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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
20:30:00
San Diego
Panther City
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 25
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Mar 25
21:30:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Buffalo
San Diego
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 25
22:30:00
Rochester
Las Vegas
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

Fathers and sons and daughters: a celebration of the bond between lacrosse-playing dads and the next generation

When the Toronto Rock’s Adam Jones found out he and his wife Lauren were expecting their first child, he was in the middle of a playoff run to Canada’s national championship with his summer team in Peterborough. He was itching to tell his teammates the good news, but had to wait for the perfect moment.

 

“I remember knowing Lauren was pregnant but no one on our team knew. Then during the Mann Cup in New Westminster, BC, I surprised her with a flight out for the Friday game. We won the Cup that night, and immediately in the locker team I told the guys we were expecting. It was such an awesome experience.”

 

Family is just about the only thing that trumps lacrosse, so it’s lucky that lacrosse teams are extended families and the two worlds can intertwine.

 

The National Lacrosse League has a lot of dads in various stages of building their families and we wanted to celebrate them for Father’s Day. In addition to Jones, we talked to New England Black Wolves’ assistant coach Darryl Gibson and fan favorite Shawn Evans of the Buffalo Bandits.

 

Jones’ daughter Avery just celebrated her first birthday. Gibson’s son Tyson is a star at Robert Morris University and expected to be a high NLL pick this September. Evans has four children including an 11-year-old daughter, five-year-old twin daughters and a one-year-old son.

 

“The day Avery was born was the best day of my life,” said Jones, an Owen Sound native. “A true gift. It definitely makes it harder having to leave for long road trips knowing what is waiting at home. I’m lucky to have Lauren, my amazing wife who is supportive and allows me to still play. I know it can’t be easy.”

 

One thing that makes long road trips easier is being able to coach your own kids in minor sports. Right now, Avery Jones is a little young for a lacrosse field, but she’s already learning the sport by watching her dad and mimicking his moves as she crawls around the house with her pint-sized lacrosse stick.

 

Evans’ eldest daughter Paityn is playing both box and field lacrosse right now in the family’s hometown of Peterborough and Evans proudly says she loves them both.

 

“I’m coaching her in box lacrosse. She’s enjoying it. It’s nice to watch and see your children play something that you grew up playing.”

 

Gibson coached Tyson all through minor lacrosse and said that he’s loved the game since he was a child.

 

“Instead of daycare, he came to practices and summer lacrosse camps with me. He developed his passion for the game organically from being around it so much,” Gibson explained.

 

He saw a great work ethic in his son, that, coupled with a natural talent, made him realize that Tyson had a future in the game.

 

“Like any parent, you just want him to be happy whatever he does. The game has given him so much already; everything else is just a bonus. I’m just glad I can still watch him play.”

 

Paityn Evans could end up representing Canada one day in international play and follow in her father’s footsteps to a high-level NCAA school – her cousin Erica also did that – but Evans said she’ll face no pressure from him to choose lacrosse in the future.

 

“I hope she likes to play and enjoys it as much as I do but whatever she decides to do is up to her,” Evans said. “I’ll help guide her a little bit, but she can do whatever she wants to do.”

 

Jones is prepared for possibility that Avery won’t even like sports at all when she grows up, although with a lacrosse-playing father and a hockey-playing mother – and all their teammates – she’ll certainly have lots of positive influences.

 

At some point, parents have to let their children go but each of the men hope that by the time that happens, their children will have soaked up some of the knowledge they’ll pass on. They want them to be better than they are. To have a great work ethic, to be respectful and to make choices that make them happy.

 

Bringing child into the world is something special, Evans marvelled. Being a father is one of the best journeys that life can take you on. Bonding with your child over sports makes that journey extra special and exciting.

 

“Having children changes your life in every way,” he said. “I hope to take some of the things that my own dad taught me and teach my kids the same way but also use my own advice to guide their way.”

 

In addition to agreeing that their children changed their lives for the better, the three men also said that they owe much of their success to their own fathers, without whose influences they might never have picked up a stick.

 

Evans, in particular, choked up a little talking about the influence his father, Paul, had on him as a child. Paul Evans is one of Peterborough’s most well-known athletes and has been a staple in the local lacrosse and hockey communities since the 1970s.

 

“I really looked up to my dad,” Shawn said. “I never got to watch him play but I still hear a lot of great things and I’m one of those people that listens and respects people like that, that have something to teach. He had a huge hand in my career, coaching me and teaching me the skills I know now.”

 

The Evans family shares a tradition of winning. Paul won four Minto Cups and three Mann Cups. Shawn won two Mintos and currently has six Mann Cup wins in addition to the 2007 NLL championship with Rochester.

 

Jones’ father Brian also played lacrosse at a high level and helped the Peterborough Lakers win a Mann Cup in 1978. Jones won the same trophy with the same team last year – almost 40 years to the day.

 

“The best thing about my dad is how humble he is,” said Jones. “I didn’t find out he won a Mann Cup and a Memorial Cup in the same year until I was 18 years old and found out from someone else. I had to ask him about it. Since then I’ve always wanted to be humble like he is.”

 

Like Paul Evans, Brian Jones coached his son all the way up through minor lacrosse. But for Gibson, his sports relationship with his father was a little different.

 

“My dad was a Scottish immigrant who played rugby,” Gibson related.

 

But he fell in love with Canada’s national summer sport when his son did, and rarely missed any of Darryl’s games. He makes it to most of Tyson’s games, too.

 

“He was new to lacrosse, but he really loves the sport as a fan,” Gibson explained.

 

 

A year after Jones told his Lakers’ teammates that he and Lauren were expecting, they won the Mann Cup again, and five-month old Avery was there to witness it and even take a seat in the storied Cup. Evans was able to put his own baby boy, Rhett, in the Cup as well.

 

Winning championships with family by your side is the best feeling in the world and Jones, for one, can’t wait to celebrate an NLL Cup win next.

 

“Avery stood up and held onto the rail at her first Rock game so she could see,” Jones recalled. “I loved seeing that. When you have a baby, you go from playing for yourself to playing to give your child a chance to watch you play. Having Avery come watch is special and she makes me play better.”

 

 

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