Week 7 of the NLL season featured both the Rochester Knighthawks and Halifax Thunderbirds playing back-to-back games, with Halifax taking on this tall task away from the friendly confines of The Nest. The weekend also showcased a football-like score in Sin City, a pair of defensive gems and an overtime thriller between two teams who are extremely familiar with one another.
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Test one for the Rochester Knighthawks occurred in South Philadelphia, with the Wings welcoming the Western New Yorkers to Xfinity Mobile Arena. Early on, it appeared to be Philly’s night, as a Michael Sowers’ first-quarter hat trick propelled the Wings to a 5-1 lead. Come the second stanza, it was Rochester flipping the switch, responding with five of the final six scores, heading to the dressing room tied 8-8. The second half then belonged to the visitors, as the Knighthawks outscored the Wings 8-5, including another stretch of five straight goals, enroute to a 16-13 win.
A Milestone Night for the Reigning MVP
Connor Fields led the charge for the victors, posting a hat trick along with six assists. His nine-point showing enshrined him into the 500-career point club. He is only the seventh American-born player to achieve this feat. Thomas McConvey also delivered a hatty, with Ryan Lanchbury providing two goals and six assists. Nine players found the goal column for Rochester, in a game that witnessed 79 shots on goal from the winning side.
Americans Lead Charge for Philly
Michael Sowers came off the IR and did everything in his power to propel the Wings, blasting four goals while adding three assists. Brennan O’Neill scored twice and picked up three assists, while the NLL’s all-time leader in points from an American born player, Joe Resetarits, added two goals and two assists onto his already legendary resume.
Records: PHI 1-3
Next Up for Philadelphia in Week 8: Saturday, at Las Vegas Desert Dogs
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Halifax opened its weekend exam of endurance with a trip the Canadian capital, winning a battle against Jeff Teat and the Black Bears 13-11. Ottawa raced to a 6-3 advantage at half after a 5-0 second quarter. The Thunderbirds turned the tables in the third, outscoring Ottawa 5-1 and retaking the lead 8-6. Jacob Dunbar made it 8-7, scoring with a mere one second blinking on the third quarter clock. In the fourth, the teams went back and forth, with Halifax winning the quarter and the game.
Welcome to the NLL, Will MacLeod
Friday marked the debut of Robert Morris alum Will MacLeod, who was selected 12th overall in September’s draft. The Burlington, Ontario product was the driving force behind Halifax’s win, tabulating four goals and two assists. Clarke Petterson was responsible for two goals and three helpers, with captain Cody Jamieson producing a hat trick.
Two Goal Performances Aplenty for the Black Bears
Dunbar, Jeff Teat, Connor Kearnan and Reilly O’Connor each delivered two goals for Ottawa, with O’Connor adding a half dozen assists to the mix. Rob Hellyer kept his current level of production going, scoring one and assisting on three.
Records: OTT 3-3
Next Up for Ottawa in Week 8: Friday, at Buffalo Bandits
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Within the current NLL landscape, very few franchises share as much in common as the Vancouver Warriors and Calgary Roughnecks. With players and coaches who have been on both sides, these teams know each other so incredibly well and what a game this understanding provided. With the melee tied 5-5 in the second, the Warriors scored five straight, only to watch the Roughnecks reciprocate with five of their own, tying the festivities 10-10 and sending the game into overtime. 2:57 into bonus lacrosse, Calgary legend Curtis Dickson won the game for Vancouver, silencing his former home crowd.
Former Roughnecks Instrumental for Warriors
Dickson finished his evening with four goals and three assists, while fellow erstwhile Roughneck Jesse King donated two scores and four helpers. Longtime Vancouver stalwart Keegan Bal scored once and added six assists, while Adam Charalambides contributed one goal.
Roughnecks Staples Came to Play
Tanner Cook was outstanding in frustrating defeat, scoring four and assisting on two. Tyler Pace and Haiden Dickson each offered two goals and five assists. Even Dane Dobbie was in the building, though he was celebrating his retirement and banner raising, not scoring goals.
Del Bianco vs. Walsh
In a duel of goaltenders that were traded for each other, Vancouver’s legendary Christian Del Bianco and Calgary’s up and coming Aden Walsh each stopped 42 shots flung in their respective directions.
Records: VAN 3-1, CGY 1-4
Next Up for Vancouver in Week 8: Friday, host San Diego Seals
Next Up for Calgary in Week 8: Friday, vs. Georgia Swarm, in the second annual NLL UnBOXed Series, at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.
Henderson, USA – Jan. 9, 2026: Saskatchewan Rush vs Las Vegas Desert Dogs at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, USA. (Photo by Candice Ward/National Lacrosse League)
For fans of offensive box lacrosse, Friday’s Saskatchewan Rush at Las Vegas Desert Dogs barnburner was a dream come true. In the Rush’s 21-15 victory, six different players achieved at least a hat trick. The Rush held a 10-6 lead at half, before scoring a whopping eight third quarter goals, resulting in an 18-11 score after 45 minutes. LV outscored SSK 4-3 in the final 15, but it was far from enough to mount a comeback and overcome 21 goals finding their way into the twine.
Rush Dined on a Vegas Buffet Level of Goals
Ryan Keenan hit the jackpot, landing a sock trick and six assists. Zach Manns and Austin Shanks each boasted four goals, with the pair combining on nine assists. Robert Church earned a hat trick, while accompanying his performance with an astounding eight assists. Brock Haley added two goals and four assists. The Rush outshot the Desert Dogs 62-48, while beating the home squad to 30 more loose balls.
Offense Was Not the Issue for Las Vegas
Mitch Jones and Chris Cloutier each contributed three goals with three and two assists, respectively. Chase Fraser scored twice with five assists, and Kyle Killen scored twice with one assist. Jonathan Donville spread around a goal and six assists, while Adam Poitras scored on two instances and assisted once.
Records: SSK 5-1, LV 2-3
Next Up for Saskatchewan in Week 8: Saturday, host Oshawa FireWolves
Next Up for Las Vegas in Week 8: Saturday, host Philadelphia Wings
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Friday’s final affair took place under the palm trees in San Diego, where the Toronto Rock took Pechanga Arena by storm, cruising to a 12-7 win over the struggling Seals. San Diego surfed to an early 4-2 lead, only to observe the Rock amass eight of the encounter’s next 10 goals, including two separate four-goal explosions.
Rock Rookies Stole the Show
First overall pick CJ Kirst had his best game of the season, scoring five and assisting once. Fellow rookies Owen Hiltz and Sam English followed Kirst’s example, each scoring once, with Hiltz adding four assists and English one. The veterans also shined with Challen Rogers tallying two goals and two assists, as Chris Boushy and Mark Matthews boasted a pooled two scores and four helpers. Nick Rose was outstanding between the pipes, knocking down 41 of 48 projectiles.
Seals Need More Production
Wes Berg, Tre Leclaire and Zach Currier bestowed two goals apiece, with former Rock member Corey Small postulating San Diego’s only other goal of the competition. Cam Dunkerley clogged 33 of 45 shots, playing in place of the injured Christopher Origlieri. One bright spot for the Seals was the performance from faceoff-man extraordinaire Trever Baptiste, who won all 23 of his clashes at the dot.
Records: TOR 2-2, SD 1-3
Next Up for Toronto in Week 8: Saturday, at Rochester Knighthawks
Next Up for San Diego in Week 8: Friday, at Vancouver Warriors
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Coming off Friday’s 16-13 win over the Wings, Rochester returned home to Blue Cross Arena for a Saturday night conflict with the defending champion Buffalo Bandits. Separated by just 74 miles, a game between these two organizations always brings the intensity. Zed Williams lived up to the moment for his new Rochester running mates, scoring a natural hat trick in the first, giving his club a 4-2 lead. Dhane Smith tilted the score to 4-3, but the Knighthawks subsequent three straight scores gave the home-towners a four-goal surplus, setting the stage for a comfortable 12-9 win.
Big Games tor the Knighthawks’ Big Names
Williams added two assists to his hat trick. Thomas McConvey bequeathed three scores and four helpers, with Connor Fields and Ryan Smith collaborating on four goals and six assists. Ryan Lanchbury and Kyle Waters indented one each in the total team effort. Rylan Hartley was superb in the crease blockading 42 attempts at paydirt.
An Off Night for the Bandits
Kyle Buchanan was the lone offensive bright spot for the champs, tabulating four goals. Buchanan was his team’s only multi-goal performer, as Smith, Josh Byrne, Tehoka Nanticoke, Ian MacKay and Clay Scanlan each beat Hartley on just one respective occasion.
Records: BUF 3-2, ROC 4-1
Next Up for Buffalo in Week 8: Friday, host Ottawa Black Bears
Next Up for Rochester in Week 8: Saturday, host Toronto Rock
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Halifax made their way down the 401 to Oshawa for a Saturday night dance party with the FireWolves. In what turned out to be a chippy affair with a combined 150 penalty minutes, the FireWolves got back in the win column in a big way, beating Halifax 16-9. From the get-go, this one belonged to the home team, with Oshawa sprinting to a 6-1 lead behind a natural hatty from Tye Kurtz. The FireWolves led 11-2 at halftime – the score they lost by during their prior meeting with the Thunderbirds.
FireWolves Young Core Was Sterling
Kurtz finished his Saturday night – his birthday – with an unbelievable seven goals and three assists. Ethan Walker picked up a hat trick alongside six assists. Alex Simmons scored two goals and seven assists, with Dyson Williams supplying four assists. Doug Jamieson was fantastic in net, obstructing 39 of 44 shots, prior to being pulled in favor of Andrew Kidd after suffering some cramping in the fourth quarter.
Halifax Ran Out of Gas
In the disappointing seven-goal defeat, Randy Staats found a hat trick and three assists, with Dawson Theede and Clarke Petterson compounding four goals and four assists. The Thunderbirds scored only once during five-on-five play.
Records: HFX 3-3, OSH 2-4
Next Up for Halifax in Week 8: Friday, host Colorado Mammoth
Next Up for Oshawa in Week 8: Saturday, at Saskatchewan Rush
Michael Grace of the Georgia Swarm crosschecks Colorado’s Dylan McIntosh. January 10, 2026. (Photo by Victoria Adkins/NLL)
In the weekend’s final contest, the Colorado Mammoth got the best of the Georgia Swarm, surviving a 7-5 low scoring tussle. Colorado led 4-2 after 30 minutes, with the Mammoth winning the second stanza by a 3-1 margin. The clubs combined for two goals in the third and four goals in the fourth. A Jordan MacIntosh goal brought the fourth quarter festivities to 6-5, with Colorado icing things courtesy of an empty netter from Warren Jeffrey.
Mammoth Spread the Wealth
All seven of Colorado’s goals were scored by different players, with stars like Jack Hannah and Will Malcom finding the twine, while Ari Stevens joined the party in securing his first career goal. Jalen Chaster assisted on three of the efforts. Dillon Ward was terrific in the pads, bolting shut 39 of 44 shots.
Swarm Struggled to Score
Shayne Jackson scored two, with Lyle Thompson complementing with one goal and two assists. MacIntosh and Nolan Byrne were the only other scoring Southerners. Brett Dobson did everything he could, brick walling 50 of 56 threats.
Records: COL 3-2, GA 2-3
Next Up for Colorado in Week 8: Friday, at Halifax Thunderbirds
Next Up for Georgia in Week 8: Friday, vs. Calgary Roughnecks, in the second annual NLL UnBOXed Series, at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.
