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NLL Albany FireWolves

Albany FireWolves Travel to Face Buffalo Bandits in NLL Finals Rematch & Tucker Out Lymphoma Night

February 1, 2025 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Albany FireWolves News Release


BUFFALO, NY - The Albany FireWolves (2-6) will take a trip west on the I90 to face off against their rivals the Buffalo Bandits (5-0) this Saturday, February 1 at 7:30 PM in a rematch of the 2024 NLL Finals at the KeyBank Center.

This game will also be Buffalo's Tucker Out Lymphoma Night which honors the life and legacy of Tucker Williams who passed away from Burkitt's Lymphoma in 2014 at the age of 8 years old. Tucker is the younger brother of FireWolves rookie Dyson Williams. The FireWolves held their first ever Tucker Out Lymphoma & Box Out Cancer Night on January 4th at MVP Arena in an emotional and memorable night.

This will be Buffalo's tenth year holding this night with both teams wearing specialty jerseys honoring Tucker that will be auctioned off after the game with proceeds going to Courage of Carly Fund at Roswell Park, The PUNT Foundation, and Sick Kid's Hospital in Toronto. This game will be counted toward the Tucker Out Lymphoma Cup that is being played for the first time between the Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, and Las Vegas Desert Dogs.

FireWolves fans can join the Official Watch Party at the Recovery Sports Grill in Albany starting at 7:30 pm. The game will be available to watch on ESPN+, TSN+, NLL+, and locally on MY4.

One Game At A Time

Now sitting at a 2-6 record, the FireWolves are faced with an uphill battle for the rest of the 2024-2025 National Lacrosse League season, but there is still hope for the youngest team in the NLL. With 10 regular season games remaining, Albany still has opportunities to turn things around and go on a win streak that could propel them to a playoff spot. With the leadership of head coach Glenn Clark and his coaching staff, the FireWolves can chip away one game at a time with their explosive offense and improved defensive play.

Young Guns

The FireWolves boast several of the best young offensive stars in the league with Alex Simmons (50 points), Tye Kurtz (40 points), and Ethan Walker (39 points) all in the top 50 of scoring in the NLL. Dyson Williams is tied for the lead in rookie scoring with 29 points and is heating up with 5 points or more in his last two games. Against an older veteran team like the Bandits, the FireWolves youth and speed will be a big advantage in transition and playing the full 60 minutes. These young stars will need to keep their foot on the pedal and continue to break out for big games in order for the FireWolves to turn around this season.

Scouting The Bandits

It's no secret that the Bandits have been the most successful team in the NLL for two seasons now after winning back-to-back championships. They have started the 2024-2025 season 5-0 and are once again the team to beat with their high-powered offense featuring Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne as well as legendary goalie Matt Vinc still holding it down in net. Not only do the FireWolves have to battle the Bandits players on the floor, but they will also be dealing with the big crowds that Buffalo gets for every home game. That won't be a problem for Albany who a year ago silenced KeyBank Center with a 13-10 win in the regular season.

FireWolves Players To Watch

Will Johansen has had a fantastic rookie campaign as he has been solid on defense and sparked transition with 4 goals and 2 assists on the season.

Sam Firth scored 5 goals the last time he was on the KeyBank Center turf against the Bandits in Game 2 of the 2024 NLL Finals. Another performance like that would be a big boost to Albany.

Dyson Williams scored a career-high 6 points last weekend as he continues to get more comfortable in the NLL. Williams will be playing in Buffalo for the first time as a player after being a part of Tucker Out Lymphoma for a decade to help honor his brother.

Bandits Players To Watch

Dhane Smith continues to be one of the most dangerous forwards in the NLL and is producing 9 points a game.

Chase Fraser is a dynamic goal scorer who always seems to have a big game against the FireWolves. The Albany defense will look to shut him down this time around.

Matt Vinc is a living legend having won NLL Goalie of the Year eight times, but the FireWolves have had success against him in recent games.

The Albany FireWolves next home game is on Saturday, February 15 at 7 pm at MVP Arena against the Ottawa Black Bears for Indigenous Celebration Night.

Get tickets now for Indigenous Celebration Night on February 15! Fans can take advantage of the best ticket prices around starting at $15.96! For more information regarding tickets, visit www.albanyfirewolves.com or call/text the FireWolves front office at 518-675-8678 to avoid fees.

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