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BUF at TOR - Sat. 7pm ET 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

Eric Penney’s Stealth Stock Is On The Rise

In a short 18-game NLL season, one start can potentially change a career. But, sometimes a great start isn’t enough, the timing also needs to be right. Nearly two weeks ago, Vancouver Stealth practice-roster goaltender, Eric Penney, stepped in net to replace his struggling teammates, Tye Belanger and Brodie Macdonald, to lead the Stealth to their first victory of the season behind his 52-save (83 save %) night after the team started the season 0-4.

Because of his heroics against the Buffalo Bandits which helped propel his team to an 11-10 overtime win inside the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, Penney has earned (at least for the moment) the starting job in net for the Stealth.

In preparation for their back-to-back games this weekend against the Colorado Mammoth and Georgia Swarm respectively, Stealth head coach Jamie Batley said, “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that we’re starting Penney on Friday night.”

Since becoming a professional lacrosse player in 2013 when he was drafted in the fifth round (38th overall) by the Buffalo Bandits, Penney has always played the role of backup or backup to the backup whether he was in Buffalo or Vancouver.

Being selected by the Bandits at that time meant he would watch one of the greatest NLL goaltenders the game has ever seen, Anthony Cosmo, start in net. When he was traded to the Stealth in 2014, he would again find himself behind another long time great goaltender in Tyler Richards.

“He just hasn’t really had the chance to get in the net,” Batley explained about Penney’s few starting chances in net over the years. “Tyler Richards was our goalie, and then Tye Belanger came in and did what he did last year, so it never really gave Eric an opportunity.”

It was tough for Penney to not participate in a single game in Buffalo or to be left off the Stealth’s roster last season. “Obviously you don’t want to be sitting on the bench or watching from the stands.” Penney stated, “But, you’re going to be fighting back and trying to get that #1 position and get on the active roster.”

When Penney has been called on, though, he has come up big on certain occasions. During the 2015 campaign, he stopped 50+ goals twice including an unbelievable 59-save performance on the road against the New England Black Wolves.

The 24-year-old goaltender -he was just 21 when coming to the Stealth- was always ready to learn and soak up whatever he could. “I take feedback from anyone I played with or played against,” Penney said earlier this week. “A lot of the veteran guys, they give great input. Any information I get, I take in and do my best to use it.”

For the most part throughout his non-professional playing career, Penney was a starting goaltender whether it was in the Ontario Junior-A Lacrosse League (OJALL) or the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA).

When he was part of the Brampton Excelsiors in 2011, and then with the St. Catharines Athletics from 2012-2014, Penney was the go-to keeper. He continued to collect many starts in senior ball when he was with the New Westminster Salmonbellies and then the Burnaby Lakers as well.

In the Summer of 2015, Penney stooped 82.9% of the shots that came his way -his play helped the Salmonbellies reach the WLA Finals that year. This past summer, Penney’s WLA-leading 85.6 save % and 7.02 GAA earned him the Leo Nicholson Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Goaltender. Unfortunately for the Lakers, they were ousted in the semi-finals despite Penney’s efforts.

Penney admits that he was working on certain aspects of his game to play at the level he did throughout last year’s WLA season and his first start of the 2018 NLL season.

“I’ve been working on a few different things,” Penney says. “One big thing I’ve been working on is tracking the ball coming in, so, not just guesswork; actually seeing the ball come in and react to it. And, another thing I was told over the offseason, when I was getting some coaching from Batley, was to step out and challenge shooters. I practiced all of that throughout the summer and training camp, so when it came to the game against Buffalo, I was trying to implement all of that.”

So far everything seems to be working for Penney. He knew that his number might be called on and he felt a responsibility to step up for his team. “When you’re called upon at any time, you have to be ready to go.” He said.

It’s too early to tell if Penney will remain the Stealth’s goaltender for the remainder of the season. It will all depend on if he stays hot.

“We have to go with whoever is hot,” Batley said. “That’s what we did last year, and that’s what I’ve always done. A lot of teams have traditions #1’s and #2’s, and we’ve not had that since I came to Vancouver. Some guys will come in for a month or two, and we’ll roll with it, but, we’re not going to stick with a guy if he’s not hot and they understand that.”

The Stealth have been in this situation before where they’ve been in need of a turnaround and have made a significant change in goal. Just last season, after the Stealth lost three straight games in the first month of the year, they replaced Richards for Belanger. Following the team’s four losses in a row this season, it would be hard to see Penney lose the starting gig after Belanger and MacDonald have already tried and been unsuccessful this season.

Penney has always wanted to be a #1 goalie in the NLL, and he has no plans to surrender the spot. “Anywhere in this league you want to be on the #1 list.” Penney said. “I’m just gonna keep working at it, stay healthy, and no matter where it happens to be, be the #1.”

NLL