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BUF at TOR - Sat. 7pm ET 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
FINAL
San Diego
17
Panther City
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Toronto
11
Albany
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Halifax
14
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Georgia
13
New York
8
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Calgary
14
Saskatchewan
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL/OT
Buffalo
7
San Diego
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Colorado
12
Vancouver
14
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Rochester
7
Las Vegas
12
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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Stories/Op-Ed

The NLL Unstrung: An American Perspective on the EPBLL

Welcome back to another edition of The NLL Unstrung! In the first article, The Start of a New Series, we discussed the birth of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League, which today is known as the National Lacrosse League. The second article, The Start of an All-American League, discusses the league’s start with four teams made up solely of American born players.

Thanks again to Brian Shanahan, former NLL player and current NLL analyst, on sharing his perspective on the league, with his background growing up in Canada playing box lacrosse with his brothers and well-known players like John Tavares.


This article gives you firsthand stories from an American born field lacrosse player that played in the EPBLL in its early years.


I had the chance to talk to Todd Esposito, who shared some stories on his years playing for the New York Saints. Esposito grew up playing field lacrosse on Long Island before his All-American career at Nassau Community College and the University of Virginia.


Following graduation, Esposito said, “Some guys were called to a meeting to start an outdoor pro league. I played club for the Long Island squad, but it didn’t last long. There was not a whole lot of money to travel so everything was by bus. That league only lasted six games before going bankrupt. Teams didn’t even have enough money to pay players.”


There weren’t many playing opportunities in the 1980’s. Esposito has many stories of playing club ball because that is all that the guys knew at that time. “You’d go home from college and play in the league. Everyone knew each other because they had grown up together,” said Esposito.

That was the norm.

Players like Esposito were trying to figure out where to play after college graduation, but then box came around. Yes, at this time in 1986, the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League was being formed.

“I was in DC at the time and was going to play for the DC team, but the coaches knew I was going back to New York. They weren’t going to pay for me to travel back and forth so I played with the New York Saints,” said Esposito.

Let’s rewind. Remember in my last article, I told you how the league tried to get local players on each of its four original teams to cut down on expenses? Esposito was one of those local talents, and he spoke about his experiences firsthand.

Let’s talk salary, just to fully paint the picture for you. Esposito told me that each player got an estimated $350 per game during their first season, but that was only if you played. If you didn’t play, you didn’t get paid. Practice players played for the love of the game because they didn’t receive a paycheck.

He also said, “It was the same price for everyone that played. $350 for first year guys and then players got a $100-$200 raise every year after that. If players were in the league too long and started to get $1000-$1200 per game, the teams would only play you a couple of games so they did not have to pay you as much. Then they’d have a ‘special night’, which ended up being your final game in the league.”

In other words, when players salaries would reach four figures after being in the league for too long, the team would organize a special game honoring their last game in the league. That would be the end of their time playing in the EPBLL.

So at that time, between financial boundaries and injuries (which we will talk about more in a later article), players rarely stayed in the league for more than a few years.

This helps explain why teams could not afford to pay players to relocate to a new team or to fly in for games. Esposito claims this was all well known throughout the league. But the players didn’t care because everyone was playing for the love of the game, not for a check.

Esposito knew the general manager for the Saints, which is how he ended up joining the team. Esposito told me there was no draft back then. “Teams had open tryouts they invited everyone to, but they weren’t really for everyone. You knew who the coaches were and they knew you. They would call you and give you a roster spot, so some didn’t need to tryout,” said Esposito.

“Teams also needed practice players so unfortunately open tryouts were basically for practice players. They weren’t going to see the field but they just wanted to be part of the team.”

Since practice players weren’t paid, teams would pick up local guys to fill those spots.

“We played back then for the game, not the money,” said Esposito. “There were no summer club teams. Nobody thought of starting a summer team for fifth or sixth graders and make money through coaching like now. It was all about playing. We did it because we loved the game. We just wanted to play. You thought you were better than the guy next to you. Then afterwards everyone met up for a beer and were friends.”

Let’s take a look at practice. Back in 1986, teams didn’t have their own practice facility, so they had to share practice times with other local teams in different sports. The New York Cosmos, a professional men’s soccer team at the time, opened up an indoor soccer facility and were kind enough to let the Saints practice there twice a week. The hard part was that the indoor 5v5 soccer field was not the same size as the floor for a box game. So even though they were able to practice, they still couldn’t work on their offensive and defensive plays.

Esposito also shared a great story about traveling to games on little to no money. Back in the 80s, there was a low-cost airline called the People Express.“The flights were cheap so you could fly from New York to Dallas for $49 and they always overbooked so if you were willing to give up your seat you’d fly anywhere you want for free,” said Esposito. “Flights flew out every 90 minutes. So to travel we had a system. We would get tickets through People Express, go early to the airport, give up our seats, and then get tickets to fly to our game for free.

My jaw dropped when I first heard that story. I don’t know if you knew anything this airline, but I knew nothing about it.

More importantly, I hope this gives you a better sense of the start of the EPBLL. There was no funding back then like there is now. But it didn’t matter for the players – they just enjoyed playing lacrosse.

I have more stories including the adjustment to box after playing field, rules, injuries, and more but you will have to wait for the next edition of The NLL Unstrung for those.

Thanks to Jason for reaching out to me on Twitter about your uncle Esposito! I also have to give a shout out to Todd Esposito for sharing stories of his NLL playing days.  

Don’t forget you guys can message me on twitter @ReneePWash or tag me using #NLLUnstrung to share your stories with me. Let’s continue to uncover the history of the NLL one string at a time!

NLL