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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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Game Previews

Playoff Push Continues For Black Wolves Against Knighthawks

By Ray Lilley | NLL.com Staff Writer

Following a disappointing 0-3 start to the season, the New England Black Wolves (5-6) could have easily thrown in the towel. They did not. In fact, since their 0-3 start New England has won five of eight games and has the look of a team that can beat anyone.

Last Sunday, the Black Wolves dominated the first place Georgia Swarm and became the first to beat every East Division foe. Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Black Wolves (5-6) will face another team from the East in the Rochester Knighthawks (4-7).

Rochester currently sits in last place in the East but that does not paint the whole picture as first and last is only separated by three and a half games. As Black Wolves goaltender, Evan Kirk put it, it’s a log jam in the East and anyone can beat anyone. New England’s victory over Georgia on Sunday tightened that log jam and perhaps began to tell the story of two different seasons for the East Division.

“We’ve been playing pretty well,” said Black Wolves’ Head Coach Glenn Clark. “We’ve got ourselves on a bit of a roll so we want to continue with that and start building and getting stronger and hopefully be in a position to compete for a playoff spot and be playing our best when we need to.”

New England finished the first half of the season with a 3-6 record while Georgia put up a 7-2 mark. The Black Wolves were scratching and clawing to stay in the mix while the Swarm looked to be comfortably in a playoff spot. Sunday’s win not only shortened Georgia’s first place lead to one game, but the pure domination by New England displayed the offense and goaltending that created such high goals and expectations for the Black Wolves in the 2017 season.

Coming off an appearance in the East Division Finals in 2016, New England was looking to take that next step and get to the National Lacrosse League championship. Perhaps the pressure and lofty expectations caused the early struggles for the Black Wolves but a win on Friday could wipe that slate clean and get them back to the .500 mark.

“It’s certainly important (to get back to .500) because it’s divisional,” said Clark. “Every game you win in your division puts you one up and whoever you are playing, one back. That’s very important. We didn’t start the way we wanted to. We dug a hole at 0-3 so to be able to get back to the .500 mark would be a pretty good accomplishment.”

On Friday, New England will face the lowest scoring offense in the NLL, after facing the highest scoring club on Sunday. The success of New England on Sunday was mostly because Georgia could not seem to beat Evan Kirk, the reigning NLL Goaltender of the Year. Kirk, like the rest of the team, struggled early in the season. Of late he has been that goaltender that makes the opposition grip their sticks a little tighter as they look to solve the riddle that guards the Black Wolves goal.

“I think he’s moving into that next level of goaltenders,” Clark said of his goaltender. “Top tier goaltenders, where they are making the saves they should make and then making a few extraordinary ones. That’s what good goaltenders do. That’s what next level goaltenders do.”

An important part of the Black Wolves success of late has been Kirk’s ability to make timely saves and either stop the opposition from taking the momentum from them or stop them from continuing their own momentum to put New England in the rearview mirror. Clark acknowledged Kirk’s timely saves as potentially being their key to the NLL crown.

“I think he is getting into that upper tier of goaltenders in the league which is what teams need in order to win games. Every team that wins a championship has strong goaltending. You don’t win without it because in the game of lacrosse, you’re giving up good shots. It doesn’t matter what team you’re playing on, the opposition will get quality shots. Your goaltender needs to be strong, and Evan has been great this year.”

While we are talking goaltending, we must also talk about the goalie at the other end of the floor. Rochester’s Matt Vinc has consistently been one of the top goaltenders in the NLL for a number of years and creates a huge puzzle for the Black Wolves to solve on Friday night. Vinc ranks fourth in the league in goals against average and save percentage and has held New England to under ten goals in both of these team’s encounters this season.

“Their goaltending is very strong,” Clark said. “Matt Vinc has been one of the top goalies for the last five or six years so he can close the door on you and frustrate shooters. I think Vinc is the big x-factor. He has been known to win games before so he worries you a little bit.”

With New England’s offense rolling on all cylinders right now, everyone in the Wolf Den is hoping that the worrying about Vinc is quickly erased on St. Patrick’s Day at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Black Wolves will don special green uniforms for St. Patrick’s Day in search of some extra luck to beat Vinc and the Knighthawks and finally get back to that elusive .500 record.

Game time is 7:30 P.M. on Friday as New England looks to beat Rochester for their first three game win streak on the season.

NLL