San Diego, CA – March 21, 2026: San Diego Seals vs Buffalo Bandits at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California (Photo by Alexis Goeller / National Lacrosse League)
The end of the regular season is here, but the excitement only grows! With the final weekend finally upon us, there are still two seats at the playoff table left unclinched with four teams still in the running– why leave it all up to chance? Heading into the weekend, every team still within playoff consideration needs to win outright to punch their ticket!
Kicking off the nail-biting, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs first head out to sunny San Diego, California, for the first round of their deciding two-game series against the Seals. With their major upset win against Georgia in Week 20 ending their five-game win drought, the Seals are now in near-complete control of their playoff destiny. Tying their opponents with a 7-9 record and needing a single win against the Desert Dogs to meet the majority of their final-weekend requirements. With a single win against Vegas, and at least one loss for the Rochester Knighthawks in their series against the Georgia Swarm this weekend, the Seals could very well crawl back from playoff relegation.
On the visitors’ bench and now on a two-game losing streak after sending the Wings off with a final home win in Week 20, Las Vegas has currently given up their position in the top eight to their opponents. Now teetering on the edge of oblivion or their first franchise playoff appearance, Las Vegas needs both wins against San Diego to control their playoff destiny. Alternatively, in the event of a 1-1 weekend against the Seals, the Desert Dogs would need the Knighthawks to win both of their games against the Swarm to reclaim their seat and punch their first-time ticket.
Vegas and San Diego kick off closing weekend on ESPNU this Friday at 10:30PM ET. Streaming will also be available on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
San Diego at Georgia 4/12/2026
Opening up Saturday’s festivities, the Swarm are set to host their first of two afternoon bouts against the Rochester Knighthawks. Though their matchups will not decide whether the other makes it into the postseason, the Swarm’s playoff seeding, as well as the remaining two playoff seats, do ride on the outcome of this weekend’s two-game series.
In addition to this being the Thompsons’ first head-to-head since Jeremy’s move to Rochester this season, the Swarm are on the precipice of hosting a first round playoff game. Should Georgia leave the weekend with both wins against the Knighthawks, as well as an Oshawa win against the current third seed, the Buffalo Bandits, Swarm fans can expect a playoff opener at Gas South Arena.
The Knighthawks, on the other hand, have become the deciding factor in both San Diego and Las Vegas’ playoff bids. As mentioned above, the Desert Dogs, should they go 1-1 in their series against the Seals, would need two wins from Rochester this weekend to claim their seat, while the Seals need only worry about their own matchups. With that knowledge, the Knighthawks have a chance to take a page out of the Wings’ book and play the heel, potentially booting either team from glory and putting the Swarm on the road for weekend one of the NLL Playoffs.
Rochester takes on Georgia this Saturday at 4:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and ESPN+.
Halifax Thunderbirds at Vancouver Warriors – 04.10.26 (Jaclyn McKee)
While every game this weekend does have major playoff implications, no other matchup this weekend will have as much immediate impact as Saturday evening’s first TSN spotlight. With all that and a bag of chips on the line, the 8-9 Ottawa Black Bears head east for an all-in run-in against the 7-10 Halifax Thunderbirds.
It’s win-and-in for both squads this weekend, but the Black Bears are arguably playing with more on the line this year. After just missing their trip to the playoffs during their inaugural season, Jeff Teat and his Black Bears are on the warpath to avoid another final weekend disappointment. In Week 21 of the 2024-2025 season, Ottawa also found themselves locked in the final weekend’s four-way sprint to the playoffs, needing a win against the then second-seed, the Saskatchewan Rush, to punch their inaugural postseason ticket. Though they were presented the opportunity to clinch with a win against the Toronto Rock in Week 20, the Black Bears now need a win more than ever to prevent a repeat of last season’s 8-10 finish in the ninth seat.
Their opponents, the Thunderbirds, have scraped together one exciting comeback, moving up from near-elimination all the way up to a last-second shot at the NLL Playoffs. Their two straight wins against Philadelphia and Rochester, as well as a near upset victory against the current second seed, the Vancouver Warriors, in Week 20, have built an especially strong case for their return to the NLL Playoffs. At 7-10 and sat precariously in the tenth seat, a Thunderbirds win against Ottawa this weekend would not only punch their playoff ticket, but squash the Black Bears’ for a second year in a row. It’s winner takes all!
Who’s in, who’s out? Tune in to TSN this Saturday at 6:00PM ET!
Buffalo Bandits against the Rochester Knighthawks on April 11, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. (Caroline Sherman/NLL)
Continuing the evening, the Buffalo Bandits make their Oshawa debut against their former Upstate rivals, the FireWolves! This weekend, though the Bandits have since clinched and their hosts have long been eliminated, there’s still much ground to gain.
In addition to their three-peat, the Bandits have hosted a first round home playoff game for the last five straight seasons, beginning in 2019, head coach John Tavares’ first season as Buffalo head coach, and appearing in the finals in each year. With that said, the Bandits are now a single win away from a sixth consecutive first round home playoff game. All they need to secure it is a win against Oshawa, or in the event of a final week loss, a Rochester win.
On the home bench, the FireWolves are the deciding factor in multiple home playoff clinching scenarios. In addition to wins in their own matchups, an Oshawa victory against Buffalo this weekend could secure a first round home game for both Georgia and Toronto, as well as drop the Bandits out of the top four based on wins and losses around the League. All eyes will be on this Oshawa team as they get set for the final weekend of the regular season!
The Bandits and FireWolves hit the turf this Saturday at 7:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
Saskatchewan, Canada – April 11th, 2026: Colorado Mammoth vs Saskatchewan Rush at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatchewan, Canada (Photo by Jeff Crawford/National Lacrosse League)
Rest easy, Colorado fans! Your beloved Mammoth are still in no danger of losing their seat at the playoff table. Not only were the Mammoth among the first three teams to punch their ticket to the postseason, but also one of the first to clinch their first round home game alongside Vancouver. However, with one final game against Calgary still on the schedule, the playoff landscape still has the possibility to shift in the final moments of the regular season.
The Roughnecks have one final shot at the Mammoth this weekend with another chance to knock their opponents out of the number one seed. Though Colorado has sat precariously atop the League leaderboard for the better part of a few weeks now, their earlier two games dropped to Ottawa and Buffalo in Weeks 15 and 16 have allowed the Warriors to close the gap in the rankings. With that, a Colorado loss this weekend could drop the Mammoth from the first seat and bump Vancouver into the #1, provided they beat the Wings, swapping the first round matchups at the last minute.
Could the landscape remain the same? Or will the Roughnecks let the Warriors pull ahead with a last-minute upset?
The first whistle blows at the Saddledome this Saturday at 9:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
The Saskatchewan Rush host the Colorado Mammoth at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, April 11, 2026
For the second time this weekend, fans are not only treated to a heaping helping of NLL Saturday Night on TSN, but to yet another exciting game of make-it-take-it lacrosse. Sharing the 9:00PM slot with Colorado-Calgary, the Saskatchewan Rush are set to close out the season, graciously hosting the Toronto Rock.
Heading into the final weekend, the visiting Rock currently holds the fourth seat on the League leaderboard, and with it, their voucher for a first round home playoff game against the as of yet still uncemented fifth seat, the Saskatchewan Rush. While traveling from Saskatchewan to Toronto, and vice versa, is better than traveling to, say, Duluth, Georgia in the first round, neither team is looking to start their postseason on the road.
Tied at 11-6 with the current three-seed, the Buffalo Bandits, the Rush and the Rock can both secure a first round home game with a win this weekend, with a catch. While Saskatchewan is “in with a win” in the truest sense of the phrase, the Rock need just a touch of extra help to begin calling in the event staffers. In addition to a road win against Saskatchewan this weekend, Toronto will be looking for an Oshawa or Rochester win to scrape out the final home-clinching requirements.
The #5 looks to kick out the #4 this Saturday night on TSN at 9:00PM ET!
Denver, Colorado – April 3, 2026: Las Vegas Desert Dogs at Colorado Mammoth at the Ball Arena in Denver Colorado, United States. (Photo by John Matthew Harrison/National Lacrosse League)
For the second round of their two-game deciding series, the Desert Dogs and Seals are trading off arenas, swapping the sandy beaches of San Diego for the neon street of Las Vegas. A quick refresher on what both teams need to clinch a playoff berth:
San Diego needs:
Las Vegas needs:
OR
The Seals and Desert Dogs close out their series this Saturday at 10:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
Halifax Thunderbirds at Vancouver Warriors @ Rogers Arena
The Vancouver Warriors are back at Rogers Arena for a second straight home appearance, closing out the regular season with a final bout against the Philadelphia Wings. The Wings, though already eliminated from playoff contention, have been a consistent heel in several playoff hopeful teams, preventing the Desert Dogs and the Toronto Rock from clinching earlier with their two consecutive wins in Weeks 18 and 20.
But even with Philly out of the playoff equation, their matchup with Vancouver and potential final game played as a franchise are not without specific impact. While Vancouver has already clinched both their postseason appearance and first-round home game, the Warriors are not overly attached to their current seat in the rankings.
There are a few different mixes of wins and losses that could shake up the current landscape of the NLL’s top four teams, but for the Warriors, it comes down to a simple question of one, two or three. A win against the Wings this weekend anchors their position in the top two, with a Colorado loss potentially bumping them into first based on strength of victory and goal differential after the final whistle. A Vancouver loss, however, with the right wins and losses out of Buffalo, Georgia, Saskatchewan, Toronto and Buffalo, could drop the Warriors back down to the third seat, having them host the sixth seed in the first round (currently held by the Swarm).
Vancouver hosts the Wings this Saturday at 10:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
Buffalo Bandits against the Rochester Knighthawks on April 11, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. (Caroline Sherman/NLL)
The Swarm swap home advantage with the Knighthawks for their second run-in of the weekend! A quick refresher on the impact of their two-game series:
To clinch a home playoff berth, Georgia needs:
If Rochester goes 2-0 against Georgia:
If Rochester goes 1-1 or 0-2 against Georgia:
The NLL Sunday Matinee closes out the regular season at 3:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
Read the Official 2026 NLL Playoffs Playoff Clinching Scenarios for Week 21
