If we lose that first game, we’ll focus on having the chance to turn things around and redeem ourselves the next day.”

Wings captain Matisz agrees: “The good news is, we know what to expect from the Riptide after playing them [earlier this season], which will make preparing for them the next day a bit easier.”

Philadelphia beat New York 14-12 at home on Dec. 10. Riptide rookie Jeff Teat did not play. Ironically, New York was playing their second game of the weekend that night.

“They are very talented,” says Matisz. “However we didn’t get a chance to play against Teat, who has made a huge impact for their team. There will be a slight scouting change due to the personnel change, but we will be ready to go. It’ll be important for us to focus on a defensive team effort and limiting their chances.”

Says Crowley about New York: “Anytime you beat a team they will come out hungry for a win in the next matchup. That’s what we are expecting from the Riptide this weekend. We’ll need to focus on matching their intensity and speed.”

After Sunday’s game against New York, six of the Wings’ first seven contests this season will have been played at home at Wells Fargo Center. Prior to the weekend starting, they are 3-1 at home.

“You always want to put on a good show at home,” says Matisz, from Stoney Creek, ON . “I think we’ve done a good job and take pride in rising to that challenge.”

“We realize that this year has been a challenge for the fans as well, in regard to staying healthy and taking the precautions to be able to come out to the games. Fans going the extra mile to cheer us on is special and we appreciate all they do. We’re thankful for the opportunity to play in front of our fans. They are our sixth man and they make a huge difference.”

Crowley, the NLL’s first overall draft pick in 2011 from NCAA’s Stony Brook, was taken by the original Philadelphia Wings franchise, knows all about the proud Philly lacrosse tradition.

“The Wings have a special history,” says Crowley. “Being part of the original team and to see the traditions carry over is great. The atmosphere at Wells Fargo Center, from warmups to the final buzzer, is unmatched. It is always special to see such excited and passionate fans. Philly truly has the best sports fans in world.”

This weekend’s Wings games are part of a busy, consecutive eight-day stretch from Jan. 18-25 at Wells Fargo Center, which started this past Tuesday night with an NHL Flyers game and then went/goes like this: NBA 76ers game on Wednesday, another Flyers game on Thursday, 76ers again tonight, Wings on Saturday-Sunday, back to Flyers on Monday and finally 76ers on Tuesday.

On Friday night, the Wells Fargo Center arena conversion crew will start the changeover from 76ers to Wings at 10:30 p.m. The process from hardwood to turf takes about three hours. On Sunday night, the changeover from turf to ice starts at 8 p.m. after the Wings-Riptide game. This also takes three hours. According to Wings staff, it’s “definitely a harder turn coming from NBA … there’s much more equipment to remove from the floor.”

NLL