NLL: Ten things to know for Week 10

The National Lacrosse League features a full slate of eight games, with every club competing (Colorado draws the two-game swing, hosting Georgia on Friday at 9 p.m. ET/7p.m. MT and visiting Las Vegas on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT, both on ESPN+, TSN+). NLL Game of the Week on TSN features a Saturday doubleheader, with New York traveling to Toronto (7 p.m. ET, also ESPN+) and Saskatchewan at Vancouver (10 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. PT, also ESPN+).

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

- The NLL’s “Every Child Matters” initiative continues with teams developing local efforts in support of the cause:

The Buffalo Bandits will honor the indigenous history behind the game of lacrosse and celebrate the rich culture of its local native communities during Native American Heritage Night presented by Seneca Resorts and Casinos on Saturday at KeyBank Center. In celebration of the night, the Dëdwa:d dance troupe will perform traditional Native American dances and a group from Seneca Girls Lacrosse will play on the field at halftime. Bandits players will visit that team in the lead-up to the game. Native artist Jacky Snyder will be creating custom-made beaded medallions for players to wear before the game. American Legion-Iroquois Post #1587, comprised of all women, will present the colors prior to anthems.

The Calgary Roughnecks will air a video of team members playing lacrosse with Siksika youth at the Deerfoot Sportsplex in Alberta. Another video of an interview with Stacey Running Rabbit (of Siksika Nation), who has seven sons who play lacrosse, will also be aired in-game and on social media and the team website. Additionally, Stacey Running Rabbit will be the Royal Lepage Rockstar of the Game, dancers and drummers from Siksika will perform at halftime presented by TD and the Roughnecks are providing Siksika Health Services with 50 tickets to the game.

The Toronto Rock will host their Indigenous Heritage Night on March 11, but in the meantime is working with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund for a presence at this Saturday’s game vs. New York. The team also purchased Every Child Matters shirts for sale during the game to donate proceeds to the fund.
NLL.com continues to have resources to learn more about residential schools at its public NLL Unites site.

- In addition to the NLL Game of the Week on TSN and full coverage across ESPN+, six games this week will be simulcast locally in the U.S.: Las Vegas (KVMY Ch. 21); Albany (WYNA My4); Philadelphia (NBC Sports Philadelphia), Colorado (Altitude Sports, two games) and Panther City (Bally Sports Southwest)

- ESPN2 has added a game to its linear schedule, as the February 17 contest between Saskatchewan and West leader San Diego from Pechanga Arena will be broadcast on the network beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. It is one of eight regular season NLL games remaining on ESPN’s slate across ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews.

- The NLL is among dozens of leading sports and health organizations endorsing the Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act, introduced this week by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) to strengthen elementary and secondary school procedures for preventing, identifying, and treating student-athletes who sustain concussions. Other major sports leagues on board are the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA, NWSL, PHF and more.

- A blockbuster trade went down this week as the Vancouver Warriors sent its leading scorer, Mitch Jones (Delta, B.C.) (11 goals, 24 assists) to Philadelphia for defender Steph Charbonneau (Montreal) plus a 2023 first-round draft pick and a 2024 second round selection (from San Diego).

- The Seals and YMCA of San Diego are partnering to host weekly lacrosse clinics to significantly enhance access to the sport of lacrosse in under-resourced communities in the San Diego region. High quality weekly lacrosse clinics take place at eight YMCA branches to introduce the sport to more children and generate greater interest in the sport.

Some milestones players eclipsed last week include:

Buffalo forward Kyle Buchanan (Nepean, Ont.) now has 201 goals after scoring two vs. Philadelphia

Buffalo goaltender Matt Vinc (St. Catharines, Ont.) passed Shawn Williams for 10th place and Anthony Cosmo for 9th place on the all-time list with 260 games played after starting both in net vs. Philadelphia and New York

Las Vegas forward Rob Hellyer (Lions Head, Ont.) now has 402 assists after recording four vs. Saskatchewan

New York forward Reilly O’Connor (Whitby, Ont.) now has 100 career goals after a tally vs Buffalo

Panther City forward Callum Crawford (Ottawa, Ont.) passed Shawn Williams for ninth place on the all-time list with 1154 points

Philadelphia defenseman/transition player Trevor Baptiste (Denville, N.J.) now has 1007 faceoff wins, becoming the 13th player to reach 1000, with 16 vs. Buffalo

Toronto forward Stephen Keogh (Toronto) now has 501 loose ball recoveries after grabbing three vs. Calgary

Toronto GK Nick Rose (Orangeville, Ont.) passed Aaron Bold for 6th  on the all-time wins list with 86 following the victory over Calgary

Colorado forward Rhys Duch (Victoria, B.C.) now has 601 assists after recording two vs. San Diego

San Diego forward Dane Dobbie (Elora, Ont.) became the 13th player in league history to reach 1000 points (now 1001) with his four-goal, two-assist effort vs Colorado

Saskatchewan forward Matthew Dinsdale (Coquitlam, B.C.) now has 100 goals after netting one vs. Las Vegas

Saskatchewan forward Ryan Keenan (Oshawa, Ont.) now has 302 points after logging a goal and five assists vs. Las Vegas

Saskatchewan defenseman/transition player Mike Messenger (Surrey, B.C.) now has 409 face of wins after collecting 10 vs. Las Vegas

Vancouver forward Riley Loewen (Burnaby, B.C.) now has 300 points after a two-goal, one-assist game vs. Panther City

Some milestones players may reach this week include:

Albany defenseman Greg Downing (Auburn, N.Y.)needs one game played to reach 200 and three loose ball recoveries to reach 1000

Albany goaltender Doug Jamieson (Ohsweken, Ont.) needs 29 saves to reach 2000

Calgary defenseman Jeff Cornwall (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs seven loose ball recoveries to reach 600

Calgary defenseman Curtis Manning (New Westminster, B.C.) needs four loose ball recoveries to reach 700

Calgary forward Josh Currier (Peterborough, Ont.) now has 100 goals after scoring for his new team vs. Toronto

Colorado forward Connor Robinson (New Westminster, B.C.) needs one point to reach 100

Colorado forward Rhys Duch (Victoria, B.C.) needs one point to pass Mark Steenhuis for 11th on the all-time list with 1014

Georgia forward Brendan Bomberry (Six Nations, Ont.)needs three points to reach 100

Georgia transition player Bryan Cole (Oakville, Ont.) needs three points to reach 100

Halifax forward Ryan Benesch (Elmira, Ont.) needs two loose ball recoveries to reach 1200

Halifax defenseman David Brock (Burlington, Ont.) needs two points to reach 100

Halifax forward Cody Jamieson (Six Nations, Ont.) needs five loose ball recoveries to reach 700

Halifax forward Clarke Petterson (Toronto) needs six  assists to reach 100

New York forward Jeff Teat (Brampton, Ont.) needs one assist to reach 100

New York defenseman Damon Edwards (Toronto) needs one point for 100

Panther City forward Callum Crawford (Ottawa, Ont.) needs nine loose ball recoveries for 1000

Philadelphia defenseman John Ranagan (Yorktown, N.Y.) needs five loose ball recoveries to reach 400

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

Philadelphia defenseman Chad Tutton (Courtice, Ont.) needs one game played to reach 100

Rochester forward Holden Cattoni (Calgary, Alb.) needs one loose ball recovery to reach 300

Rochester defenseman Dan Coates (St. Catharines, Ont.) needs eight faceoff wins to reach 500

San Diego defenseman Jesse Gamble (Rockwood, Ont.) needs two games played to reach 100

San Diego forward Austin Staats (Six Nations, Ont.) needs two assists to reach 100

Saskatchewan defenseman Matt Beers (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs five assists to reach 100

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

Saskatchewan forward Ryan Keenan (Oshawa, Ont.) needs four assists to reach 200

Toronto forward Dan Dawson (Oakville, Ont.) needs eight points to become the second player in NLL history to reach 1500 in his career (John Tavares is the other)

Toronto forward Tom Schreiber (East Meadow, N.Y.) needs two points to reach 400

Vancouver forward Shawn Evans (Peterborough, Ont.) needs six assists to pass Colin Doyle for fourth place all-time with 858

Vancouver defenseman Justin Salt (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs nine loose ball recoveries to reach 600

Schedule – Week 10 (All Times Eastern)

Friday

Swarm (0-4) @ Mammoth (3-2), 9pm, ESPN+, TSN+

Saturday

Roughnecks (3-3) @ Thunderbirds (4-3), 6pm, ESPN+, TSN+

FireWolves (2-3) @ Wings (2-4), 7pm, ESPN+, TSN+

Riptide (1-5) @ Rock (5-2), 7pm,  ESPN+, NLL Game of the Week on TSN

Knighthawks (6-1) @ Bandits (6-2), 7:30pm, ESPN+, TSN+

Rush (3-2) @ Warriors (1-6), 10pm,  ESPN+, NLL Game of the Week on TSN

Panther City (4-3) @ Seals (5-1), 10pm,  ESPN+, TSN+

Mammoth (3-2*) @ Desert Dogs (1-5), 10:30pm, ESPN+, TSN+

*pending Friday result