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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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East Division Semifinal: Bandits At Knighthawks

The 2015 NLL Playoffs will kick off on Friday when the Buffalo Bandits (11-7, 3rd seed in the East) head to Blue Cross Arena to take on the Rochester Knighthawks (12-6, 2nd seed in the East) at 7 p.m. ET. Watch the game live on WatchESPN in the United States and on TSN GO in Canada.

Last year, the Bandits backed into the postseason on an eight-game losing streak before heading up to Toronto and beating the Rock 15-13 in the first round of the playoffs. Buffalo then won Game 1 of the East Division Finals before losing Game 2 and Game 3 to the Knighthawks. Despite having a second-half lead against Rochester in all three regular season games this season, the Hawks swept the 2015 regular season series, 3-0.

“It’s an intense rivalry. Quite frankly, we haven’t done our job against them this season,” said Bandits assisant coach Dan Teat. “We’re going to be excited. Our fans are going to come out. It’s going to be really intense to get through the full 60 minutes.

“It’s a new season. You have to be able to put the past behind you. You can’t drag your head after losing and on the flip side we can’t say ‘we’ve been lighting it up so we’ll score at will,’” added Teat. “They’re the defending champs for a reason. We have the mentality that the season is over and we have a one-game showdown against the defending champ. We want to be the ones to knock them off.”

This season, Buffalo enters the postseason on a four-game winning streak where they have averaged over 17 goals per game. The team is hoping its recent success carries over, but they realize Rochester is a very good team.

“We’re happy with how was finished off the season. We’re coming in prepared with a different attitude. It’s a one-game series. If we bring our ‘A game’, we should be okay,”” said Bandits forward Dhane Smith. “We put in a good practice Tuesday. We’ve learned their defense. We’re going to have to get to the middle of the floor and create from there. We have to move the ball like we have been.”

“The biggest thing is the buy-in factor from every guy on the floor. We wanted to win to get in and get on a roll,” Teat said. “Look at the way we’re playing, especially offensively, the guys have been doing a really good job sharing the ball and they have been shooting well. Confidence will be a big factor going into this weekend.”

Bandits head coach Troy Cordingley is excited and ready for the playoffs and he hopes his roster is too.

“The six teams that are in the playoffs, if they’re not motivated, they’re in the wrong business,” Cordingley said. “It doesn’t matter who you play. It’s a grind and you have to be at your best or it’s going to be a short postseason.”

The first meeting between the two teams came in Week 5, with the Knighthawks playing host and coming away with a 17-11 win. The Knighthawks held a big lead at the half but the Bandits stormed back and took a one goal lead early in the fourth before Rochester took the game over with a seven-goal outburst.

The second meeting came on Valentine’s Day in Week 7 with the Knighthawks traveling to Buffalo and coming away with a 15-10 win. The game was tight through three but the Knighthawks once again took control in the fourth.

The third and final regular season meeting came one week later back at the BCA. It was the tightest game of all, with Rochester rallying late after falling behind 11-6 and winning 13-12 in overtime. Once again, the fourth quarter belonged to Rochester.

So does all that mean that the Knighthawks have a decided advantage over the Bandits heading into Friday night’s game?

“Not one bit,” said Knighthawks transition player Brad Self. “Totally new season. It’s obviously nice that we’ve done well against them in the past, but we know they’ve made some lineup changes throughout the year. Some guys have moved from the ‘D’ end to the ‘O’ end. They’ve made some deals to open it up for other guys. It’s obviously worked. It’s a completely different lineup than we saw in terms of where guys are in their lineups.”

The Knighthawks are not falling back on the team’s three-straight championships as an indication that they will be able to weather any storm that the red-hot Bandits will throw at them. As Self said, it’s a totally new season.

“We pay attention to other games that are going on each week,” Self said. “We know they’ve been playing well. Their team is clicking well at the right time. Their offense has been putting up tons of goals… We’re going to gameplan for them tonight at practice. We’ll be well-prepared as we always are. We know we have to be ready. They’ve got some people that can create something out of nothing over there… It’s going to be a 60-minute game. Each shift is going to be important so we have to be prepared knowing what a high-powered offense they have over there. At the same time, we have faith in our goalie Matty Vinc and our defense. We trust one another. It should make for an exciting game Friday night.”

One change in the lineup that came as part of a trade was the Joe Resetarits trade between Rochester and Buffalo. The Bandits sent Resetarits over to Rochester in exchange for defenseman Jamie Batson. Since joining the Knighthawks at the trade dealine, Resetarits has 27 points (13+14) in 7 games.

“Joe’s been dynamite for us,” said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. “He’s a great little player. He works so hard and he doesn’t need the ball on his stick. He can get himself open with ‘Daws’ (Dan Dawson) and (Stephen) Keogh and ‘Pointer’ (Craig Point) over on the right side. He’s been a great fit. Feels like he’s been there for years.”

One advantage the Knighthawks do have is playing in the friendly confines of the BCA. Rochester went 7-2 at home during the regular season, losing a tight one in Week 1 to the Rock 13-12 and the embarassment of Week 13 against the Edmonton Rush, who won 16-3. Some of that is mitigated by the Bandits’ faithful who travel so well across the Interstate-90 from Buffalo to Rochester though.

“It’s what we work for in the regular season,” Self said. “Get into the playoffs and then obviously to have home floor as much as possible. It will be huge. Our fans have been behind us for the last three years. We’re looking forward to Friday night. That being said, we know that Buffalo will be hungry and they’re going to bring their fans so it should make for an exciting game.”

The winner of the single-game elimination series will host the Toronto Rock for Game 1 of the East Division Finals on Saturday, May 16 before travelling to Toronto on Saturday, May 23 to play Game 2 and Game 3 (if necessary).

By Steve Bermel (@BanditsBeat) & Jeremy Pike (@KnighthawksBeat) for NLL.com. Photo by Bill Wippert.

NLL