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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
20:30:00
San Diego
Panther City
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 25
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Mar 25
21:30:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Buffalo
San Diego
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 25
22:30:00
Rochester
Las Vegas
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

Rush Continue to Honor Indigenous Tradition With New Ceremony this Season

Lacrosse and Indigenous peoples. A blanket ceremony and land acknowledgement. Respect and reconciliation.

These star-crossed connections can be found at every Saskatchewan Rush home game this season.

“Being part of an organization like the Rush that shows respect and a move towards reconciliation with First Nations and Indigenous peoples is great,” says Rush forward Marshall Powless who is from Oshweken, a Six Nations community in southern Ontario.

It started with Saskatchewan’s past Indigenous players and the NLL team’s initial involvement with local First Nations in 2016 when the franchise moved to Saskatoon from Edmonton.

It continued last season when the Rush introduced a pregame land acknowledgment of Treaty 6 territory and the league launched its first Every Child Matters campaign as part of the NLL Unites initiative.

“I love that they acknowledge the land that we are fortunate enough to play the game of lacrosse on and to hopefully educate at least one person in the stands who may not have known prior to attending a game,” Powless says.

And it continues in 2022-23 with a pregame star blanket ceremony, unveiled by Saskatchewan before its home opener against Colorado on Dec. 3., and the team’s continued interaction with local First Nations and Indigenous peoples.

The star blanket is presented by Rush General Manager Derek Keenan and Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand to the visiting coach at centre floor of Co-op Field at SaskTel Centre. The blanket, in opposing team colours and with their logo, is wrapped around the coach as a symbol of respect and welcoming from local Indigenous peoples.

“It’s a great honour to participate in the star blanket ceremony,” says Keenan. “There’s a real feeling of community and healing during the presentation.

“For me personally it’s tremendous to be part of it. From day one in Saskatchewan, the Rush have put a major emphasis on recognizing [local] Indigenous culture and this has been enhanced with the blanket ceremony.”

The star blanket is also used to honour, protect and celebrate one’s achievements. Each blanket is unique but they all have a star image at the centre, which represents the Creator’s eye.

“The blanket ceremony is heartwarming,” says Powless. “It’s crafted by an Indigenous person and when the receiver gets their blanket, they will always reflect back to our people, First Nations and Indigenous, and [that] hopefully lights an interest to learn more about who we are.”

There have been three star blanket ceremonies so far this season: Dec. 3 against Colorado, Dec. 31 versus Panther City and last week when Saskatchewan hosted Las Vegas.

The eye-catching blankets have ranged in colour from Mammoth red and black to PCLC purple with red accents to Desert Dogs black and white.

“I think prior to the Rush moving to Saskatchewan there wasn’t a big lacrosse presence within the Indigenous communities,” Keenan says. “But that has changed thanks to the work of Chief Arcand and former and current Rush players Jeremy Thompson, Jeff Shattler and Marshall Powless.”

Another special colour appeared last week on the green-clad Rush: Orange Every Child Matters warmup shirts and helmet decals as part of the NLL’s second league-wide campaign to create awareness around the forcible placement of Indigenous children into residential and boarding schools in Canada and the U.S.

“I can’t think of anything more important than the Rush’s involvement in Every Child Matters,” says Keenan. “This is our opportunity to show support and compassion for the people who gave us this great game.

“I think it’s incumbent upon us as stewards of the game to better understand what happened and to help in ensuring atrocities like this never, ever occur again. I think we can play a major role in the reconciliation process.”

According to Keenan, the key to reconciliation is communication.

“We’ve been fortunate to have some very good Indigenous players on the Rush roster over the years,” Keenan says. “I’ve found the most important thing we can do is communicate with them and learn from them.

“For me personally I have found many of my conversations with our Indigenous players fascinating, in particular with Jeremy Thompson. I learned more from him about the game and their culture in my conversations with him than I ever had before.”

Powless agrees with his GM.

“It is super important to have the Rush be a part of the NLL’s Every Child Matters campaign,” says Powless. “We need to shed more light on the impacts residential schools have left on Indigenous people and the only way to do that is to continue talking about it. We need to continue to honour the survivors, the families and the children who were never able to come back home.

“Having Every Child Matters intertwined with lacrosse, It’s imperative to have it. This is the sport Indigenous people created, this is the game people associate Indigenous people with.”

Lacrosse, the Creator’s Game and the Medicine Game.

“I am proud to be Haudenosaunee and to be able to educate generations to come,” Powless says. “The connection from our people to the Creator’s Game is so important, we still practice the Medicine Game through our communities. However, the game of lacrosse that we play now is a modernized version of the Medicine Game.”

Star blankets, respect and reconciliation.

“I’m glad the game of lacrosse is growing and is able to be connected to our people,” says Powless, “so it sparks a conversation on who we are, the battles we had to overcome and how much we evolved to be where we are today.”

NLL