Around the NLL: Dec. 11

We are back for the second week of NLL action as five teams made their season debuts, including the reigning champions Buffalo Bandits.

The Bandits opened up on the road facing the Albany FireWolves. The FireWolves won their season opener against Las Vegas last weekend.

The score was all tied up at two after the first period, but that didn’t last for long. The FireWolves erupted for eight goals in the second, as they went into the half up 10-6.

The Bandits started to make a comeback in the third, as they decreased the FireWolves lead to only two as they entered the final stanza.

The FireWolves would come out of this one victorious, beating the Bandits 17-13. Rookie Alex Simmons led the way for the FireWolves finishing with eight points, including five goals.

Star forward Josh Byrne was the leading scorer for the Bandits finishing with nine points, seven of those were assists.

The Toronto Rock opened up their season with a win over the Philadelphia Wings, the final score was 11-7.

The teams were tied after the first, but then the Rock opened up the game. They scored six goals in the second quarter, including a hat trick from veteran Mark Matthews. The Rock were leading at the half by a score of 8-5.

The Wings managed to score just two goals in the final 30 minutes of play. Forward Mitch Jones led the way with four points for the Wings.

The Colorado Mammoth and Georgia Swarm faced off, it was the first game this season for both teams.

The Swarm got off to a hot start and never looked back. They scored five goals in each of the first two periods and went into the half winning 10-5. Lyle Thompson had a first-half hat trick, he finished with a team-high seven points.

The second half was much of the same, as the Swarm held onto their lead. Despite their lead, this game ended with some fireworks. With just under a minute, a couple of scuffles broke out between the two teams. A total of nine game misconducts were issued to six different players.

The Rochester Knighthawks took on the Saskatchewan Rush in what was the highest-scoring game of the weekend. The Knighthawks have picked up right where they left off after their runner-up performance in the NLL Cup last season.

Knighthawks Star Forward Connor Fields had an outstanding performance finishing with 11 points, including four goals and seven assists. Fields is currently leading the league in points with 17. His rookie teammate and former first overall pick, Thomas McConvey, notched himself his first career hat trick.

In the final game of the Saturday slate, the San Diego Seals got their first win of the season defeating the Calgary Roughnecks.

This was an extremely close game through the first three quarters, as the score was all knotted up at nine entering the final frame. The Seals scored a goal just over a minute into the fourth, courtesy of Forward Wes Berg.

The Seals held the Roughnecks scoreless in the final period, as they went on to win by a final of 12-9. Jesse King led the way with seven points for the Roughnecks, while Curtis Dickson led with six for the Seals.

The final game of the weekend between the Las Vegas Dessert Dogs and Panther City Lacrosse Club did not disappoint.

The Dessert Dogs picked up their first win of the season with an overtime game-winner from Zack Greer. Forward Jack Hannah scored his first goal of the year, he also added three assists

Forward Johnathan Donville led the way with seven points for Panther City. Veteran Forward Callum Crawford added a first-half hat trick.

Jack Kiefer is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email jak6707@psu.edu.