10 Things to Know for Week 19

Published on April 6, 2023 under National Lacrosse League (NLL) News Release

PHILADELPHIA - San Diego and Toronto came up with resounding home victories in #1 vs. #2 battles last week as part of a full slate of eight games that saw a couple of teams clinch and three eliminated with four weekends left on the regular season slate. The upcoming holiday weekend may be abbreviated with just five games, all on Saturday, but they have huge meaning for one or both teams in each contest, highlighted by the NLL Game of the Week on TSN battle between Calgary and Panther City for all-important second place in the West (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. MT).

Here are 10 things to know about the NLL for Week 19:

The Toronto Rock set a new attendance record in its dominant 18-7 win over Buffalo on Saturday, the rivalry drawing 13,127 to FirstOntario Centre, the most since moving its home games to Hamilton and the largest home crowd for the team in more than a decade overall.

TSN and the NLL have selected New York at Halifax (Saturday, April 22, 6 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. AT) as the NLL Game of the Week on TSN for Week 21 via flex scheduling. The updated TSN schedule is available here.

"The March to May" had some significant movement with the Week 18 results; Calgary and San Diego clinched playoff berths, while Vancouver, Albany and New York were eliminated from playoff contention. Toronto also took over the #1 spot in the East, boasting a 12-4 mark, a half-game ahead of Buffalo (11-4). Some clinching scenarios for Week 19 include:

Toronto (already in playoffs) can earn a quarterfinal home playoff game with a Rochester loss vs Albany

San Diego (already in playoffs) can secure the West Conference #1 seed with a win at Las Vegas AND a Calgary loss vs Panther City; the Seals can also lock in a quarterfinal home playoff game with a win at Las Vegas OR a Colorado loss vs Vancouver

Calgary (already in playoffs) can clinch a quarterfinal home playoff game with a win vs Panther City AND one of the following:

A Colorado loss vs Vancouver OR a San Diego win at Las Vegas

Las Vegas would be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss vs San Diego AND a Colorado win vs Vancouver AND a Saskatchewan win at Georgia

Three NLL goals made for ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 Plays of the Day fodder: Bryan Cole's (Oakville, Ont.) diving marker for the Swarm vs. New York on Friday checked in at No. 4; Andrew Kew (Oakville, Ont.) with the one-handed finish for Georgia vs. Halifax on Sunday pulled No. 5; and Panther City's Phil Caputo's (Brampton, Ont.) behind-the-back tally from the nice feed by Callum Crawford (Ottawa, Ont.) on Saturday was No. 8. TSN also credited Zed Williams (Silver Creek, N.Y.) with "Best Behind the Back Goal" for Colorado vs. Las Vegas Friday.

After starting the season 0-7, playoff prospects weren't looking great for the Georgia Swarm. But the team has since won six of its last seven, including a 12-7 victory over New York and a 17-7 triumph at Halifax last weekend, their third and fourth straight victories, to move solidly into playoff contention, just a half game behind the Thunderbirds and Wings for fourth place in the East with a chance to tie with a victory this weekend.

The Desert Dogs took a trip upstate to the Nevada capital of Carson City on Tuesday for "Las Vegas Desert Dogs Day" at the Nevada legislature. Head Coach/General Manager Shawn Williams, and players Erik Turner (St. Albert, Alb.), Joel Watson (Whitby, Ont.), Landon Kells (Fergus, Ont.) and Jackson Suboch (Toronto) met with lawmakers and conducted a brief lacrosse demonstration outside the Legislative Building, as well as meeting with Governor Joe Lombardo and visiting Swift SportsDome in Reno for a kids clinic and autograph session.

The Wings surprised Special Olympics athletes with a lacrosse lesson at East Passyunk Recreation Center in South Philadelphia on Sunday. "We're working with the Special Olympics today, and we're having a lot of fun with them, teaching them all about lacrosse," Trevor Baptiste (Denville, N.J.) told ABC6. "We're having a ton of fun."

In addition to the NLL Game of the Week on TSN, four games this week will be simulcast locally in the U.S. across six networks: Albany (WYNA My4); Rochester (CW); Las Vegas (KVMY Ch. 21); Panther City (Bally Sports SW), San Diego (Fox5), and Colorado (Altitude Sports).

Some milestones players eclipsed last week include:

Calgary forward Dan Taylor (Calgary, Alb.) now has 200 points after posting two assists vs. San Diego

Colorado forward Chris Wardle (Victoria, B.C.) now has 301 loose ball recoveries after recording two vs. Las Vegas

Georgia forward Andrew Kew (Oakville, Ont.) now has 105 assists after totaling nine vs. Halifax and New York

Georgia defenseman/transition player Jordan MacIntosh (Oakville, Ont.) passed Steve Toll for ninth place on the all-time loose ball recoveries list with 1577 after totaling 18 vs. Halifax and New York

Halifax forward Ryan Benesch (Elmira, Ont.) became the ninth player in league history to reach 700 assists after dishing out three vs. Georgia

Las Vegas forward Zack Greer (Whitby, Ont.) now has 300 goals after scoring twice vs. Colorado

Panther City defenseman/transition player Tony Malcom (New Westminster, B.C.) now has 203 points after recording two goals and two assists vs. Albany; and has played in 100 games

Panther City defenseman Connor Sellars (Brampton, Ont.) now has 405 loose ball recoveries after grabbing seven vs. Albany

Philadelphia forward Mitch Jones (Delta, B.C.) now has 201 goals after scoring two vs. Rochester

Philadelphia forward Ben McIntosh (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) now has 502 points after two goals and an assist vs. Rochester

Rochester defenseman Brad Gillies (Oakville, Ont.) now has 405 loose ball recoveries after grabbing six vs. Philadelphia

Toronto forward Corey Small (St. Catharines, Ont.) now has 600 loose ball recoveries after nabbing three vs. Buffalo

Vancouver forward Shawn Evans (Peterborough, Ont.) passed Colin Doyle and Mark Steenhuis for 6th place with 267 games played

Vancouver forward Kyle Killen (Caven, Ont.) now has 102 goals after netting three vs. Saskatchewan

Some milestones players may reach this week include:

Albany defenseman John LaFontaine (Whitby, Ont.) needs three points to reach 100

Albany defenseman Brett Manney (Newtown, Pa.) needs six loose ball recoveries to reach 600

Colorado forward Chris Wardle (Victoria, B.C.) needs one goal to reach 100

Colorado forward Tyson Gibson (Maple, Ont.) needs three points to reach 100

Colorado goaltender Dillon Ward (Orangeville, Ont.) needs one win to pass Rob Blasdell for ninth on the all-time list with 68

Georgia defenseman/transition player Jeremy Thompson (Syracuse, NY) needs 10 loose ball recoveries to pass Mark Steenhuis for sixth on the all-time list with 1642.

Rochester forward Connor Fields (East Amherst, NY) needs two goals to reach 100 in his career.

San Diego forward Curtis Dickson (Port Coquitlam, BC) needs three goals to become the eighth player in league history to reach 500 in his career.

San Diego goaltender Frank Scigliano (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs one win to become the 16th goaltender in league history to reach 50

Saskatchewan defenseman Ryan Dilks (Edmonton, Alb.) needs one point to reach 100

Saskatchewan forward Dan Lintner (Courtice, Ont.) needs one point to reach 200

Saskatchewan forward Robert Church (Coquitlam, BC) needs three points to reach 700 in his career and six goals to reach 300:

Vancouver defenseman Brett Mydske (New Westminster, B.C.) needs one point to reach 100

Schedule - Week 19 (All Times Eastern)

Saturday

Rush (6-8) @ Swarm (6-8), 7pm, ESPN+, TSN+

FireWolves (2-12) @ Knighthawks (9-6), 7pm, ESPN+, TSN+, WNYA My4, CW Rochester

Panther City (9-6) @ Roughnecks (10-5), 9pm, ESPN+, NLL Game the Week on TSN, Bally Sports Southwest

Warriors (4-11) @ Mammoth (7-7), 9pm, ESPN+, TSN+, Altitude Sports

Seals (11-3) @ Desert Dogs (5-9), 10:30pm, ESPN+, TSN+, Fox5 San Diego, KVMY Ch. 21

National Lacrosse League Stories from April 6, 2023

• Panther City Lacrosse Clubs Faces Crucial Matchup with Calgary Roughnecks - Panther City Lacrosse Club
• Gurts Fast Break: Bandits Suffer Lopsided Defeat On The Road Against The Rock - Buffalo Bandits
• 10 Things to Know for Week 19 - NLL
• Colorado's March to May Homestand Continues with Rematch against Warriors - Colorado Mammoth

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