10 Things to Know for Week 15

Published on March 9, 2023 under National Lacrosse League (NLL) News Release

PHILADELPHIA - It's another full slate in Week 15 as seven games (four East vs. East, three West vs. West) make up this weekend's schedule over three days for the National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world's largest and most successful professional lacrosse league. In addition to the back end of a "home and home" rematch between Halifax and Buffalo, this time at KeyBank Center (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN+), the NLL Game of the Week on TSN features the Rock, just a half-game out of first place, hosting the FireWolves (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET).

Here are 10 things to know about the NLL for Week 15:

Halifax visits Buffalo on Saturday after last Friday's thriller, when the Bandits took and early 3-0 lead, fell behind by two in the third then rallied in a back-and-forth battle at Scotiabank Centre, a game which saw two major league milestones. Thunderbirds forward Ryan Benesch (Elmira, Ont.) notched his 500th career goal, his third of the game, while Bandits goaltender Matt Vinc (St. Catharines, Ont.) has now played in more games than any other goalie, 262, punctuating the win with a back-door stop in the one-goal triumph.

ESPN SportsCenter highlighted three amazing behind-the-back goals on its Plays of the Day segments over the weekend. On Friday, Buffalo's Tehoka Nanticoke (Six Nations, Ont.) earned the No. 9 play. On Saturday, it was newly-acquired Jake Fox (Ottawa, Ont.) getting familiar with his Albany teammates with this sick no-look for No. 6. And on Monday, ESPN rated Philadelphia's Kiel Matisz's (Stoney Creek, Ont.) tally as its No. 3 play.

Nineteen NLL players are among the 23 selected to the Haudenosaunee Nationals roster for the 2023 World Lacrosse Men's Championship in San Diego this June. These players will represent the Haudenosaunee Confederacy as one of five teams in Pool A, which also includes the U.S., Canada, Australia and England. Round-robin play at the event begins on June 23 with Haudenosaunee vs. England.

The Las Vegas Desert Dogs will host their first Hero Appreciation Night on Saturday vs. Vancouver (10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT, ESPN+, TSN+, KVMY-21) at Michelob Ultra Arena. First responders and military veterans can purchase $5 tickets. The Desert Dogs teamed with the Southern Nevada Veteran Chamber of Commerce (SNVCC) and the Veteran Social Club on the celebration.

The Toronto Rock will celebrate Indigenous Heritage Night at FirstOntario Centre vs. Albany on Saturday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+, NLL Game of the Week on TSN, WNYA). They'll be sporting these stylish jerseys, featuring the Eagle Clutching Lacrosse Sticks, Hiawatha Belt, Four-Color Diamond Motif, representing the four colors of the medicine wheel: red, black, white and yellow, with the final component color of purple, used extensively in Haudenosaunee wampum belts. A game-worn jersey auction began this week benefiting the Downie Wenjack Fund.

The NLL Trade Deadline and the deadline for signing of Restricted Free Agents is on Monday, March 20 at 3 p.m. ET. Teams will then be required to submit final rosters to the League by Thursday, March 23 at 3 p.m. ET. The NLL's "Coast to Coast" show with host Teddy Jenner, available on the NLL YouTube Channel and linked from its social accounts, on the 21st will break down all the deals and what they mean for the players and teams. Additionally, the deadline for signing "street free agents" is April 15, with the regular season concluding on April 29.

The "Stadium Showdown" outdoor game between San Diego and Las Vegas at Snapdragon Stadium was a huge hit with fans, players, the TV audience and just about everyone who experienced it on Saturday. The time lapse video of the "arena" setup gained attention in local and national media as well.

In addition to the NLL Game of the Week on TSN and full coverage across ESPN+, five games this week will be simulcast locally in the U.S. across six networks: Albany (WYNA My4); Las Vegas (KVMY Ch. 21); Philadelphia (NBC Sports Philadelphia), Colorado (Altitude Sports), San Diego (CW-8) and New York (MSG Network).

Some milestones players eclipsed last week include:

Buffalo goaltender Matt Vinc (St. Catharines, Ont.) passed Brandon Miller to lead all goaltenders in league history with 262 games played following the win over Halifax

Georgia defenseman/transition player Jeremy Thompson (Syracuse, N.Y.) now has 2,098 faceoff wins, passing Jamie Hanford for third place in league history, with 11/19 vs. Albany

Halifax forward Ryan Benesch (Elmira, Ont.) became the sixth player in league history to reach 500 goals with three vs. Buffalo

Halifax defenseman Tyson Bell (St. Catharines, Ont.) played in his 100th career game when the Thunderbirds faced Buffalo

Las Vegas defenseman/transition player Brandon Clelland (Georgetown, Ont.) now has 717 faceoff wins after taking 22 of 31 vs. San Diego in the "Stadium Showdown"

New York defenseman Scott Dominey (Toronto, Ont.) now has 200 loose ball recoveries after recording seven vs. Philadelphia

Philadelphia forward Matt Rambo (Glenside, Pa.) now has 203 points after a goal and three assists vs. Toronto

Philadelphia forward Joe Resetarits (Hamburg, N.Y.) now has 608 points after a goal and six assists vs. Toronto

San Diego forward Kevin Crowley (New Westminster, B.C.) now has 800 points after two assists vs. Las Vegas and 701 loose ball recoveries after nabbing three vs. the Desert Dogs

San Diego forward Curtis Dickson (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) now has 903 points after a three-goal, six-assist effort vs. Las Vegas

Toronto defenseman Brad Kri (Acton, Ont.) now has 807 loose ball recoveries after gobbling up 10 vs. Philadelphia

Toronto forward Dan Dawson (Oakville, Ont.) became the second player in League history to reach 1,500 points (John Tavares is the other) when he assisted on a Dan Craig (Shelburne, Ont.) goal in the first quarter vs. Rochester

Some milestones players may reach this week include:

Buffalo transition player Ian MacKay (Port Elgin, Ont.) needs three points to reach 100

Calgary defenseman Jeff Cornwall (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs one point to reach 100

Calgary transition player Zach Currier (Peterborough, Ont.) needs 12 loose ball recoveries to reach 900

Colorado goaltender Dillon Ward (Orangeville, Ont.) needs four saves to pass Brandon Miller for ninth on the all-time list with 5,095 (depending on Aaron Bold) and one win to pass Steve Dietrich for 10th all-time with 66

Colorado forward Chris Wardle (Victoria, B.C.) needs three goals to reach 100 and six loose ball recoveries to reach 300

Georgia forward Shayne Jackson (Bowmanville, Ont.) needs three goals to reach 300

Halifax defenseman David Brock (Burlington, Ont.) needs one point to reach 100

Halifax forward Ryan Benesch (Elmira, Ont.) needs eight points to become the seventh player in league history to reach 1,200

New York forward Jeff Teat (Brampton, Ont.) needs four points to reach 200 in his career

New York defenseman/transition player Jay Thorimbert (Whitby, Ont.) needs one loose ball recovery to become the fifth player in league history to reach 1,800

Philadelphia goaltender Angus Goodleaf (Kahanwake, Que.) needs 16 minutes played to reach 2000

Philadelphia forward Ben McIntosh (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) needs one loose ball recovery to reach 500.

San Diego forward Dane Dobbie (Elora, Ont.) needs one goals to become the seventh player in league history to reach 500 (following Ryan Benesch last week)

San Diego defenseman/transition player Brodie Merrill (Orangeville, Ont.) needs one game to pass Josh Sanderson for fourth place on the all-time list with 269

Saskatchewan defenseman Matt Beers (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs one assist to reach 100

Saskatchewan defenseman Ryan Dilks (Edmonton, Alb.) needs four points to reach 100

Toronto defenseman Mitch de Snoo (Oshawa, Ont.) needs three points to reach 100

Toronto defenseman Billy Hostrawser (Bellwood, Ont.) needs six loose ball recoveries to reach 700

Vancouver defenseman Brett Mydske (New Westminster, B.C.) needs one game played to reach 200

Vancouver goaltender Aaron Bold (Victoria, B.C.) needs 21 saves to pass Brandon Miller for ninth place on the all-time list with 5095 (depending on Dillon Ward).

Schedule - Week 15 (All Times Eastern)

Friday

Thunderbirds (5-6) @ Bandits (9-2), 7:30pm, ESPN+, TSN+

Roughnecks (7-4) @ Mammoth (5-5), 9 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, Altitude Sports Network

Saturday

FireWolves (2-8) @ Rock (9-3), 7pm, ESPN+, NLL Game of the Week on TSN, WNYA

Wings (5-5) @ Riptide (2-9), 7:30pm, ESPN+, TSN+, NBC Sports Philadelphia, MSG Network

Seals (7-2) @ Rush (5-5), 8:30pm, ESPN+, TSN+, CW8 San Diego

Warriors (2-9) @ Desert Dogs (4-6), 10:30pm, ESPN+, TSN+, KVMY

Sunday

Knighthawks (8-3) @ Georgia (2-7), 4pm, ESPN+, TSN+

National Lacrosse League Stories from March 9, 2023

• Game Preview: San Diego Seals vs Saskatchewan Rush - San Diego Seals
• Game Notes: Wings at Riptide - Philadelphia Wings
• 10 Things to Know for Week 15 - NLL
• Mammoth Host Roughnecks Friday as NLL Postseason Quickly Approaches - Colorado Mammoth

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