The opening weekend of NLL play was action-packed as eight teams got their first taste of the season. Oshawa beat Toronto in a game that could have gone either way; San Diego beat Ottawa 16-13 and led 6-0 before Ottawa got on the board; Buffalo capped off their Banner Raising ceremony with a 15-11 win against a resilient Georgia squad; and Colorado spoiled Vancouver’s home opener with a 10-7 victory. Let’s see how Week 1 affected the power rankings.
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A gutsy effort from Will Malcom Mammoth as they beat Vancouver 10-7. Malcom’s sock trick should serve as inspiration for the new-look offense, and they’ll be held together by their veteran defence until they can gel. Dillon Ward made 37 saves and outdueled Christian Del Bianco in goal with a save percentage of 841% compared to 783%, holding a high-potent offence to just seven goals.
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Week 1 Result: Lost to Oshawa 8-7
Week 2 Opponent: Bye Week
Previous Ranking: 6th
Toronto slips to eighth with a loss to Oshawa and San Diego’s win over Ottawa. But Rock fans needn’t worry – there’s a lot of fluidity between sixth and eighth place, and this opening game of the season could have gone either way. Promising for the Rock are rookies CJ Kirst and Owen Hiltz, who each scored twice, and defender Sam English, who picked up team highs with 11 loose balls and four caused turnovers. Going forward, the entire team will have to match the energy of their young players and use it to boost their own performances – their first chance at this will be Week 3 when the Rock host Calgary.
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Week 1 Result: Beat Toronto 8-7
Week 2 Opponent: @ Halifax (0-0)
Previous Ranking: 8th
Oshawa jumps up one spot after beating Toronto at a sold-out Tribute Communities Centre in their inaugural game. The close game plus the excitement in the atmosphere was the perfect start for the FireWolves, who fed off the crowd in the dying minutes, allowing Ethan Walker to score the game-winner with 52 seconds left. It capped off a balanced performance from the offence; in addition to Walker, Alex Simmons, Tye Kurtz, Dyson Williams and Taggart Clark also scored. Goaltender Doug Jamieson had a terrific performance as he was shelled with 55 shots. Oshawa has a tough contest next week on the road in Halifax, but if the FireWolves fans keep bringing the energy, home floor advantage will be a huge boost during the team’s first season in Ontario.
StubHub NLL Faceoff: Oshawa FireWolves vs Halifax Thunderbirds
Watch NLL Friday Night on TSN on December 5 at 6:00 p.m. ET
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Week 1 Result: Beat Ottawa 16-13
Week 2 Opponent: Bye Week
Previous Ranking: 7th
San Diego moves up to sixth after a boisterous performance against Ottawa in another game that could have gone either way. The Seals shocked the Black Bears, going up 6-0 and holding them off the board until the middle of the second quarter. A four-goal run got Ottawa back within a goal late in the game, but Tre Leclaire’s fifth marker of the game and an empty-netter from James Barclay sealed it. That three-minute defensive lapse was an aberration in the remaining 57 minutes the Seals played. Even with a few roster changes, the pups had everybody contributing: Corey Small had a hat trick, Connor Robinson contributed four points, Trevor Baptiste dominated on faceoffs and Zach Currier picked up a weekend-high 18 loose balls. San Diego rests for a week before hosting Rochester in their home opener at Pechanga Arena.
StubHub NLL Faceoff: Rochester Knighthawks vs. San Diego Seals
Watch Sunday, December 14 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Week 1 Result: Bye Week
Week 2 Opponent: vs Oshawa (1-0)
Previous Ranking: 5th
Scotiabank Centre, aka The Nest, will be rocking with the return of the Thunderbirds. Oshawa played a balanced offensive game with six different scorers finding the net; Halifax can exceed that with the talent they boast up front and on transition, which is why they remain in fifth position.
StubHub NLL Faceoff: Oshawa FireWolves vs Halifax Thunderbirds
Watch NLL Friday Night on TSN on December 5 at 6:00 p.m. ET
Week 1 Result: Bye Week
Week 2 Opponent: Bye Week
Previous Ranking: 4th
Rochester is one of three teams that have two bye weeks to start the season (Philadelphia and Las Vegas are the others), giving them extra time to practice and prepare for their first contest on Sunday, December 14 against San Diego (1-0). They remain in fourth place by virtue of their potential this season and their talented roster, featuring reigning MVP Connor Fields.
StubHub NLL Faceoff: Rochester Knighthawks vs. San Diego Seals
Watch Sunday, December 14 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
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Week 1 Result: Lost 10-7 to Colorado
Week 2 Opponent: Bye Week
Previous Ranking: 3rd
Vancouver was the most active team in the off-season, bringing in big names like Jesse King and Curtis Dickson. While the pair got on the board in their Warriors’ debut, the team looked disconnected as they fell behind 8-4 in the third quarter, allowing a five-goal run to the Mammoth. No member of the defence effectively guarded Will Malcom, who had six of Colorado’s 10 goals. Christian Del Bianco held the Warriors in it with 36 saves while old reliables Keegan Bal (1G/6A) and Adam Charalambides (2G/1A) looked to be in mid-season form, but it was a disappointing home opener for the team that finished last regular season 5-0. For now, they remain at number three until the teams around them play next week.
Week 1 Result: Bye Week
Week 2 Opponent: vs Calgary (0-0)
Previous Ranking: 2nd
Unlike Halifax, Saskatchewan did not get to watch its Week 2 opponent for insight. They will face rival Calgary on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET as both teams open their season. The Rush remain in second place thanks to their second-place finish from last season. With virtually no roster changes, they will once again be one of the strongest teams in the League.
StubHub NLL Faceoff: Calgary Roughnecks vs. Saskatchewan Rush
Watch on Saturday, December 6 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+, NLL+, TSN+
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Week 1 Result: Beat Georgia 15-11
Week 2 Opponent: Bye Week
Previous Ranking: 1st
With a win over Georgia, the powerhouse Bandits stay at number one. The Bandits picked up exactly where they left off. Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne combined for 14 points, Ian MacKay fired 13 shots on goal, Connor Farrell dominated at the dot, Paul Dawson blocked two shots and Matt Vinc made 32 saves. It was business as usual for the defending champs, who have been at the top of the standings and power rankings for three years running. New-old additions Ryan Benesch and Mitch de Snoo fit in seamlessly, each picking up two points with de Snoo blocking three shots. Banditland brought the energy against a Georgia team that proved to be more resilient than expected.
