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Season opens on December 1st. Find 2023-24 schedules here and buy your tickets today

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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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Nll Commissioner Explores Game’S Origins

Nick Sakiewicz ended his first day in Six Nations by sampling some of the local cuisine. The National Lacrosse League Commissioner broke bread with Rochester Knighthawks Owner Curt Styres, members of the Six Nations community and Knighthawks front office personnel.

On Wednesday evening, in the banquet hall of the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena, Sakiewicz sampled the “Six Nations Soul Food,” as he called it. The buffet table was outfitted with varieties of corn soup, elk, traditional corn bread, scones and strawberry juice. The dinner conversation was about the Creator’s Game as Leroy “Jock” Hill, Cayuga sub-chief and faith keeper, traced the roots of lacrosse back to the creation story.

“The game was given to us as a life lesson to demonstrate teamwork and cooperation. In our traditional game, it’s about discipline,” he said. “Our belief is that we do everything we can because we’re entertaining the Creator, and that’s his game we are playing.” “Jock” Hill, who has been training for four decades as a faith keeper, sat next to Sakiewicz and the two bantered back-and-forth like old friends, as they laughed and shared stories.

“It’s an interaction and a sharing,” said Hill. “He was very interested in our cultural ties to it. We just fed off one another. It was really pleasing to do that, especially with a receptive audience.”

“He is an encyclopedia of lacrosse and talked about the symbolism of the earth, and the creation of earth and how it ties to a sport,” said Sakiewicz. “I don’t think there is any sport invented by man that compares to this. There are sports that ancient people played, but not the way this is done. It’s really amazing.”

Sakiewicz got his fill of Six Nations during his guided tour with Styres, which included a walk-through at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena that the Knighthawks owner built and opened in 2004. The Commissioner’s day-long itinerary was replete with cultural and historic stops throughout the southern Ontario reserve.

“I wanted to show him so much and I think I just touched the tip of the iceberg with him,” said Styres. “There is so much to see, so much to do. I think we filled his pockets up with some things he can use down the road.”

Sakiewicz began his tour with an introduction to Six Nations elected Chief Ava Hill at the Six Nations Council House. She presented the Commissioner with a pair of moccasins, which he said he will proudly hang in his office alongside the beautiful painting he received from Onondaga Chief and artist Arnold Jacobs.

The NLL Commissioner spent a good portion of the morning at the Two Turtle Art Gallery, where he reviewed sculptures, painting and drawings produced by Jacobs. It was honor for Jacobs to host the NLL Commissioner and have dinner with him
 later that evening.

“It was great. He is a young guy who just got introduced to (lacrosse) in the past year,” said Jacobs. “He was really impressed with the fastest game on two feet.”

Sakiewicz, who was appointed NLL Commissioner on Jan. 9th, said he is completing the discovery phase of his job. The new boss has made it a priority to visit all nine NLL teams. It’s on his latest stop, however, that will allow Sakiewicz to bring more of a historical perspective to the 30-year professional indoor lacrosse league.

“There is a lot of untold history here that needs to be told. There’s a lot of deep tradition and symbolism. Just look at this painting, ‘Then and Now – Same Passion,’ you are talking about thousands of years,” he said as he pointed to the gift he received from Arnold Jacobs. “That story needs to be brought to the forefront.

“I think I said this in my first press conference, ‘We as a sport need to lock arms and come together to grow an incredible game. If we don’t, then shame on us. The biggest threat to box lacrosse is ourselves in not unlocking the greatness of this game.’”

During the tour, Sakiewicz also accompanied his host to the Gaylord Powless Arena, the famous Burger Barn eatery for lunch, and the Turtle Island News. Along the way, Styres introduced the Commissioner to people who are helping keep the history of a sport and a culture alive in Six Nations.

“It’s always good to have someone take the time to see the origins of the Creator’s Game,” said Styres. “I think it can be really enlightening when you can see things firsthand and talk to the people of the Haudenosaunee. You have to be there to experience it. Tradition goes a long way. A recipe for success can be done in multiple ways. If you know the foundation of the game, you can build from there.”

During his first day in Six Nations, Sakiewicz saw the passion of Jacobs and learned about the artist’s goal of sharing the nature-based culture with future generations. He also met Curt’s mother, Vera, and Geronimo Henry, and listened to them as he sat in the Woodland Cultural Centre Brantford. It was the building where they once attended a government-sponsored residential school. He was brought to tears as he listened to the stories of a school system once established to “assimilate Aboriginal children into Euro-Canadian culture.”

The trip allowed Sakiewicz to spend some more time with Curt Styres, a person who he respects and admires. Styres understands the roots and possibilities of the sports, which he believes go hand-and-hand in growing lacrosse. Styres, who has owned the Knighthawks since 2008, has incorporated the history of the sport into his everyday business in Rochester. From the nine clans of the Iroquois that adorn the team’s jerseys, to the pregame smoke dancers, to the team’s annual First Nations Night, Styres has used the history of the game as the base to build his championship-caliber organization.

“When he invited me to visit, I took him right up on it because I could tell when I first met him that he has a deep love, respect and passion,” said Sakiewicz. “It goes beyond sports team ownership. Frankly, the world needs to know more about Curt Styres and what he brings to professional sports. I have met a lot of owners in pro sports, and in different sports in my 20 years, and he is one of a kind. I am honored to be here and honored to have him as an owner in our league.”

Sakiewicz, who will be in Calgary this weekend, will take with him the knowledge of the people he met and the keepsakes he was presented during his visit.

“It was extraordinary and a day I will never forget,” said Sakiewicz. “It was awesome because not only did I learn about lacrosse, I learned about a culture, a philosophy, symbolism and, candidly, a culture and a people who we can learn an awful lot from.”

Story and photo by Knighthawks.com.

NLL