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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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Il Indoor: Three Stars Of Nll Division Finals – Game 2

The 2016 NLL Champion’s Cup Finals are now set as the Buffalo Bandits will take on the Saskatchewan Rush with Game 1 set for Saturday, May 28 in Buffalo live on TSN2 & TSN GO and the ESPN app at 7:30 p.m. ET. Both teams advanced via Division Finals series sweeps as the Bandits downed the Black Wolves while the Rush knocked off the Roughnecks in the Game 2 matchups this past weekend. Check out which players performed the best with a preview of Stephen Stamp’s Three Stars of the Week on IL Indoor below.

“There’s a saying that in big games, your best players have to be your best players,” Stamp writes. “Is that really the case? There are plenty of examples of big-name guys doing the heavy lifting, but there are also plenty of examples of guys considered to be complementary players stepping up into starring roles on the big stage: had you ever heard of Dexter Jackson before he was the Super Bowl MVP in 2003? Me neither.”

Saturday night saw the Buffalo Bandits and Saskatchewan Rush sweep the division finals to set up an intriguing Champion’s Cup matchup starting next Saturday. In the clinching games, we saw big names and role players demanding the spotlight. Both are represented in this week’s National Lacrosse League 3 Stars.

First Star
Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits
4 goals, 5 assists

We start with the biggest of big names in the NLL this season. Dhane Smith followed up his record-setting, credulity-straining regular season by doing in the playoffs what he’d done for 18 games already: keep scoring despite what anyone tries to do to stop him. The thing about the Great Dhane’s 16 points in two playoff wins over New England is that it generally looked like the Black Wolves did a pretty decent job against him. Smith didn’t have tons of great scoring chances and it was seldom easy for him to create them for himself or others.

One of his goals Friday was a perfect exemplar of the Dhane Defence Conundrum. Dan Ball was on Smith at the top of Buffalo’s offensive formation. Smith jab-stepped hard to his right and Ball went with him, just for a moment. As soon as Smith saw that Ball’s right foot had crossed over his left and he’d started to turn his shoulders to try to get ahead of Smith heading down the alley, Smith stepped back and let a shot fly. Ball recovered quickly and jumped out on Smith, but it was too late.

Now, I am able to tell you exactly what happened and how it created just enough space for Smith to get his shot off because I have watched the play several times and analyzed the exact sequence. Just think about what it’s like to be a defender against Smith, knowing that you have to stay between him and the net. You have to take the step that Ball did. Perhaps if he’d used a slide step, leading with his left foot instead of his right, he could have stopped Smith. Then again, the slide step might left him with his feet spread to far to catch up as Smith accelerated into a bit of open space. There’s simply no way to shut Dhane Smith down right now. Ball didn’t play bad defence; he played slightly imperfect defence, and that was plenty for Smith to take advantage. Just think how fascinating it will be to see what Saskatchewan does to try to contain Smith. It will be a chess match played out at lightning speed.

Second Star
Jeff Cornwall, Saskatchewan Rush
1 assist, 6 loose balls, 3 caused turnovers

One of the defenders with primary responsibility for covering Smith will be Cornwall. That should be a source of some comfort for Rush fans. Cornwall doesn’t get the nod here because of his numbers, although his three caused turnovers is a solid stat. He is recognized because he played an absolutely sensational defensive game and was a dynamic difference maker for all 60 minutes. It’s no shocker that Cornwall played well—he’s evolved into one of the best defenders in the league, he just doesn’t get lots of attention because the Rush are so stocked with stud defenders. But while Corbeil, Dilks, Rubisch and others all had strong games for Saskatchewan, it was Cornwall who just seemed to be everywhere, making plays one after another. He blocked shots, he created transition chances, he played his usual aggressive, physical defence without taking a penalty. In short, Cornwall was superb.

Honorable Mentions
Kedoh Hill (Buffalo): 4g, 3a. Hill had a strong year in transition for the Bandits, but only once did he score more than two goals in the regular season. He was on fire in the division final, scoring four goals in each game…Aaron Bold (Saskatchewan): 39/48, .813 save percentage. Saskatchewan did thoroughly outplay Calgary, but Bold playing like his old self both helped keep the Roughnecks’ offence at bay and infused his teammates with added confidence. He’s finding his game at the perfect time for the Rush’s repeat hopes…Greg Harnett (Calgary): 1a, 7LB, 2CTO. Take away the handful of goals Saskatchewan scored in transition and their power play marker, and you see that Calgary’s defence did a pretty solid job against the Rush. Harnett was, as usual, front and centre in the unit’s efforts…Chad Culp (Buffalo): 3g, 1a. There’s just something about a Chad Culp goal that gets his teammates fired up, and when he notches a hat trick it leads to a very inspired team…Zack Greer (Saskatchewan): 4g, 2a. Scored three of the Rush’s four goals in a five-minute span of the fourth that settled the outcome…Chris Corbeil (Saskatchewan): 6LB, 6CTO. Six caused turnovers in one game is impressive…Shawn Evans (New England): 2g, 4a. Evans will be disappointed that the Black Wolves fell short, but he led them much farther than anyone expected them to go this year…Mitch de Snoo (Buffalo): 4LB, 5CTO. Forget about calling him a rookie any more. de Snoo is playing beyond his years …Tyler Digby (Calgary): 4g. Helped give the Roughnecks and their fans just a little bit of hope with his late goals… Ryan Benesch & Mark Steenhuis (Buffalo): 3g each, 4 & 2 assists, respectively. Candidates for best performance in a supporting role…Mark Matthews (Saskatchewan): 2g, 5a. What a beauty his pass to set up…

Click here for the Third Star and full list of Honorable Mentions from Stephen Stamp’s Three Stars of NLL Division Finals Game 2 on IL Indoor.

NLL