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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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The Desert Dogs and FireWolves Have A Lot To Prove In Their Cross-Conference Clash

The Las Vegas Desert Dogs and the Albany FireWolves are heading in opposite directions at this point of the NLL Season. And yet, they still have the same 2-5 record.

By Sunday morning, after these two go to battle in Albany as part of Week 12 action, one of them will have more wins than the other (at least until Week 13). Now that we’re officially in the second half of the NLL Season, these two teams need all the wins they can get if they hope to make the postseason.

But before diving into this weekend’s clash between the Desert Dogs and FireWolves, let’s take a journey all the way back to Week 8 of this NLL Season. Heading into that mid-January slate of games, the FireWolves had a 2-2 record and had pulled off significant (and surprising) victories against the Buffalo Bandits and Halifax Thunderbirds. On the other hand, the Desert Dogs were 0-4 at that time and were still trying to find their groove in all aspects of their game.

The FireWolves proceeded to lose three straight games, including two against the New York Riptide. In that stretch, the FireWolves lost by an average of 5.33 goals per game and mustered an average of just nine goals per game. In fairness, their five goals against the Philadelphia Wings in Week 10 brought that average down quite a bit.

Things have improved considerably for the Desert Dogs in that same time frame. Following their 19-16 road loss to the Vancouver Warriors in Week 8, the Desert Dogs regrouped and have now won two of their last three games. Their first win in franchise history came during this period, and it was a remarkable avenging victory to the Warriors just a week after the 19-16 loss. Even in their one loss during those three games, they played well against the defensively sound and underrated Saskatchewan Rush. They put the cherry on top of their winning streak cake by defeating the defending champion Colorado Mammoth in Week 11 by a score of 13-8.

Sitting at 2-5, the Desert Dogs are now only a few games back of the Rush, Mammoth, and Panther City Lacrosse Club for one of the West Conference’s playoff spots.

Desert Dogs Head Coach Shawn Williams doesn’t want his team to get too excited about this little successful stretch they’re on now. He wants his guys to continue improving so that by the end of this season, they’ll be playing their best lacrosse.

“It’s all about getting better each game,” Williams said. “I felt at times that each game we played, no matter if it was in game one and game two, we had a lot of good things happening. We kept talking about building on the things we did well. It seemed like each game we were going forward.”

Nevertheless, Williams is proud of how much his guys have grown and come together as a team. Think about how big of a win it is for an expansion team to beat the defending NLL Champions, particularly by five goals. This is only the fifth time since the 2019-20 NLL Season that the Mammoth had lost a regular season game by five or more goals.

“We just started clicking on both sides of the ball,” Williams said. “The biggest thing was trust. Through the draft, expansion, and free agency, we built a great room of character people. There was never anything negative going on, but at some point, we said, ‘we’ve got to turn a page on just being a great room. We need to start being a great team on the floor, as well.’”

When you look at how the Desert Dogs are getting things done, it’s hard not to see how every player has played a part in the team’s recent success. Often, you know what you’re going to get out of your veteran stars, but it’s the young guns that are looking to prove themselves that are more likely to be inconsistent. In the case of offensive weapons Jack Hannah and Charlie Bertrand, these two less-experienced talents are already starting to play like they’ve been in this league for a long time.

“They’re just sponges,” Williams said. “On the offensive side, Jack [Hannah] and Charlie Bertrand – they obviously had great college careers. They’re definitely sponges, and they’re great guys in the locker room. They know that they have their talents, but they’re also trying to do whatever they can to play in the system as well.”

It’s essential to focus on the offensive side of the ball when looking ahead to this weekend’s cross-conference matchup. While the Desert Dogs have looked much more confident when attacking over the last few weeks, as I mentioned above, the same cannot be said for the FireWolves.

FireWolves Head Coach Glenn Clark stressed the need for his team to break out of this mini-offensive slump that his team is in. Diving into that a little deeper, it’s not necessarily how many goals the team is scoring – they did score 12 against the Riptide last week – it’s more about when they score.

Their Week 8 and Week 11 games against the Riptide are great examples. In Week 8, the FireWolves were losing 9-1 to the Riptide midway through the second quarter but outscored their opponents 9-7 the rest of the way in that 16-10 loss. In Week 11, the FireWolves were down 7-2 a few minutes before halftime and down 11-3 early in the third quarter, but they still only lost 14-12.

“If you look at this last three game stretch, we need to find ways to generate offense,” Clark said. “As bad as our defense was [against the Riptide in Week 8], it was 9-1 in the second quarter. Nine is not an outrageous number; one is. If that game is 9-7, you can look at that and say, ‘OK, we’re in striking distance.’ But, it was just such an anomaly that we only scored one goal, and we were out of it.”

The fact that the Desert Dogs have been playing very well of late has convinced Head Coach Clark that these Desert Dogs shouldn’t be looked at as an expansion team anymore. Clark knows that he’ll need to rely on his leadership group if his guys want to have a chance against the streaking West Conference side.

“They just beat the defending champs, so I see this as just another game that we’ve got to work, and we’ve got to play good,” Clark said. “They have the same record as us. It’s not cliche, [the NLL] is so tight; every team is good. We’re preparing for them like we prepare for Buffalo or any team on any given week.”

“It’s the captain’s group that I rely on a lot. They’re the conduits between the staff and team and everyone else. I have a lot of dialogue with them. I have separate meetings with them. It’s a lot about them keeping the group positive because we’re on a losing streak. It’s hard on everyone mentally.”

Regardless of how underwhelming the FireWolves have played over their last three games, Head Williams has no interest in taking this game lightly. You can play down to your opponent’s level when you’re fighting for your playoff life, and Williams wants his guys to understand that this could be a game where the FireWolves could come out swinging.

“It’s a perfect set-up game where all of a sudden everyone thinks we’re good – we only have two wins,” Williams said. “We’re still going out and getting what we’re earning here, and we still need to keep building on what we did last week. They’re coming off a bye week, and Albany is not the easiest place to get to for all of our Western guys, so there are obstacles ahead of us.”

A couple of interesting factors that will impact this clash are the significant injuries to both sides. Travis Cornwall, Marshal King, and Jackson Suboch will all be out for this game for the Desert Dogs. Joe Nardella and Charlie Kitchen will be out for the FireWolves.

Williams did say that he’s hopeful that forward John Wagner could return after missing the last three games. Even though Wagner has missed a considerable amount of time this season, he still leads all forwards with nine caused turnovers.

If there’s one player that can be particularly helpful to the Desert Dogs this weekend, it’s Rob Hellyer. He leads the team in assists (31) and points (40). And yes, he brings a steadying veteran mindset to each game, but it’s his previous experiences with the FireWolves that could come in handy for his team.

“They’re a team that works extremely hard,” Hellyer said. “I played them a few times when I was in Toronto, so I kind of know what to expect. They have a very good goalie in Dougie [Doug Jamieson], who backs up that defense, and they run – that’s something they’re known for. They’re very well coached, and they’re a team that will make you pay.”

Whatever the end result of Saturday night’s game (on ESPN+/TSN+), it’s pretty clear that both teams will try to give it their all because they know what each other is capable of. Whoever wins could be reasserting themselves into the playoff picture. The other might have to come to terms with the fact that it might be getting too late to realistically make a push for the postseason.

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