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BUF at TOR - Sat. 7pm ET Schedule

×
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: Injuries, Ice, and Transitioning to Box

Welcome back to another edition of The NLL Unstrung! Last article, An American Perspective on the EPBLL, I introduced you to Todd Esposito who gave some insight on finances, traveling, the People Express, and the process of getting into the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League in the 1980’s.

Now, let’s dig deeper.

Esposito grew up playing field lacrosse successfully at a high level. In the 1980’s while he was playing club lacrosse, he had the opportunity to play in the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League, which, shortly after, became the Major Indoor Lacrosse League.

As mentioned in my last article, Esposito was living in Washington D.C. But at the time, he was moving back to Long Island, so the coaches of the Baltimore Thunder decided not to pursue Esposito. Instead, Esposito joined the New York Saints, who had just moved from New Jersey.

According to Esposito, “Back then there were no real rules. It was kind of like, kill the guy with the ball. If you were free on the field, you had your head on a swivel all the time because you knew you were going to get hit by a stick, or someone was going to take a run at you. Referees rarely called anything.”

“If I was on offense and a teammate had the ball, I could run and knock over the defenseman. Think of a defenseman covering a guy, watching him, and then someone blindsiding him so your guy could get to the cage. Guys were dropping like flies.”

At that time, the league was so new everyone was trying to figure things out on the fly including the players, coaches, league and the arenas.

The arenas for the MILL were the same arenas used for hockey games. The turf was laid overtop of ice rinks for the box games. But the process of doing that was not the same as the turf or courts that you see placed over ice in arenas today. As you and I know, technology and new information naturally changes the way things are done over time.

“They would turn the temperature down on the ice so it would melt, throw rolls of turf down over it, and then turn the air back up to refreeze the ice,” said Esposito.

My first thought knowing… that is not good. As a former soccer player, I’ve seen a lot of ACL and knee injuries on the turf. So as Esposito was telling me, I couldn’t help but cringe.

Unfortunately, the field led to a lot of leg injuries. Common injuries like blown out knees from the turf rolls were not just season-ending, but career-ending.

So just to recap. Players were getting injured because of the physicality of the game, and then also because of the floor. BUT that is not all. The third x-factor for injuries was the transition from field to box lacrosse. Anyone that has ever played field and box lacrosse knows the difference in speed of play, tempo, and the style of play.

“They would throw us out there and say ‘Okay this is where you’re playing. Have fun,” said Esposito.

“Guys were being hit into the boards and if you’ve never played before, your first reaction is to put up your hands. So some players were breaking their wrists or fingers, which would affect their jobs through the week and force some to stop playing altogether,” said Esposito.

So what was the answer to cut down on these injuries?

Said Esposito: “They started bringing NHL players to practice to teach us how to hit the boards properly without getting hurt.”

Canadian players who grew up playing box lacrosse were used to playing in an arena. For first time players, however, it was a nightmare.

“Teams wanted to have a couple of tough guys or enforcers, but they also wanted the fast, quick players. You had guys that were good defensive players, but now couldn’t use a long stick like in the field game, so they had to get used to the short stick.”


“When I first started, you could grab players with your free hand. You were allowed to tug, tackle, hit because the fans would go crazy. That was frustrating for the better players.”

Esposito continued.“Good players were frustrated because they weren’t used to being grabbed or tackled, but great defenders were also frustrated keeping up with the pace.”

“It was fun when I was young. I didn’t mind getting to play at Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit or the Spectrum in Philly. They’d sell out 17,000-18,000 people to a game. The Coliseum in New York would get 8,000-10,000. It was one of the main sports in those big hockey towns.”

“People coming into the game associated it with hockey. This game is a lot quicker since there are no out of bounds. It has the speed, hitting, and they didn’t stop you from fighting.”

“Traveling was fun. We all knew each other. And we got a little bit of the pro-player feeling with kids coming up to us wanting autographs and pictures.”

Like a lacrosse version of Clark Kent, players like Esposito were players that kids looked up to on weekends. But at work, it was a different story. No one knew about their professional lifestyle. At least, not at first.

“Back then you played because it was fun. You knew you were going to have a blast playing good lacrosse, hang out afterward, and go to work Monday hopefully with no black eyes so you didn’t have to explain yourself.”

“At first my coworkers didn’t know I played on the weekends. Most players didn’t say anything unless you had a really cool boss because if you had a game in Detroit, you’d have to leave early to fly out. But you didn’t want your boss to know that was why you left early, so for that reason, you kept it quiet. I actually had some colleagues that were lacrosse people and their kids played lacrosse. They found out I played and enjoyed it.”

Another part of adjusting to box, besides the physicality, was the gear. Box lacrosse equipment has come a long way since Esposito’s career in 1988-1990.

“I remember when the Canadian teams came to play in the Coliseum. They were doing behind the back passes and Long Island guys were still basic. Plus the Canadian players had sticks with the smaller heads”

“There is a huge difference with the sizes. The smaller heads of the stick make it easier to hold the ball, especially with the way players were getting hit in the 80’s. It also helped with close-range passes.”

Back then, players had a small selection of gloves to choose from. They wore hockey helmets, bicycle shorts, and arm pads.

Esposito said, “Guys cut the palms and fingers out of their gloves. Players had their fingers sticking out so there was always a chance you could lose a finger. There was actually a guy from my hometown that was older than me in the outdoor league that actually had his finger out of his glove. A defender checked him on the pole, and he lost his finger down to the knuckle.”

Let’s pause for one second so I can cringe and say ouch!

I don’t know about you, but as soon as I heard that, all I could do was grab my hands. I could not imagine a simple play turning into losing half a finger.

Esposito said several players had nasty career ending injuries like that one. Personally, this also makes me appreciate some of the rules we have in the NLL today even more. It may change the game but it at least makes the game even more exciting, athletic, and uptempo.

At that time, players didn’t quit because of age. They were either forced out of the league because their per game salary was getting too high as we discussed in the last article or because of injuries.

“I was in the league for two years and at the end of the second year, I got hurt. I didn’t want to take a chance of playing again since when you got hurt, you got hurt,” said Esposito.

Esposito is still involved in lacrosse. He was an assistant coach for the New York Lizards in the MLL for five years before relocating to Virginia Beach to help grow the game in that area. He now coaches field lacrosse at Cox High School where he is fighting to make the school’s club team a varsity sport.

He has followed his passion for the sport of lacrosse from the island to the beaches of Virginia as he is still finding ways to give back to the game. He’s confident that he has no regrets looking back on his career.

“We all loved the game and we wanted to play. I have great memories playing in arenas like the Spectrum. The way the bench is set up, the fans are right on top of you.”

“People would ask how you hear with all the people screaming. When on that field, for some odd reason I don’t know why, but you could hear everything perfectly. You could hear the crowds but could also hear everyone on the floor. But once you’re on the bench, with those people right on top of you, you could hear everything fans are yelling. I see it today – I know when I watch – that those guys can hear everything. But that exciting, fun atmosphere made it all worth it.”


Well everyone, thanks for checking out  another edition of the NLL Unstrung. We have more players and coaches with amazing stories to share next article so stay tuned for that!

As always, I enjoy the warm invitation by families, fans, and former players/coaches to share their stories with me. Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @ReneePWash, or tag me using #NLLUnstrung to share your stories as we uncover NLL history one string at a time!

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