The concluding weekend of the NLL regular season set sail in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, where the playing out the string Rock hosted the postseason bound Halifax Thunderbirds. Led by Dawson Theede’s four goals and six assists, the fellas from Nova Scotia secured a 16-9 victory and a guaranteed first-ever home playoff game, next weekend at Scotiabank Centre. The Nest will no doubt be a sight to behold!
Complementing Theede’s stellar 10-point performance was the trio of Cody Jamieson, Thomas Hoggarth, and Mike Robinson, who each contributed a hat trick to the Ontario evening.
Halifax jumped out to a 4-0 lead, later taking an 8-5 lead into the halftime intermission. The Rock fought back in the third, connecting on three straight, squaring the festivities at 8-8. From that moment forward, it was all HFX, as the club put together five consecutive and eight of the final nine scores, capping their seven-goal victory.
An 8-1 scoring run closes out the game and gives @HFXThunderbirds the 16-9 win over Toronto. Dawson Theede leads with 10 points.
GAME RECAP 👇 pic.twitter.com/1yHKzw45wo
— NLL (@NLL) April 19, 2025
In yet another defeat for Toronto, Chris Boushy played extremely well, scoring five and helping on one more. Josh Dawick added two and two to the losing cause.
Halifax goalie Drew Hutchison knocked down 31 of 40 attempts at lighting the lamp, with the Rock’s Troy Holowchuk re-directing 54 of a whopping 70 balls blasted his direction. The 25-year-old was a busy man between the pipes.
The Thunderbirds finish the regular campaign 11-7, while the now 5-12 Rock close things out Saturday night at Rochester.
Seals vs. FireWolves, April 18, 2025 – Photo credit: Alexis Goeller
Friday’s most thrilling contest occurred three miles from the shores of the Pacific Ocean, with the hometown San Diego Seals clinching a return trip to the postseason courtesy of a spellbinding 11-10 victory over the Albany FireWolves. San Diego’s triumph occurred six days after these franchises tangled in the New York state capital, when the East Coasters took down the West Coast guys 12-10.
While the Seals await their first-round opponent, the now 7-11 defending NLL runner-up has no choice but to regroup for next season. A Seals loss would have also meant elimination from any semblance of postseason contention.
In the wake of an early 1-1 tie, the FireWolves delivered four successive goals to take a 5-1 lead. The final seconds before halftime served as a shock to the senses when Ethan Walker scored with 14 seconds remaining, followed by Wes Berg tickling twine with a mere one second on the scoreboard, sending Albany to the dressing room owning a 7-4 foothold.
Knowing their season was potentially 30 minutes from being over and done with, the Southern Californians hit the second half on a mission, connecting on five of the first six goals to take a 9-8 fourth-quarter lead. The squads would then alternate goals as Alex Simmons leveled the proceedings 10-10 with under five minutes remaining. The drama built to a crescendo when Berg launched the go-ahead lamp lighter with 3:42 remaining. Albany would have a myriad of opportunities to tie, including a last-ditch effort as the closing seconds ticked off, but Christopher Origlieri stood as tall as a skyscraper, safeguarding the Seals’ one-goal conquest.
Led by Wes Berg (4G, 2A), the San Diego Seals take down the Albany FireWolves 11-10 and punch their ticket to the postseason.
👀 GAME RECAP pic.twitter.com/6jwryw90WT
— NLL (@NLL) April 19, 2025
Berg had an incredible night, scoring four and helping on two others. Ryan Benesch added a hat trick, with four additional Seals notching at least one goal.
In a season-ending defeat, the valiant FireWolves gave it everything they had, as Simmons and Walker each performed a hat trick, while Tye Kurtz assisted on five of his team’s goals.
Just shy of 9,000 fans packed Pechanga Arena for an absolutely riveting box lacrosse spectacle.
A near capacity crowd spent the Southern Nevada nightfall at Lee’s Family Forum witnessing the visiting Calgary Roughnecks, who are still fighting for a playoff spot, take on the eliminated, but highly prideful Desert Dogs. As a result of Calgary leaving Las Vegas winners of a 12-9 jackpot, the Roughnecks’ fight for the postseason continues on Saturday night, when the Colorado Mammoth pay a visit to Alberta’s largest city.
Calgary raced to 3-0 and 7-1 rolls of the dice, holding their cards close to the vest at halftime, standing firm with a 9-4 poker hand.
The Sin City entertainers went all in come the second half, pulling the lever on five of the first six goals, cutting the spread to just a lone goal. When the scene suddenly turned precarious, Curtis Dickson and Jesse King caused the Desert Dogs to fold their cards, eventually cashing out with the three-goal win.
Jesse King scores 3G and 7A to power Calgary to a 12-9 win over Las Vegas.
Game Recap ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/cXo8cn6GTF
— NLL (@NLL) April 19, 2025
King etched an outstanding night, scoring three goals and seven assists to his resume. Tanner Cook was responsible for three scores and three helpers, with five other Roughnecks finding their way into the scoring column.
In LV’s final game of the season, Adam Poitras, Casey Jackson and Kyle Killen found the net on two occasions apiece, while Jack Hannah finished his campaign with three assists.
Nick Rose lived up to his billing in goal, preventing 43 of 52 spins of the wheel.
