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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
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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HeritageNLL UnitesStories/Op-Ed

Indigenous Players Cherish Opportunity to Play in Front of Indigenous Communities

This season, the National Lacrosse League is hosting preseason games at a variety of venues. Each year, the league takes the opportunity to showcase the sport in smaller arenas in cities where fans don’t always have regular access to an NLL team.

Some of these arenas have been used before: the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville, for example, is where the Toronto Rock run their day-to-day business. It’s conveniently located in southern Ontario, where a large number of NLL players make their home. The TRAC is set to host seven preseason games.

Brampton’s Memorial Arena, just half an hour away from Oakville, will host three.

And this season, the NLL is bringing the game to two Indigenous communities: Onondaga, New York and Akwesasne, a Mohawk community that straddles the border of Canada and the United States along the St. Lawrence River.

It is fitting that the game returns to the communities where it was born. Lacrosse is an Indigenous game, traditionally played for the enjoyment of the Creator and as a medicine game to promote healing.

Onondaga Nation will host the Philadelphia Wings and Georgia Swarm on November 26th at Tsha’ Thoñ’nhes (Where They Play Ball) Arena. It is the home of Swarm players Lyle and Miles Thompson.

“NLL games being played on Native territory is amazing as a whole. It was a great thing to see how much energy it brought to the Akwesasne community (a community I grew up in). In Onondaga I expect the same… there are people that travel hours just to watch minor, Jr., Sr. competitions, so the love for the game in this community is unmatched. I’m excited to be a part of bringing the NLL to Onondaga and I’m in excited to come home” said Lyle Thompson.

Last weekend, Las Vegas, San Diego and Halifax played a mini tournament in Akwesasne at the A’nowara’ko:wa Arena (colloquially called the Turtle Dome) and got to meet with the local fans. Over three games, those fans were treated to some incredible lacrosse, including two sock tricks over two games from the Seals’ Austin Staats.

Staats hails from Six Nations, a Haudenosaunee community about an hour away from Oakville, as does Halifax goaltender Warren Hill. Six Nations is a lacrosse hotbed and is frequently the site of NLL practices and training camps.

Though there is a five-hour drive between Six Nations and Akwesasne, Hill called the more northern community a home away from home.

“I have friends and family up there,” he said. “It’s one of those communities that we’re close to, as is Onondaga. I’ve played in the A’nowara’ko:wa Arena before but it was a lot of fun to be back.”

Geographically, Akwesasne’s closest NLL team is Rochester, just a “quick” four-and-a-half-hour car ride away. Albany and Toronto are drivable as well, but it’s a long journey, so taking in an NLL game is a rare event.

“Where their community is, aside from back in the day when they had the Ottawa Rebels or the Montreal Express, they haven’t had any NLL action close by in a long time… It’s hard for people up there to see live professional games and it’s a big sacrifice to go, so for us to play up there and put on a show for them was really cool and I think they really appreciated it,” Hill expressed. “For a preseason game, the arena was packed and I’ve only seen that with Ontario championships and things like that.”

Staats was blown away by the crowds that appeared, calling it special, inspiring and unreal.

“It meant so much that the fans really showed up to the Turtle Dome to support,” he said. “I was inspired by all the kids that we were there to perform for, and show them the game and it’s something I’ll remember for sure.”

Over the weekend, the Seals emerged victorious, putting up 18 goals in each of their wins, beating Las Vegas 18-9 and Halifax 18-14. Halifax downed Las Vegas 15-12.

Hill said the Thunderbirds were able to meet many of the fans and take photos and sign autographs.

“We take pride in doing things like that. It’s a cliché but all of us were little kids like that and we couldn’t wait to meet stars like John Grant Jr. and John Tavares,” he said.

Staats had a special interaction with a young fan named Tayt, who gave him a beautifully beaded Seals logo medallion.

“After the game on Friday night Tayt asked his mom, Apryl, to help make a Seals medallion for me for the game on Saturday,” Staats recalled. “She started at like midnight and it took six hours or something to make. Before the game on Saturday I got to meet Tayt and he gave me the medallion. It was incredible; one of the coolest gifts I’ve ever received. It means so much to me, to kinda be a role model for these kids. I was glad I was able to go out there and score some goals on Saturday for him.”

Hill also recognizes the importance of children from Indigenous communities getting to watch him play and interact with him.

“It definitely goes a long way to see Indigenous people represented on this stage,” he said. “For Haudenosaunee communities, a lot of us grew up wanting to be in the NLL and be the best at lacrosse that we can be. In other communities the dream might be the NHL or NBA, but for us, we always wanted to play in the NLL. To see other Native players in the league, those are superstars, our role models. It’s nice to give back that way and be that guy now.

Staats wants to remind fans that lacrosse is so much more than just a game: “It’s the Creator’s game and it finds a way to heal people. We were able to bring the medicine game to Akwesasne and really show what the game can do. Playing the game, watching the game, even just being around the game is healing and brings positivity to the community. The game of lacrosse means so much.”

Not all preseason games are at neutral sites: three teams are hosting games in their home rinks. The Buffalo Bandits fell 14-10 to Rochester on November 6 at KeyBank Center. The Las Vegas Desert Dogs will hit the turf at Michelob ULTRA Arena for the first time on the 20th as they host the Colorado Mammoth. The Calgary Roughnecks will also host their rival Saskatchewan at Scotiabank Saddledome on the 26th.

Action also continues this weekend at the TRAC and Memorial Arena. See the full schedule here: https://www.nll.com/news/2022-23-exhibition-game-schedule/. The NLL regular season opens on December 2nd for Face Off Weekend.

NLL