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National Lacrosse League: 10 Things To Know For Week 21

via NLL press release by Ryan Ireland

Seven Games Including Showdown Battle for First in the East Between Toronto and Buffalo on ESPNU Saturday

PHILADELPHIA, April 20, 2023 – Two more teams in the National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league marched into May, as Colorado and Panther City won clinching games in Week 20. The final two spots and the all-important Conference titles and seeds are all still in play, with Buffalo, San Diego, Toronto and Calgary earning quarterfinal home games. “The March to May” hits another important step with seven matchups on tap in Week 21, including a showdown battle for the regular season East Conference title when Toronto (12-4) visits Buffalo (13-4) on ESPNU on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET (also TSN+).

The NLL Game of the Week on TSN is a big one for Halifax (8-8), clinging to playoff life and in desperate need of a win over New York (4-12), which nearly played spoiler in Buffalo last week. The Thunderbirds take on the Riptide on Saturday at 6 p.m ET / 7 p.m. AT (also ESPN+). Panther City (10-7) sits two games behind Calgary (12-5), a potential quarterfinals matchup, heading into their West Conference clash in Texas in Friday’s only NLL action (8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+, TSN+, Bally Sports SW App).

Here are 10 things to know about the NLL for Week 21:

  • “The March to May” clinching/elimination scenarios include:
  • Toronto (already in playoffs and clinched quarterfinal playoff home game) can clinch first place in the East Conference with a win at Buffalo on Saturday; The Rock can also clinch the first overall seed with a win at Buffalo AND San Diego loss vs. Las Vegas Saturday
  • Buffalo (already in playoffs and clinched a quarterfinal playoff home game) can clinch first place in the East Conference with a win vs. Toronto. The Bandits can clinch the first overall seed with a win vs. Toronto AND San Diego loss vs. Las Vegas on Saturday AND Calgary loss at Panther City on Friday
  • Rochester can clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. Georgia on Saturday OR a Halifax loss vs. New York on Saturday AND Philadelphia loss at Albany on Sunday
  • San Diego (already in playoffs and clinched quarterfinal playoff home game) can secure the West Conference #1 seed with a win vs. Las Vegas on Saturday OR a Calgary loss at Panther City Friday
  • Calgary has clinched a playoff berth and a quarterfinal home playoff game
  • Panther City and Colorado have clinched playoff berths and are jockeying for the 3rd and 4th seed
  • GeorgiaHalifax and Philadelphia are still in playoff consideration but do not have clinching scenarios in Week 20; but Philadelphia would be eliminated from playoff consideration with a loss vs. Albany OR a Rochester win vs. Georgia combined with a Halifax win vs. New York
  • Saskatchewan, Las Vegas, New York, Albany and Vancouver have been eliminated from postseason contention
  • Week 20 marked the third highest total attendance by week this season in the league. Four teams (Buffalo, 16,051; Calgary, 12,998; Colorado, 10,443; Toronto, 10,320) drew more than 10,000 fans, and all four have clinched playoff berths. The three highest attendance figures by week this year:
  • Week 7: 73,676
  • Week 16: 70,925
  • Week 20: 69,751
  • New York superstar Jeff Teat (Brampton, Ont.) became just the third player in NLL history to record over 120 points in a single season. He has 51 goals and 71 assists and counting. Dhane Smith (137 in 2016, 135 in 2015) and Shawn Evans (130 in 2015) are the other two.
  • Lyle, Jeremy and Jerome “Hiana” Thompson reunited for the Albany vs. Georgia matchup on Saturday, so they took advantage of the schedule to support their 4 The Future Foundation, whose mission to give back to the community, and foster the aspirations of young athletes, while showing them the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle. The brothers conducted a youth clinic as part of “Albany Community Day,” then signed autographs for fans ahead of the UAlbany vs. NJIT men’s game.
  • The 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship will take place in San Diego, June 21-July 1, and Lacrosse Canada announced its squad, which is replete with NLL talent among its roster of 26. Team Canada vs. Team USA opens the event at Snapdragon Stadium on June 21 beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
  • The Rochester Knighthawks are bringing back Blackout Knight, powered by DASH, on Saturday when they host the Georgia Swarm at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN+). For the second straight year, the Knighthawks will wear a special all-black jersey for Blackout Knight that will be auctioned off to support the growth of the Upstate Collegiate Box Lacrosse League (UCBLL), which completed its second season in 2022. To access the auction, fans can visit www.rochesterknighthawks.com/auction or text “DASH” to 66866
  • On his 29th birthday on Saturday, Josh Byrne (New Westminster, B.C.) gave Banditland the gift of a win. The Buffalo Bandits forward scored in overtime Saturday night to lift the Bandits to an 11-10 victory over the New York Riptide at KeyBank Center.
  • In addition to the national games on TSN and ESPNU, four games this week will be simulcast locally in the U.S. across six networks: Albany (WYNA My4); Las Vegas (KVMY Ch. 21); San Diego (Fox5); Panther City (Bally Sports SW App); Colorado (Altitude Sports) and Philadelphia (WPSG CW57).
  • Some milestones players eclipsed last week include:
  • Albany defenseman Brett Manney (Newtown, Pa.) now has 600 three loose ball recoveries after scooping up three vs. Georgia
  • Buffalo forward Kyle Buchanan (Nepean, Ont.) now has 902 loose ball recoveries after grabbing four vs. New York
  • Buffalo transition player Ian MacKay (Port Elgin, Ont.) now has 100 points after recording a goal and assist vs. New York
  • Buffalo defenseman Steve Priolo (St. Catharines, Ont.) now has 1204 loose ball recoveries after nabbing nine vs. New York
  • Buffalo goaltender Matt Vinc (St. Catharines, Ont.) passed Colin Doyle and Mark Steenhuis for seventh all-time in league history with 267 games dressed
  • Buffalo defenseman/transition player Nick Weiss (Port Hope, Ont.) now has 707 loose ball recoveries after recording eight vs. New York
  • Calgary forward Tanner Cook (Courtice, Ont.) now has 100 points after a two-goal, four-assist effort vs. Las Vegas
  • Colorado forward Eli McLaughlin (Surrey, B.C.) now has 400 loose ball recoveries after grabbing one vs. San Diego
  • Georgia head coach Ed Comeau passed Darris Kilgour for second on the all-time list with 122 when the Swarm beat Albany
  • Georgia forward Andrew Kew (Oakville, Ont.) now has 207 points after posting four goals and five assists vs. Albany
  • Halifax defenseman David Brock (Burlington, Ont) now has 100 points after dishing out an assist vs. Saskatchewan
  • Halifax defenseman Graeme Hossack (Port Perry, Ont.) now has 905 loose ball recoveries after picking 15 vs. Saskatchewan
  • Halifax forward Randy Staats (Six Nations, Ont.) now has 301 assists after distributing four vs. Saskatchewan
  • Las Vegas forward Jacob Ruest (Cornwall, Ont.) has now played in 100 games
  • Philadelphia defenseman/transition player Trevor Baptiste (Denville, N.J.) now has 1202 faceoff wins after taking nine vs. Toronto
  • Philadelphia defenseman Alex Crepinsek (Oakville, Ont.) now has 701 loose ball recoveries after securing two vs. Toronto
  • San Diego defenseman/transition player Brodie Merrill (Orangeville, Ont.) passed Derek Suddons for third place on the all-time list with 275
  • Saskatchewan forward Dan Lintner (Courtice, Ont.) now has 200 points after scoring a goal vs. Halifax
  • Toronto defenseman TD Ierlan (Victor, N.Y.) now has 511 faceoff wins after winning 14 of 23 vs. Philadelphia
  • Toronto forward Challen Rogers (Coquitlam, B.C.) now has 101 assists after dishing out four vs. Philadelphia
  • Toronto goaltender Nick Rose (Orangeville, Ont.) becaome the seventh goaltender all-time with 9000 minutes played when he was in goal for the full game vs. Philadelphia
  • Vancouver forward Adam Charalambides (Georgetown, Ont.) now has 101 points after a goal and two assists vs. Panther City
  • Some milestones players may reach this week include:
  • Albany defenseman John LaFontaine (Whitby, Ont.) needs two points to reach 100
  • Buffalo forward Josh Byrne (New Westminster, B.C.) needs four assists to reach 200
  • Buffalo defenseman Ethan O’Connor (Milton, Ont.) needs four loose ball recoveries to reach 600
  • Buffalo defenseman Steve Priolo (St. Catharines, Ont.) needs two points to reach 200
  • Buffalo forward Dhane Smith needs five assists to become the 12th player all-time to reach 600 in his career (depending on Mark Matthews)
  • Calgary goaltender Christian Del Bianco (Coquitlam, B.C) needs 55 minutes played to set the all-time single season record with 1075, breaking his own record set in 2019 (depending on Rylan Hartley of ROC)
  • Colorado forward Ryan Lee (Newmarket, Ont.) needs three goals to reach 100
  • Colorado defenseman Josh Sullivan (Red Deer, Alb.) needs one game played to reach 100
  • Colorado goaltender Dillon Ward (Orangeville, Ont.) needs one win to pass Dallas Eliuk for eighth on the all-time list with 70
  • Colorado forward Zed Williams (Silver Creek, N.Y.) needs two goals to reach 100
  • Georgia defenseman/transition player Jeremy Thompson (Syracuse, N.Y.) needs four faceoff wins to become the third player in league history to reach 2200 (Jay Thorimbert & Geoff Snider)
  • Halifax defenseman Graeme Hossack (Port Perry, Ont.) needs five points to reach 100
  • Las Vegas forward Zack Greer (Whitby, Ont.) needs two loose ball recoveries to reach 600
  • New York forward Tyler Digby (New Westminster, B.C.) needs one loose ball recovery to reach 400
  • Panther City forward Callum Crawford (Ottawa, Ont.) needs eight goals to pass Mark Steenhuis for 10th on the all-time list with 460
  • Philadelphia forward Mitch Jones (Delta, B.C.) needs 10 assists to reach 300; and four points to reach 500
  • Philadelphia forward Joe Resetarits (Hamburg, N.Y.) needs three loose ball recoveries to reach 600
  • Philadelphia forward Blaze Riorden (Fairport, N.Y.) needs five goals to reach 100
  • Rochester forward Curtis Knight (Oshawa, Ont.) needs six assists to reach 300
  • San Diego forward Wes Berg (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs one game played to reach 100
  • Saskatchewan defenseman Matt Beers (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs six loose ball recoveries to reach 1000
  • Saskatchewan forward Rhys Duch (Victoria, B.C.) needs nine assists to pass Gavin Prout for 10th place on the all-time list with 622
  • Saskatchewan forward Mark Matthews (Oshawa, Ont.) needs four assists to become the 12th player all-time to reach 600 (depending on Dhane Smith)
  • Saskatchewan defenseman Kyle Rubisch (Brampton, Ont.) needs eight loose ball recoveries to pass Steve Toll for tenth on the all-time list with 1563
  • Toronto defenseman Mitch de Snoo (Oshawa, Ont.) needs three points to reach 100

Schedule – Week 21 (All Times Eastern)

Friday

Roughnecks (12-5) @ Panther City (10-7), 8:30pm, TSN+, ESPN+, Bally Sports SW App

Saturday

Riptide (4-12) @ Thunderbirds (8-8), 6pm, NLL Game of the Week on TSN, ESPN+

Swarm (8-8) @ Knighthawks (9-7), 7pm, ESPN+, TSN+

Rock (13-4) @ Bandits (12-4), 8pm, ESPNU, TSN+

Mammoth (9-7) @ Rush (6-10), 9:30pm, ESPN+, TSN+, Altitude Sports

Desert Dogs (5-11) @ Seals (12-4), 10pm, ESPN+, TSN+, KVMY CH. 21, Fox5

Sunday

Wings (7-9) @ FireWolves (3-13), 3pm, ESPN+, TSN+, WPSG CW57, WNYA Ch, 21

About the National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s premier professional lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of 15 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, New York Riptide, Panther City Lacrosse Club (TX), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors.

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

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Media inquiries contact:

Ryan Ireland, rireland@nll.com

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