NLL Opening Weekend Report
FACEOFF WEEKEND HAD A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING
The NLL opening weekend report is here. Over the weekend, the National Lacrosse League season for 2023-2024 debuted, receiving high praise. Ten teams participated in the event with a shared goal of defeating the Buffalo Bandits, last season’s champions. The opening match took place on the east coast of Canada where the Halifax Thunderbirds beat the Saskatchewan Rush, scoring 17-12.
Halifax established an early lead of 9-2 and maintained it throughout the game. Clarke Petterson had five goals and three assists, while Ryan Benesch and Jake Withers each had a hat trick, which was especially noteworthy for Withers as it was his first. Saskatchewan’s Robert Church and newly acquired Zach Manns both scored hat tricks, with Ryan Barnable finishing the game off with a spectacular goal during the final minute.
RYAN BARNABLE PULLS OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE
Ryan Barnable hits a no-look over-the-head breakaway goal late in the game for the Saskatchewan Rush! Absolute sorcery! December 1, 2023
The Las Vegas sophomore squad faced off against the Albany FireWolves in a thrilling battle set in Sin City. Despite Casey Jackson and Zack Greer’s combined seven goals, the Desert Dogs suffered a 12-10 defeat. Vegas had a 6-3 lead in the second period, but Albany tied the game at six. In the fourth quarter, the team from New York’s state capital took control of the seesaw affair, securing the win by scoring the final three goals of the game.
Tye Kurtz, Ethan Walker, and Sam Firth each scored two goals, with Firth’s goals coming against the team that traded him away during the offseason.
Panther City opens with a win
The Friday night games concluded in Vancouver, where the Panther City Lacrosse Club defeated the new and improved Warriors 11-7. While the debut of iconic coach Curt Malawsky behind the Vancouver bench was the biggest story of the evening, PCLC’s Callum Crawford was the star of the show. The 39-year-old scored a dramatic goal in the final seconds of the first half, setting the stage for a five-goal performance, including four consecutive scores in the second and third quarters. Crawford moved into a tie with Mark Steenhuis at 10th all-time in goals scored with 460.
Adam Charalambides scored twice for Vancouver, but it was not enough against Tracey Kelusky’s hard-charging team from Fort Worth.
Saturday’s games began with a thrilling matchup in upstate New York, where the Rochester Knighthawks came back for a 14-13 victory over the high-flying Calgary Roughnecks. The stars shone in this game, with Connor Fields (4G/2A) and Ryan Smith (3G/3A) scoring six points each, while Haiden Dickson and Tyler Pace netted three goals each for Calgary, including an incredible behind-the-back display from Pace.
Tyler Pace hat trick includes BTB BEAUTY
Tyler Pace scored three as the Calgary Roughnecks fell to Rochester. December 2, 2023
Rochester had a remarkable stretch during the game where they scored eight consecutive goals in the second half, turning Calgary’s 10-5 lead into a 13-10 fourth-quarter advantage for Mike Hasen’s lacrosse team that is on the rise.
Final Matchup of the weekend
The final game of Faceoff Weekend took place near New York City, where the Philadelphia Wings defeated the New York Riptide 13-10. Blaze Riorden scored four goals, while Mitch Jones and Joe Resetarits contributed a total of 11 assists. New York’s star player Jeff Teat scored one goal and provided four assists, but it was not enough to overcome the Wings’ efficiency.
Philadelphia took a comfortable 5-0 lead, but Long Island’s team managed to reduce the gap to 6-5 by halftime. However, just when it seemed like the Riptide had all the momentum, Riorden scored two quick goals at the beginning of the third quarter, ending any hopes of a New York comeback.