Halifax Thunderbirds at Ottawa Black Bears 02.21.25
NLL Friday Night on TSN is opening the weekend with a vengeance, as the Halifax Thunderbirds head to the Canadian capital for the beginning of their doubleheader weekend. It’s been a long few weeks for Halifax, and with two road games on the docket, they’ve got no plans to get pulled out of the sky by the Black Bears.
Though the Thunderbirds began their season atop the rankings with a few early wins, their success has been halted during their subsequent weekend matchups. After their overtime victory against the defending champs in Week 3, the Thunderbirds were immediately faced with the Saskatchewan Rush in a two-game semifinal rematch. Though hard fought, the now 4-1 Rush took both games of the regular season series, outshooting the Thunderbirds by nearly 20 shots on goal and pulling ahead at the face-off dot to control the flow of transition, dropping the Thunderbirds from their illustrious position atop the League leaderboards to join a number of .500 teams.
Conversely, their hosts, the Ottawa Black Bears, have gotten and stayed hot, pulling out two straight wins to bring themselves above .500 and round out the current ranking’s top five teams. Though early criticisms hailed their successes and frustrations as ‘front row seats to the Jeff Teat show,’ the Black Bears have found their roar in their sophomore season. In their most recent rough-up against the Oshawa FireWolves, a 16-14 road win, Ottawa carried four players with at least a two-goal contribution, including captain Teat (3G, 7A), Reilly O’Connor (2G, 3A), Connor Kearnan (2G, 3A) and Larson Sundown (4G, 1A). Though the Black Bears hit the net less than their opponents, the Black Bears’ defense caused nine total turnovers and got 43 saves from goaltender Zach Higgins, who gave the offense the safety net needed to take the win home.
A third of the way into the season, Halifax is a win away from reclaiming their above .500 record and booting Ottawa from the upper echelon of the League standings. A win or a loss for either team this week could very well be looked back on as the deciding game between an early playoff clinch and a last ditch scramble.
NLL Friday Night on TSN sets the stakes to the max at 7:00PM ET. Stream all weekend on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
February 1, 2025: The Rochester Knighthawks vs Philadelphia Wings
The Rochester Knighthawks start their two-game weekend against familiar faces in the Philadelphia Wings at XFinity Mobile Arena – their third meeting of the year.
The two first met during a preseason exhibition game, ending in a Knighthawks win. They would square off again in Week 4 during the Knighthawks home opener, resulting in another win for Rochester in what is quickly becoming this season’s new Northeast rivalry. Now, with a third chance at a get-back on home turf, Philadelphia is well rested and ready to clip Rochester’s wings.
The Wings are currently on a two-game losing streak, falling first to the Knighthawks in Week 4, then to Ottawa in Week 5. In their most recent bout in the Canadian capital, the Wings’ play was more than satisfactory, going three for three on power plays that night, winning 18 of their 32 face offs, and featuring the first career sock trick by forward Brennan O’Neill. Though they were neck and neck with the Black Bears heading into the final bracket, two sets of three unanswered goals in the fourth quarter ultimately gave the Black Bears the win, but still cemented the now 1-2 Wings as a highly volatile offensive powerhouse.
As the away team, Rochester is just as antsy to get back in the win column. After making it into the New Year as the only remaining undefeated team in the League, the Knighthawks fell unceremoniously to the Colorado Mammoth in Week 6. Despite outshooting the Mammoth by 14, the Mammoth were able to control the flow of the game from the face-off dot, holding the Knighthawks to one goal in the second quarter while racking up seven of their own, and were able to more effectively convert in transition to keep their lead.
With pride on the line and the chance for both teams to fall or climb to .500 on the depth chart; with Rochester currently 1-1 on the road and Philly holding the home field advantage, Friday’s matchup is going to come down to gritty plays and control in transition.
Catch the Knighthawks and Wings’ third meeting of the season on ESPN+, TSN+ and NLL+. The first whistle blows this Friday night at 7PM ET.
Curtis Dickson
Old friends enter the hallowed halls of Scotiabank Saddledome as new foes when the revamped Vancouver Warriors make their first appearance in Calgary, flaunting the former Roughnecks on their roster.
Though the story is well-known across the League, it’s worth remembering that in the early days of the 2025 Free Agency period, the Warriors signed four new players: Reece Callies, Curtis Dickson, Jessie King and Shane Simpson – three of which were pulled right off the Roughnecks’ shelf. With just three games under their belt so far this season, the measured success of this new Warriors roster has yet to fully bear fruit. However, their current 2-1 record is still nothing to sneeze at, and neither are their contributions. In their last two games played, of the 60 points accrued by Warriors’ players, Callies, Dickson, King and Simpson were responsible for 18 of them, with forward Keegan Bal leading the pack with 13 points of his own.
On the home bench, however, there’s a clear struggle to convert offensively and hold a lead. But, despite dropping their first three games unceremoniously, things could finally be on the rise for the Roughnecks. Calgary picked up their first win of the season in last week’s contest against the San Diego Seals at Pechanga Arena. Though by the numbers, the Roughnecks would appear to have been shut down that game, being shut out at the face-off dot and in the loose ball battles, as well as being outpaced by the Seals by 10 shots on goal, the Roughnecks capitalized on quick offensive possessions and the Seals’ 30 minutes in the penalty box, converting on five of their 11 power play opportunities.
Against the Warriors’ souped-up offense and bludgeoning defensive line, the Roughnecks will need to find every opportunity, no matter how gritty, to pull out the win. Vancouver, on the other hand, has it easier, needing only to stick to their game plan and keep complacency out of their warm-ups this weekend.
Watch the Warriors’ Alberta homecoming this Friday Night on TSN. Faceoff also begins at 9:30PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
The Saskatchewan Rush host the Las Vegas Desert Dogs at Sask Tel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, January 11, 2025
The Saskatchewan Rush have finally claimed their place at the peak. After winning both games in their semifinal rematch against Halifax, the Rush stand atop the rankings with a 4-1 record. But the view from the top can be misleading – gaze too deep into the horizon and you miss the teams chomping at your heels to throw you from your pedestal.
The Rush are on the road to the American West Coast this weekend to square off against the increasingly surprising Las Vegas Desert Dogs, who, despite falling just short of a three-game win streak to the Buffalo Bandits in Week 6, are still holding tight to their .500 record. In their bout against the Bandits, the combined 36-save effort from goaltenders Landon Kells and Alex Buque held their opponents to a tight two-goal lead, allowing former Bandits Chase Fraser and Chris Cloutier to notch a combined five goals in their former home arena, and for Sin City star Mitch Jones to find the back of the net five times. Currently 2-2, it’s make or break for the Desert Dogs to hold onto their competitive fire against the Rush.
But it’s no secret that the Rush are on their way to take care of business. With a three-game win streak following them into Lee’s Family Forum, Saskatchewan will be a tough mountain to scale, to say the least. In their last two bouts, Jake Naso won 23 of his 44 face-offs, supported by a defense responsible for 19 caused turnovers and 144 loose balls, on top of a hard-held final frontier by goaltender Frank Scigliano, who made 63 saves in his last two games.
If the Desert Dogs hope to keep the early postseason spark alive during the middle weeks of the season, they’ll need to find a way through the Rush’s hard-nosed backend, and more importantly, shut down Saskatchewan forward Robert Church’s assist lanes to Zach Manns and Ryan Keenan. Complacency can kill the beast, but overconfidence could derail both teams’ chances of mid-season success.
The Rush hit the tables at Lee’s Family Forum this Friday, January 9th, at 10:30PM ET. Catch all the action on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
In-Game Action
The Seals are bringing back the past and digging up old photos: it’s Retro Night at Pechanga Arena and the Seals are bringing down the hammer. For this year’s blast from the past, San Diego is set to host the Toronto Rock for a matchup that is sure to bring to mind fond memories of last season.
The two last saw each other in Week 10 of the 2024 season, a bout that came down to the wire but ended in San Diego captain Wes Berg calling the game in the final minute. Since their chippy last meeting, both rosters have had their fair share of trades and reshuffling and are ready to battle once again.
Though the Seals are known for their physical style of play, the numbers have not fallen in their favor yet this season. In last week’s game against Calgary, the Seals outshot their visitors, bullied them off the face-off dot and blew past the Roughnecks in the low battle, scooping 82 loose balls compared to Calgary’s 59. Despite this, the Seals were still unable to pull goaltender Aden Walsh off his mark or convert on the power play (3-6 against Calgary). Additionally, the Seals’ 30 minutes of penalties gave the Roughnecks ample opportunity for man-up goals, giving them the lead heading into the second half and putting San Diego in catch-up mode.
On the visiting bench, the Rock have had struggles as well. Although Toronto has only laced up three times so far this season, its 1-2 record could be cause for alarm as we reach the season midpoint. In their most recent outing against Las Vegas in Week 5, the Rock fell to the Desert Dogs 17-11, but not for a lack of trying. Of their 54 shots on goal, rookie forward CJ Kirst was responsible for 13 of them, but only converted on four. Josh Jubenville was the next highest scorer for the Rock that evening, putting up two goals on two shots.
Both squads have an opportunity this weekend to bring themselves back into the middle of the pack rankings with a win. However, a loss means further struggle down the line and the need to fight twice as hard to pull themselves back up from a 1-3 record. While these midseason games don’t harbor any postseason implications just yet, they could very well decide the degree of need each team is saddled with further down the line.
The Rock hit the sunny San Diego Coast on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+ this Friday night at 10:30PM ET.
Buffalo Bandits @ Rochester Knighthawks 12/07/24
It’s that time of year, shut down the interstate! The Knighthawks are gearing up for another instalment of the Thruway Rivalry against the Buffalo Bandits, as well as the heated conclusion of their doubleheader weekend.
After their trip to the City of Brotherly Love on Friday, the Knighthawks have the chance to put themselves back at the top of the mountain with two straight wins for the weekend. Following their less-than-satisfactory loss to Colorado in Week 6, Rochester has since dropped to the third seat in League standings. But, with a win against the Wings and the Bandits this weekend, the Knighthawks could fly back up to tie the Rush for first place and potentially drop Buffalo as far as the fifth seat depending on other wins and losses around the NLL.
But Buffalo likely has other plans. Now on a two-game hot streak after beating the Roughnecks in Week 5 and the Desert Dogs in Week 6, the Bandits are only getting hotter. In their home outing against former Bandits Fraser and Cloutier, as well as the rest of the Las Vegas roster, the Bandits put up 15 goals on 51 shots, a third of which were scored by Josh Byrne (3G, 6A) and Ian MacKay (3G, 4A), with another third assisted by current team point leader Dhane Smith (2G, 6A against Las Vegas, 32 points on the season so far).
When it comes to longstanding rivalries, anything could happen, especially given the powerhouse offenses present on each team. But even with that in the air, it’s undeniable that once the Bandits get hot, they stay burning for the foreseeable future. Rochester is going to have their work cut out for it to finish out its busiest weekend of the season.
The Thruway Rivalry reignites this Saturday, January 10, at 7:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
Oshawa at Halifax Dec 5, 2025
Thunderbirds are a lot like sharks: they sleep while on the move and with their eyes glued open. With two road games crammed into just one weekend, there’s no telling the level of bloodthirstiness Halifax is capable of. Closing out their doubleheader weekend, the Thunderbirds are swimming over to the Tribute Communities Centre for their second early-season bout against the Oshawa FireWolves. The two last met in Week 2 in Halifax, ending in an 11-2 home victory for the Thunderbirds, featuring a record-tying performance by goaltender Warren Hill.
Halifax continues their busy weekend in Oshawa with a need for a win burning harsher than ever after two straight losses. The hosting Oshawa FireWolves, as they await the Thunderbirds’ first steps into their den, have the potential to be just as dangerous in these middle weeks of the season.
Though currently holding up the bottom of the League rankings, the 1-4 FireWolves have shown marked improvement since their last showing against Halifax, despite having lost their last four games. Oshawa has held their last two opponents to two-goal deficits, thanks to the efforts of keeper Doug Jamieson, who is currently second in the NLL for total saves at 192, and face-off specialist Mike Byrne. In his last two games, Byrne won 33 of his 54 face-offs taken against Vancouver and Ottawa, and is currently fifth in League face-off wins.
Though we’ve yet to reach the true middle of the season, these next few weeks could be deciding factors for both teams’ postseason bids. Halifax looks to stay above .500 and closer to an early clinch, while Oshawa demands a win to keep themselves in the conversation and off the cutting room floor.
Watch the Thunderbirds’ first appearance in Oshawa this Saturday at 7:00PM ET. Be sure to check local listings or stream on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
Rochester Knighthawks v Colorado Mammoth
01–03-2026
Isaiah J. Downing
Ball Arena
National Lacrosse League
Rounding out the weekend is yet another rematch, redux, second-sighting – another revenge game, keeping with this weekend’s theme. After a massive 12-3 win to close out their Christmas weekend, the Georgia Swarm are back at Gas South Arena for their second outing against the Colorado Mammoth.
In their last sighting in Week 5, the Swarm took home the win thanks greatly to the efforts of goaltender Brett Dobson, who on top of putting his body on line to shut the Mammoth out for nearly 35 minutes of play, found himself on the giving and receiving end of several rough-and-tumble defensive highlights. With what could very well be the scariest tender in the League behind them, the Swarm defense was let loose on the Mammoth, causing 10 turnovers, with several leading to goals in transition. Additionally, the Swarm’s offense was shooting for SportsCenter airtime, finding flashy opportunities to adhere to rule number one – when given the opportunity, always embarrass the goalie.
While Georgia had a bye week to bask in the win and recuperate during the New Year festivities, the Mammoth have been hard at work. Colorado hosted the Rochester Knighthawks for their first matchup of 2026, bringing with them former Mammoth forward Zed Williams. Colorado brought the then-undefeated Knighthawks in with the sole purpose of tarnishing their record, bringing the full force of the Loud House down to send the Knighthawks home with an 18-13 loss.
Will Malcom and Ryan Lee were obvious stars during the matchup, putting up a combined 16 points against the Knighthawks, but the long-awaited debut of Jack Hannah proved more than satisfactory for Mammoth fans. In his Colorado debut, Hannah notched two goals of his own and assisted another six. While this weekend’s final matchup may remain the same as their last, Colorado’s new pieces could be the secret ingredient they need to keep the Swarm from getting hot in the New Year.
Tune in for Week 7’s final revenge match of the weekend on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+ this Saturday at 7:30PM ET.
