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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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Stories/Op-Ed

The Albany FireWolves Are Hoping to Beat The Best To Be The Best

The Albany FireWolves are finishing up a brutally demanding 5-game stretch that might end up defining their season. Their upset win two weekends ago against the Western Conference’s best team, the San Diego Seals, proves they are up to the challenge.

It is a schedule that you would only wish upon your most bitter rivals. When the 5-game, 21-day stretch of games between February 18th to March 11th comes to an end, the FireWolves will have faced the Buffalo Bandits twice (once at home and once on the road), the Toronto Rock, the San Diego Seals on the road (nearly 3,000 miles from home) and the Halifax Thunderbirds on the road. As of today, those teams have combined for a 31-8 (.795 win percentage) record heading into Week 15.

This past Saturday night, the FireWolves played their 4th game in that stretch, this, the second of their matches against the Eastern Conference’s top dogs, the Buffalo Bandits, trying to avenge their heartbreaking loss to them in February.

The Bandits, who needed a 7-0 scoring surge in the 4th quarter to win the last back-and-forth battle between these two, played the role of spoiler once more in the contentious, gritty affair. Much like their game versus the Seals, the defense hunkered down against the Bandits but were outplayed in the contest’s final moments.

While a defensive and goaltending clinic was needed to shut down the Seals in the 2nd half of the game a few weeks ago and was used to slow down the offensively bullish Bandits, it’s been the offense that has stepped up for this team. The team scored 13 goals on four occasions in February and went 2-2 in the games they scored that many goals.

In particular, the play of Joe Resetarits and Ryan Benesch has kept the FireWolves in many closely contested battles during those games. In February, these two combined for 13.8 points per game – Resetarits had 48 points in the past month alone in six games.

For perspective, as of March 7th, 2022, only 13 players have had more than 48 points, and that’s throughout this entire NLL season. Again, Resetarits did that in one month.

And since his slow start with the FireWolves, Benesch seems to be finding his groove. In his first three games with his new team after being traded from Panther City Lacrosse Club back in early January, Benesch had a combined 8 points (2.66 points per game). Not only did he have an equal total of 8 points last week alone versus San Diego, but he’s averaged 5.83 points per game or more than double that 3-game average following his move.

Yet, as Benesch will tell you, the success he or Resetarits has had wouldn’t even be a possibility if it were for the continuous effort their teammates have put together every night they’ve gone on the floor.

“That’s a product of what everyone else is doing,” Benesch said. “That’s the product of our coaching staff’s gameplan. That’s the product of how all of our teammates are playing like by getting loose balls, setting picks, and all those little things that have allowed Joe and I to be that successful over the last month.”

Further to that point, as the FireWolves try and navigate their way through this treacherous patch of games they’re in the middle of, Benesch added that it requires a complete group effort to be resilient through these tough stretches.

“We’re an offense built on handwork and unselfishness,” Benesch said. “We pride ourselves on being able to play any role that is asked of us. Our coaching staff puts together a great gameplan, and when we follow those gameplans, we’re pretty successful. It seems like now everyone is buying into the system and playing for each other.”

The levels of offensive production that we’ve seen from the FireWolves this past month should be a frightening thought for opposing teams. Anyone on the team will tell you this team is built from the back-end, starting with Doug Jamieson in between the pipes.

As Head Coach, Glenn Clark said, if this team can score at the rate they have been while also putting in the impressive efforts on defensive we grew accustomed to last season, you will see a more relaxed and potentially more potent team.

“I’m impressed and happy,” Clark said. “When you can score yourself out of some mistakes on the defensive end, that’s huge. When you get those guys clicked in – Joe [Resetarits] has been Mr. Consistent, Ryan [Benesch] has been a very nice addition, and now you have Jacob [Ruest], Kew, and other pieces starting to produce – you can start to breathe a little easier knowing you’re going to get more offensive production.”

With Halifax coming up this week, the FireWolves can’t afford to have any mental or technical lapses – they’ll be the first to admit to you that there have been a few of those for them this year.

But, by grabbing a win against the Seals in February on the road while playing the most complete game they’ve played all year, Resetarits feels that this team is getting ready to sink into a rhythm, so they can get to where they want to be: in a championship game.

“It’s important to hit your stride at this point of the season,” Resetarits said. “It’s a learning process at the beginning of the season, and good teams know that and work towards being better – I think we’re in the process of that. Now, do I think we’re where we want to be? Absolutely not because it’s going to take a lot more to win a championship, but I believe we’re going in the right direction.”

Following their game in Halifax this Friday, the FireWolves schedule gets a little easier – and I mean that lightly as there are no “easy” games in the NLL. Beginning March 19th, the FireWolves face the Georgia Swarm, the New York Riptide, the Vancouver Warriors, and then the Philadelphia Wings and Riptide (again), both at home at MVP in Albany. Their remaining opponents winning percentage changes to a dramatic .375 (15-25).

The FireWolves want to lead the pack in the NLL, but that hasn’t come to fruition yet. By season’s end, this team hopes to be in a post-season position in peak form so they can face the NLL’s elite again and beat those top teams to become the NLL’s top dog.

NLL