The 2020 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft is set to take place Thursday night. The league will host the event virtually, with coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET, and fans can watch the draft free on B/R Live here.
The New York Riptide have the No. 1 pick again this year. They used the first overall pick in 2019 to select Tyson Gibson, who went on to win NLL Rookie of the Year. It's the fourth time in league history that the same team has made the first pick two seasons in a row.
Gibson's success in his debut season on an expansion team mirrored that of 2018 top pick and consequent Rookie of the Year winner Austin Staats of the San Diego Seals.
Below you can find everything you need to know about the 2020 NLL draft, including how to stream the event, the draft order and length, top prospects, a mock draft, details on player eligibility, and how the virtual event will work.
2020 NLL Draft Date, Time, How to Watch, Stream
The NLL draft begins at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday. Stream it here on B/R Live for free. B/R Live is the home to every NLL game. To get ready for the draft and the 2020-21 season, fans can watch full replays of every game from the past two seasons with the B/R Live Pass.
2020 NLL Draft Order
The NLL draft will feature six rounds. Because the 2019-20 season did not finish because of the coronavirus pandemic and teams had played varying numbers of games, the draft order is sorted by winning percentage. Here's how Round 1 looks:
1. New York Riptide
2. Rochester Knighthawks
3. Vancouver Warriors
4. San Diego Seals
5. Calgary Roughnecks
6. Georgia Swarm (from Colorado Mammoth)
7. Saskatchewan Rush (from Philadelphia Wings)
8. Georgia Swarm
9. Buffalo Bandits
10. Georgia Swarm (from Toronto Rock)
11. Halifax Thunderbirds
12. Saskatchewan Rush
13. Georgia Swarm (from New England Black Wolves)
14. Halifax Thunderbirds
15*. San Diego Seals
16*. Philadelphia Wings
*Compensatory pick.
Several teams will have compensation picks slotted in throughout the draft. These are the result of a team losing a player who signed with another club as an unrestricted free agent. Compensatory picks will be made at the conclusion of each of the first four rounds. Check out the details of all the team and player transactions that resulted in these picks here.
2020 NLL Draft Top Prospects, Player Eligibility
There is an eligibility wrinkle for this year's draft after the 2020 collegiate spring sports season was canceled. Players who have spent four years with their college programs and have chosen to exercise the extra year of eligibility granted to them by the NCAA will be draft-eligible. Teams can select these players and will retain their rights while they play their final college seasons.
Any prospect under 21 is draft-eligible if he notifies the NLL at least seven days before the draft that he has forfeited any remaining NCAA eligibility. All prospects 21 and older who have never played NCAA lacrosse are eligible for the draft, as are all players who have completed or forfeited their NCAA eligibility.
5 Prospects to Watch
Jeff Teat: Despite confirming he's going back to Cornell for his final season, Teat appears to be the consensus favorite to be the top pick in the draft. He is a dynamic scorer and playmaker who, once he arrives in New York, could form a dangerous trio with Gibson and recent free-agent signing Callum Crawford.
Jeff Henrick: The defenseman from Ohio State isn't the sort of flashy attacker you typically see at the top of draft boards, but teams will assign plenty of value to his strength at the back. Henrick would instantly lift any NLL team's overall defense.
Tre Leclaire: Another Buckeye, Leclaire is a high-volume scorer in both box and field lacrosse and is a native of British Columbia. With that pedigree, it's hard to see Vancouver passing him up with pick No. 3.
Ryan Smith: He's heading back for his final season at Robert Morris, but Smith seems to get better with each season, so that doesn't seem like a bad thing. And with each step up in competition in his amateur career, the forward has met the challenge, setting himself up to be an offensive focal point early on in his NLL career.
Reid Bowering: The Drexel defender has proved his worth and earned field and box accolades during his college and junior career. Like Henrick, his strength and ability level will allow him to slot right into a lineup and elevate every defender around him.
For more players to keep an eye on throughout the NLL draft check out Marisa Ingemi of NLL.com's prospect profiles. And for a full mock draft of the first round from Inside Lacrosse, go here.
2020 NLL Draft Virtual Broadcast Team, Fan Involvement
While the draft will be remote, the broadcast team will be a collection of familiar faces. NLL's Devan Kaney will host the coverage, and she will be joined by lacrosse draft expert Stephen Stamp, Colorado Mammoth announcer Teddy Jenner and Georgia Swarm floor reporter Tabitha Turner.
NLL fans will be able to interact and engage in real time with the live broadcast through Twitter comments and hashtag polls. More details on the virtual draft can be found on the league's official site.
Lacrosse is coming to the Lone Star State. The National Lacrosse League announced Wednesday that it has awarded an expansion franchise to Fort Worth, Texas, which will become the 14th team in the country's longest-running professional lacrosse league.
The Fort Worth team, whose name, logo and colors will be unveiled later this year, will begin play in the 2021-22 season. It will play all home games at Dickies Arena, which opened at the end of 2019.
The venture into Texas is a first for the NLL, and Fort Worth will join the Georgia Swarm as the league's only teams in the southern United States.
NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz said:
"We welcome Fort Worth as our 14th team and are excited to be working with a first-class organization led by Bill Cameron, Greg Bibb and the leadership at Dickies Arena, one of the premier state-of-the art facilities in the United States. Greg's accomplishments with the WNBA's Dallas Wings, one of the greatest business success stories in professional sports in North America, and a Fort Worth fan base that craves what we provide—fun-filled nonstop action—will make this franchise a must see and must follow, not only for fans in the area around Fort Worth but also for the global sports-business community and all those with a passion for lacrosse. All the pieces we look for in a new partner are in place, and we have already begun assisting with the ramp up to the opener 18 months from now."
Cameron, part owner of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder and lead owner of the WNBA's Dallas Wings, will be the majority owner of the NLL franchise. Bibb, the Wings CEO, will be its managing partner. Dickies Arena is a 14,000-capacity venue that holds concerts and rodeos and is set to be a host site for the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament as well as conference tournaments the next two years.
Bibb said:
"As we look to expand our sports-business portfolio, the National Lacrosse League and the model Nick and his team have created in the past few years is a perfect fit. We wanted a growing sport that is on the rise and that fans can engage with, not just at the arena but at the grassroots level, and one that understands the value of the digital-native fans and how brands can engage in these fluid times. The NLL checked all those boxes, and we can't wait to bring this new franchise to the fans in greater Fort Worth."
Bibb noted during a media conference call that the organization is still in the process of deciding on a team name, adding that the final identity will have an "unmistakable Fort Worth bend" and won't fall into a traditional name category.
The Fort Worth franchise marks the league's first expansion since 2018, when it announced a new team, the Riptide, in Long Island, New York, and the relocation of the Rochester Knighthawks to Halifax, Nova Scotia, as the Thunderbirds. Both of those teams began play in 2019-20, along with a new Knighthawks team in Rochester under new ownership.
Like those franchises, Fort Worth will take part in an expansion draft to form the foundation of its roster, and Sakiewicz confirmed that expansion draft will follow the same rules as the last one the league conducted in 2019. In an expansion draft, teams around the league protect a certain list of players, leaving a remaining pool of players available. Fort Worth will be able to choose from among those player pools. Here's how last year's expansion draft worked.
There will then be a standard entry draft of amateur players in which all teams will participate, with Fort Worth likely to receive the first pick. Both drafts will occur between the end of the 2020-21 season and the start of the 2021-22 season.
NLL canceled its 2019-20 season in June, nearly three months after postponing play in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The league plans to start the 2020-21 season in December or January and will announce more key dates for that season, like the 2020 entry draft, later this year. Check out a timeline of what's already been announced.
B/R Live is your home to stream every NLL game live and watch full replays on-demand. Fans can also check out full game and player highlights on the B/R Live YouTube channel here.
The National Lacrosse League begins its 34th season on Friday, with two games to ignite Faceoff Weekend. The NLL's 13 teams will play from Black Friday until the regular season concludes at the end of April, and the playoffs will run throughout May.
The biggest changes this season are a couple of new franchises as well as a new division alignment, with the introduction of the North Division to go with the East and West.
Below, find everything you need to know about the upcoming NLL season, including the new teams and divisions, schedules and matchups, playoff format, highlights, players to watch, and how to watch and stream every game live all season.
Expansion Teams
The NLL grows from 11 teams last season to 13 this season. The New York Riptide is an expansion team and will play its home games on Long Island. The Halifax Thunderbirds arrive after relocating from Rochester in the offseason and will feature much of the same roster as a year ago.
The Nova Scotia team became the fifth Canadian team in the NLL, joining Calgary, Saskatchewan, Toronto and Vancouver. The NLL filled its Rochester void quickly, awarding an expansion franchise to the city. The new team keeps the same Rochester Knighthawks name but will debut a new identity, logo and colors.
Both expansion teams participated in the expansion draft this summer, featuring a pool of available players from every team in the league. Then each of them had the top picks in each round of the NLL entry draft in September.
NLL Divisions and Playoff Qualification
With the additional teams, the NLL expands from two to three divisions this season. The Riptide will play in the East Division, while the Thunderbirds and Knighthawks will play in the North. Two teams in the East last season, Toronto and Buffalo, round out the North Division. The realignment did not affect teams in the West Division.
East Division
Georgia Swarm
New York Riptide
New England Black Wolves
Philadelphia Wings
West Division
Calgary Roughnecks
Colorado Mammoth
San Diego Seals
Saskatchewan Rush
Vancouver Warriors
North Division
Buffalo Bandits
Halifax Thunderbirds
Rochester Knighthawks
Toronto Rock
Also with the realignment, the playoff format changed. Playoff matchups prior to the NLL Finals will no longer be limited to teams from the same division. It will be a pure bracket-style format among the eight teams that make the playoffs.
The three division winners will automatically qualify for the playoffs and receive the top three seeds, with the No. 1 seed going to the division winner with the best overall record. The three second-place teams in every division will make the playoffs and earn seeds four through six, with the team with the best record among them earning the No. 4 seed. The final two wild-card spots will go to the two remaining teams with the best record.
The single-elimination first round will match up Nos. 1 vs. 8, Nos. 2 vs. 7, Nos. 3 vs. 6 and Nos. 4 vs. 5. The second round/semifinals will feature those winners and also be single-elimination. The NLL Finals will be a best-of-three series. The team with the better record in the regular season will host Game 1 and the if-necessary Game 3.
Faceoff Weekend Matchups, Full Season Schedule
During the 18-game NLL regular season, each team will play every other team in the league at least once. Teams in the same division will play each other at least twice. You can learn more about the schedule design here.
The NLL season opens with its annual Faceoff Weekend. On Friday, the Colorado Mammoth host the Saskatchewan Rush at 9:30 p.m. (all times Eastern). Half an hour later, defending NLL Cup champion Calgary Roughnecks opens on the road against the Vancouver Warriors.
On Saturday, the new Rochester Knighthawks debut against the Georgia Swarm at 7 p.m. The other new teams debut the following weekend against each other. The Halifax Thunderbirds host the New York Riptide at 6 p.m. on Dec. 7.
A couple months into the season will mark a special occasion for the league. The San Diego Seals are set to play the Colorado Mammoth in Las Vegas during Super Bowl weekend. The game will be at 10 p.m. on Feb. 1 and will be the first NLL game played in Las Vegas. Read more about the NLL Las Vegas game here.
Also new this season will be the Alterna Cup, an in-season competition among the five Canadian teams in the NLL. During their normally scheduled league games, Calgary, Halifax, Saskatchewan Toronto and Vancouver will compete for the cup, which will be awarded to the team that finishes with the highest winning percentage against the rest of the teams in Canada. Read more about the 2019-20 Alterna Cup here.
For the complete 2019-20 NLL schedule, go here.
How to Watch, Stream Every NLL Game
Fans can watch every NLL game all season on B/R Live, which is available to stream on desktop, mobile and connected devices. To celebrate the start of the season, the first two weekends will be free to watch. The free games are listed below along with direct links to watch.
Friday, Nov. 29
Rush at Mammoth, 9:30 p.m. | Watch on B/R Live
Roughnecks at Warriors, 10 p.m. | Watch on B/R Live
Saturday, Nov. 30
Swarm at Knighthawks, 7 p.m. | Watch on B/R Live
Saturday, Dec. 7
Riptide at Thunderbirds, 6 p.m. | Watch on B/R Live
New England Black Wolves at Toronto Rock, 7 p.m. | Watch on B/R Live
San Diego Seals at Buffalo Bandits, 7 p.m. | Watch on B/R Live
B/R Live's NLL coverage this season will also include a pregame show that begins 30 minutes before every game.
Fans can stream the NLL on B/R Live with the B/R Live Pass, available in a monthly or annual subscription that gives you access to watch nearly all of the live sports on B/R Live. You can also purchase individual NLL games on B/R Live on a pay-per-view basis.
To subscribe to watch NLL with the B/R Live pass, go here. And for more information on the B/R Live Pass, go here.
Highlights and Players to Watch During the 2019-20 NLL Season
A handful of players who had huge seasons a year ago are back for more as they look to lead their teams to the league title. Calgary's Dane Dobbie led the league with 115 points (47 goals, 68 assists) and earned the NLL MVP award.
A torn ACL ended Austin Staats' 2019 season early, but the Seals star still put up big enough numbers (32 goals and 29 assists) to claim NLL Rookie of the Year. He'll be back this year looking to completely take over the league.
Black Wolves forward Callum Crawford led the NLL in goals last year, pouring in 48 in 16 games while also adding 61 assists to finish with 109 points, second only to Dobbie.
Mark Matthews led one of the most dangerous attacks in the league last season, tallying 41 goals and 64 assists for the Rush. After an early exit in the playoffs, Matthews and Saskatchewan are ready to bounce back.
Like Saskatchewan, Georgia lost its playoff opener at home, and the Swarm will have its hopes set on a much brighter finish to this season. And everything with the Swarm starts with Lyle Thompson, who scored 43 goals last season, third in the league, and added 62 assists.
The 2019 NLL Entry Draft is Tuesday, Sept. 17 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which also hosted the NCAA men's lacrosse championships this spring. Live stream coverage of the draft will be free on B/R Live.
The National Lacrosse League's 13 teams will select from a pool of amateur players from collegiate and junior programs around North America.
Below find information on how to watch, stream and follow the 2019 NLL Draft as well as the full draft order for every round.
2019 NLL Draft: Location, date, start time and how to watch
The NLL Draft begins at 7 p.m. ET on Sept. 17. The event will take place at Xfinity Live! in Philadelphia.
The NLL Draft will stream free on B/R Live here, with pre-draft coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. featuring broadcasters from around the league.
How the NLL Draft Works
The NLL Draft consists of six rounds, with a minimum of 13 picks (one each team, barring trades) each round. Some rounds will feature compensatory picks, resulting in additional selections before advancing to the next round. For the league's two expansion teams this season, the New York Riptide and the Rochester Knighthawks, a coin flip determined the first pick, which the Riptide won.
2019 NLL Draft Order
The expansion teams will make the first two picks of the draft. Both of those teams also took part in an expansion draft of current NLL players earlier this summer. This is the order the teams will pick in the entry draft.
Round 1
1. New York
2. Rochester
3. New England (from Philadelphia)
4. Saskatchewan (from Vancouver)
5. Halifax
6. Colorado
7. Calgary (from New England)
8. Calgary (from San Diego)
9. Saskatchewan
10. New York (from Toronto via Saskatchewan)
11. Georgia
12. Buffalo
13. Georgia (from Calgary)
14. Halifax (compensatory selection)
15. Toronto (compensatory selection)
16. Saskatchewan (compensatory selection)
17. New England (compensatory selection)
Round 2
18. Rochester
19. New York
20. Philadelphia
21. Georgia (from Vancouver)
22. New England (from Rochester via Calgary)
23. Colorado (via Rochester)
24. Georgia (from New England)
25. San Diego
26. San Diego (from Saskatchewan)
27. Toronto
28. Georgia
29. New England (from Buffalo via Calgary)
30. Buffalo (from Calgary)
31. Colorado
32. Rochester
33. New York
Round 3
34. New York
35. Rochester
36. Philadelphia
37. Rochester (from Vancouver)
38. Halifax (from Rochester)
39. Colorado
40. Calgary (from New England)
41. San Diego
42. Saskatchewan
43. Toronto
44. Georgia
45. Buffalo
46. Calgary
47. New York
48. Rochester
Round 4
49. Rochester
50. New York
51. Philadelphia
52. Vancouver
53. Philadelphia (from Rochester)
54. Buffalo (from Colorado)
55. Buffalo (from New England)
56. San Diego
57. Saskatchewan
58. Toronto
59. Georgia
60. Georgia (from Buffalo)
61. New England (from Calgary)
62. Rochester
63. New York
Round 5
64. New York
65. Rochester
66. Philadelphia
67. Vancouver
68. Halifax (from Rochester)
69. Colorado
70. New England
71. San Diego
72. Saskatchewan
73. Toronto
74. Georgia
75. Buffalo
76. Calgary
Round 6
77. Rochester
78. New York
79. Philadelphia
80. Vancouver
81. Halifax (from Rochester)
82. Colorado
83. New England
84. Buffalo (from San Diego)
85. Saskatchewan
86. Toronto
87. Georgia
88. Georgia (from Buffalo)
89. Calgary
The 2019 National Lacrosse League Finals begin this weekend when the Buffalo Bandits and the Calgary Roughnecks battle in a best-of-three series.
Buffalo won the East Division and had the league's best record in the regular season (14-4), so the Bandits will have home-field advantage, hosting Game 1 and a potential Game 3. Calgary won the West Division after finishing 10-8 in the regular season and will host Game 2.
Below you can find information on how to watch and stream the NLL Finals, the full three-game schedule and a series preview featuring highlights from each team's playoff run.
How to Watch, Stream
Those in the U.S. and Canada can watch and stream every game of the 2019 NLL Finals on B/R Live. Coverage will begin 30 minutes before opening faceoff each night with NLL Finals Pregame Live, a 10-minute commercial-free show that will analyze and preview key matchups and bring you player interviews from both teams.
Full replays will be available to stream shortly after the conclusion of every game. Here are the direct links to stream the first two games:
Series Schedule
The games will be played approximately one week apart (all times Eastern):
Game 1: Calgary Roughnecks at Buffalo Bandits, Saturday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Game 2: Buffalo Bandits at Calgary Roughnecks, Saturday, May 25, at 9 p.m.
Game 3 (if necessary): Calgary Roughnecks at Buffalo Bandits, Friday, May 31, at 8 p.m.
Series Preview, Playoff Highlights
The Bandits and Roughnecks are two of the premier franchises in the National Lacrosse League. Buffalo joined the NLL in 1992, and Calgary followed 10 years later. Both dominated their first decades in the league, with the Bandits winning three championships in the 1990s and the Roughnecks winning two in the 2000s. Neither team has returned to the top of the league, however, since alternating titles in 2008 and 2009.
Past NLL Cup Wins
Buffalo: 1992, 1993, 1996, 2008
Calgary: 2004, 2009
2019 Season Head-to-Head
The two teams played only once in the regular season: a tight 12-10 Bandits victory in Buffalo in February. The Bandits' fast-paced transition play made the difference as they scored often before the Roughnecks defense could get set.
How They Got Here
In the East Division, the Bandits took care of business as the No. 1 overall seed in the NLL playoffs, defeating the New England Black Wolves 13-6 in the semifinals and then holding off the Toronto Rock 12-8 in the final.
In the West, the Roughnecks had a tougher road to the finals, traveling to San Diego and narrowly beating the expansion Seals 12-11 in the semifinals before hosting the Colorado Mammoth just four days later and coming away with an 8-4 win to advance to the NLL Finals.
Series Preview
Going back to their regular-season meeting, the key for the Roughnecks is to slow down the Bandits' transition game.
Buffalo led the NLL in goals this season by a large margin so the Bandits will get theirs, but Calgary has to make them work for them. If Buffalo gets into a good rhythm, it becomes perilous for the opponents.
The Roughnecks need to get physical with the Bandits, as they did with the Mammoth in the West final:
The key player matchup focuses on the great D(h)anes, the two leading scorers for each team: Dhane Smith for Buffalo and Dane Dobbie for Calgary. Smith led the Bandits with 102 points, including a league-leading 70 assists, while Dobbie led the NLL in points with 115 and finished second in goals with 47.
How each team executes its game plans on keeping Dobbie and Smith at bay likely will win the series.
It won't be enough to keep them from just scoring goals. Both are excellent playmakers, so they'll make the opposing defense pay if too many defenders are focusing only on them. Dobbie drawing a lot of attention and setting up Curtis Dickson as well as Smith doing the same to feed Corey Small in goal-scoring positions are sequences we're likely to see very frequently over the series.
The 2019 National Lacrosse League playoffs begin Friday, with four teams from each of the two divisions. The NLL made the jump from six playoff teams last season to eight this season.
There will be three rounds of the playoffs: the division semifinals, division finals and NLL finals. The first two rounds will be single-elimination, while the final series will be best-of-three.
Every game will be available to watch and stream live on B/R Live. The new NLL Playoffs Pre-Game LIVE, a 10-minute commercial-free preview show, will begin on B/R Live 30 minutes prior to the opening faceoff of every game.
Below you can find the National Lacrosse League playoff bracket with all eight teams and seeds, the full playoff schedule, information on how to watch and stream every game live, and a preview of each playoff matchup, including top players and regular-season highlights.
2019 Playoff Bracket
The top four teams in the East and West Division qualified for the 2019 NLL playoffs. The eastern seeds are:
The western seeds are:
The higher seeds will host each game in the first two rounds.
East Division Semifinals
No. 4 New England Black Wolves at No. 1 Buffalo Bandits
No. 3 Toronto Rock at No. 2 Georgia Swarm
West Division Semifinals
No. 4 Colorado Mammoth at No. 1 Saskatchewan Rush
No. 3 Calgary Roughnecks at No. 2 San Diego Seals
Of the two teams that advance to the NLL finals, the one with the better regular-season record will host Games 1 and 3.
2019 Playoff Schedule
NLL playoff games will take place between Friday and Monday each weekend this month, beginning with the division semifinals this weekend (all times Eastern):
Friday, May 3
Colorado Mammoth vs. Saskatchewan Rush, 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 4
New England Black Wolves vs. Buffalo Bandits, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, May 6
Toronto Rock vs. Georgia Swarm, 7:30 p.m.
Calgary Roughnecks vs. San Diego Seals, 10:30 p.m.
East and West Division Finals: May 10-13
NLL Finals Game 1: May 17-20
NLL Finals Game 2: May 24-27
NLL Finals Game 3 (If necessary): May 31-June 3
Stay up to date with everything happening in the NLL postseason with this playoff tracker.
How to Watch and Stream Every 2019 Playoff Game
Stream National Lacrosse League games for the entire playoffs on B/R Live. Watching via a pay-per-view purchase, monthly pass or season pass gives you access to watch the game live as well as stream a full replay, available shortly after each game concludes. For more information on B/R Live purchase and subscription options for the NLL playoffs, click here.
For the first round, find direct links to watch every game below. Division finals and NLL finals will be available as the matchups are set.
East Division Semifinals
Watch New England Black Wolves vs. Buffalo Bandits on B/R Live
Watch Toronto Rock vs. Georgia Swarm on B/R Live
West Division Semifinals
Watch Colorado Mammoth vs. Saskatchewan Rush on B/R Live
Watch Calgary Roughnecks vs. San Diego Seals on B/R Live
2019 Playoff Preview, Team Matchups, Highlights
East Division Semifinals
No. 4 New England Black Wolves at No. 1 Buffalo Bandits
Buffalo won both regular-season meetings between the teams, outscoring New England 27-11. The Bandits led the league with 244 goals, 14 more than the next closest team. Dhane Smith and Corey Small spearhead the attack, with Smith leading the team in points with 102 and Small leading in goals with 36.
On the other bench, the Black Wolves will have to stay out the penalty box to have any chance of pulling off the upset. They collected the third-most penalty minutes in the league and by far the highest for any playoff team.
Callum Crawford, in his 15th year in the league, is still the star in New England, scoring the most goals in the league this season (48) and finishing second in points (109). The Black Wolves will have to make a concerted effort to get him as many quality chances in front of goal as possible.
No. 3 Toronto Rock at No. 2 Georgia Swarm
2017 NLL champions Georgia took two out of three from Toronto in the regular season, with the teams splitting two close games during the winter followed by a 14-5 Swarm win in March.
"We've kind of built a pretty solid rivalry with Toronto," Georgia captain Jordan MacIntosh said. "Really, really talented team, huge offensive guys. ... They're a great team. We've played them enough; I feel like both sides have a pretty good scout on each other. Usually when it comes down to them, it's just can we limit their big guns from scoring a bunch of goals on us, and that's what we'll be focusing on this week."
Tom Schreiber, Bob Hellyer and Adam Jones are the Rock's three top scorers, combining for 90 goals and 146 points.
Forwards Lyle Thompson and Randy Staats head up the Swarm attack that finished second in goals behind the Bandits this season.
The Swarm will have the advantage of extra preparation after a bye on their schedule last week. It's a setup that can be good to get more rest and preparation but dangerous to fall out of rhythm.
"It's great on bye weeks to do a little self-evaluation," MacIntosh said. "To go in and watch the game and really see where the defensive breakdowns are and how we can generate more scoring opportunities on offense. Some people will say it's not great to have a bye week going into the playoffs, but I think for us, based on the last two games [two losses] it's gonna be nice for us to watch ourselves, make those adjustments, and really dial them in."
West Division Semifinals
No. 4 Colorado Mammoth at No. 1 Saskatchewan Rush
The defending NLL champion Rush continue their quest for a repeat. Saskatchewan swept the three-game season series against the Mammoth, including a 13-8 win last weekend that featured 11 goals in the first half.
Colorado will have its hands full with the Rush offense, led by Mark Matthews, whose 105 points were 29 more than its top scorer this season. Given the Mammoth was the second-lowest scoring team in the league this season, look for them to try to slow down the pace and use the shot clock. If Colorado can do those things, the Mammoth will be in the game for four quarters and have a chance to win.
No. 3 Calgary Roughnecks at No. 2 San Diego Seals
The Seals have been the feel-good story and surprise in the National Lacrosse League this season. The expansion side spent most of the season at or near the top of the West Division before finishing second. It's a mix of both young and experienced players who have come together to form a legitimate contender. But they know there's still plenty of work to be done to achieve their goal.
"We know that consistency is what makes you a championship team," said Dan Dawson, the Seals captain who is in his 18th season in the NLL, "and we're not there yet. We got a lot to work on. We've put ourselves in a good position, but by no means are we satisfied. We got a lot that we need to clean up, and we're still learning as we go."
San Diego's April was not kind as the team lost Austin Staats, likely the NLL Rookie of the Year, to a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee. To add insult to injury, the Seals had a packed schedule of five games in 22 days, the majority coming after Staats went down, and went 1-4.
Dawson, who leads the team with 88 points, will have the task of helping the team pick up the goals and dynamic play that Staats produced every night.
In their way is the Roughnecks' high-scoring duo of Dane Dobbie and Curtis Dickson. Dobbie's 115 points (47 goals, 68 assists) were the most in the NLL this season, and Dickson poured in 35 goals. The Seals won two of three against Calgary during the regular season.
It's almost too perfect that the headquarters of the National Lacrosse League is in Philadelphia. The City of Brotherly Love is home to what can be nicknamed the League of Brotherly Love.
Brothers abound in the NLL: on the same team, different teams, two of a kind, three of a kind. They'll be especially present when the league's playoffs begin the first weekend in May.
The Georgia Swarm, currently the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Division, feature three Thompson brothers, one Staats brother and a Noble brother. The other Staats plays for the San Diego Seals, who are tied for first in the Western Division and have two Dawson brothers. The fourth Thompson brother is a big contributor for the defending league champion Saskatchewan Rush. The Currier brothers are split between Calgary, sitting in third place in the West, and Philadelphia, which has been eliminated from playoff contention. Also in Calgary is Mike Carnegie, whose brother Scott plays for the Colorado Mammoth, which will be the West's fourth seed in the playoffs. Colorado also is home to the second Noble brother.
Here's a look inside the NLL's literal brotherhood: what it means to these brothers to play with and against each other at the highest level of lacrosse.
Lyle, Miles and Jerome Thompson (Georgia Swarm) and Jeremy Thompson (Saskatchewan Rush)
The Thompsons are each two years apart, beginning with Lyle at 26, Miles at 28, Jerome at 30 and Jeremy at 32. Those age differences have kept the Syracuse, New York, natives from playing together on the same team for most of their careers. Aside from playing together for the Iroquois Nationals, the Swarm has been the only place some of them have been on the same team for an extended period of time.
"This has always been something we looked forward to," Lyle told B/R Live.
With the Swarm, each Thompson brother has a different role. Lyle leads the team with 105 points and is a contender for league MVP.
Miles is fifth on the team with 23 goals and nearly as many assists, and Jerome features as a valuable transition player whose contributions go beyond the standard stat sheet. The camaraderie they share as brothers has helped to grow the familial feel of the team in the locker room.
"It allows us to be more comfortable as a team really," Lyle said. "I think we bring a lot out in one another. I think with just one of us we might shy away from the group. So I think with three brothers being on a team it's helping build chemistry overall."
Lyle added with a smile that when the three of them hang out together away from the field, they only talk about lacrosse about 20 percent of the time. The conversations steer more toward what's new in their lives and enjoying the chance to all be together in person.
"Just being around each other," Jerome said. "We all live in different places now, so when the weekend comes, we all get to spend time with each other. That's the best part."
North of the border, the eldest Thompson brother has carved out an impressive NLL career. After spending his rookie season in Buffalo and then three years in Edmonton, Jeremy is about to complete his fourth year with the Rush, where he has become a key fixture in a lineup going for a repeat championship. As a transition player, he brings incredible value to the faceoff circle, where he ranks third in the league this season in faceoffs won.
In the Rush vs. Swarm matchup this season, Lyle, Miles and Jerome all scored goals, and Jeremy dominated the center of the floor, winning 17 of 24 faceoffs. Georgia won 13-10.
Jeremy told Indian Time in 2017 after playing against his other three brothers in the NLL for the first time:
"It's always quite the accomplishment when you get to play at the highest level of lacrosse and to be playing against the brothers makes it that much more meaningful. It's not every sports season you get to see a group of brothers playing amongst or against each other at a high level of lacrosse. I know my brothers are playing for the same reasons as me and that made this a very special event."
Randy Staats (Georgia Swarm) and Austin Staats (San Diego Seals)
Like the Thompsons, the five-and-a-half-year age difference between Randy and his younger brother Austin has limited their time on the same team to almost exclusively backyard games as kids. In 2016 they shared the floor as official teammates for the first official time with the Six Nations Chiefs, winning a Mann Cup in Major Series Lacrosse.
"That was pretty special for us," Randy said. "It was amazing for me, looking at it, it's like, 'Aw, I can't wait to play with him.' Finally, I got the chance to play with him (at age 23) after all those years. ... I thought we had good chemistry. It was a great feeling, and to cap it off with a championship was even better."
Randy has been with the Swarm for four seasons and quickly emerged as one of the team's strongest offensive weapons, reaching a career high of 96 points this season. On the other coast, Austin took the league by storm as a rookie, scoring 32 goals and tallying 29 assists before a torn right ACL this month ended his season.
Before the injury, Randy and Austin were able to share a special night on the floor when the Seals visited the Swarm. Fifteen members of their family were in attendance to watch them play each other for the first time in the NLL.
"It's what we worked for our whole lives," Austin said. "To be able to play each other in the highest level of lacrosse is pretty outstanding."
Both players said there'd be a little bit of trash-talking during the game, and an early goal from Austin brought that to fruition.
You might think playing on opposite coasts would be a detriment to the brothers, but Randy quickly found a huge positive to the situation. After Swarm games against the rest of the Eastern Division, he'd be able to turn on the Seals, whose games would be only a couple minutes into the first quarter or had not started yet. The time difference allowed him to watch his brother and send along any tips or pointers he might have, and they'd text back and forth once the games ended.
In the midst of his likely-to-be Rookie of the Year season, Austin said his best experience has been getting to play with a group of teammates that feel like family:
"The brotherhood we got in the locker room. All the old veterans bringing us in under their wings, all the young guys, the guys who have been in the league before just making us a brotherhood and a family in the locker room. So I think that just transfers over to the floor. I give it all to the vets in the locker room, and I think that's why we've been playing the way we've been playing."
You can read more about the Staats brothers' season in the NLL here.
Paul and Dan Dawson (San Diego Seals)
The Dawsons are the elder statesmen among this group of brothers in the league. While the Thompsons are playing together on the Swarm and the Staats are opponents in different divisions, Paul and Dan are in their 13th and 18th seasons in the NLL, respectively.
When Dan's Seals acquired Paul in a trade earlier this spring, the Ontario, Canada, natives became teammates for the fourth different time in their NLL careers.
"It will never get old," Paul told Eric Getzoff of NLL.com.
They've played together with the Boston Blazers, Philadelphia Wings and Rochester Knighthawks. Dan is the unquestioned leader of the expansion team, both in the locker room and on the floor, where he leads the team with 85 points.
Paul does his work on the other side of the floor as a defender, helping out the unit that is one game away from clinching the top seed in the West for San Diego.
"It truly is exciting," Dan said. "Eighteen years in this league, and I'm in my last couple years here. I couldn't be more thankful for this opportunity."
You can read more about the Dawson brothers' journey here on NLL.com.
Zach Currier (Calgary Roughnecks) and Josh Currier (Philadelphia Wings)
The Curriers are the youngest set of siblings in the league, with Josh in his third season and Zach in his second. Zach had an excellent rookie season, earning selection to both the NLL All-Rookie Team and All-Pro Second Team. Josh was a steady scorer his first two years in Rochester before exploding this season after a move to Philadelphia, where he has 62 points, double the total from his first two seasons.
In their teams' lone matchup against each other this season, Josh scored six goals in an 18-13 loss. Zach, a defender who had to chase his brother all night, scored once—26 seconds after Josh put one in the back of the net.
The big question from that game is for which child did their parents, who live in Ontario, cheer?
"We speculate, but I think they root for the home team," Zach said.
"My mom did the ultimate compromise and made a shirt with the Roughnecks logo on one side and the Wings logo on the other side," Josh added.
The Currier brothers recently appeared on Huddle Up on NLL.com, where they discussed pranking each other and played a game to determine which brother knows the other best. You can watch below or click or tap here.
Jason Noble (Georgia Swarm) and Jeremy Noble (Colorado Mammoth)
The Nobles, from Orangeville, Ontario, are both valuable members of playoff teams. Although he's missed some time this season, Jeremy has still averaged nearly 50 points per season during his five-year career. In 2018, he led the Mammoth in assists and ranked near the top of the league in the category.
His brother Jason is one of the toughest defenders in the league, and during the Swarm's run to the 2017 NLL title, he was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Jason is as reliable as he is skilled on the defensive side of the floor for Georgia, having missed only one game out of 108 during his six seasons in the league.
Mike Carnegie (Calgary Roughnecks) and Scott Carnegie (Colorado Mammoth)
Mike and Scott actually spent most of their NLL careers together on defense for the Roughnecks dating back to their rookie seasons in 2008 and a league championship in 2009. But a decade later, there's a chance the two could oppose each other in the postseason. Depending on seeding, Calgary and Colorado could meet in either the first or second round of the Western Division playoffs.
The Carnegies, natives of London, Ontario, were staples at the back for Calgary until Scott signed with Colorado as a free agent before the 2018 season. Mike took over as the Roughnecks captain in late 2015 and has continued to be a leader on the floor and valuable veteran presence in locker room.
In 2017, which ended up being their final season together in Calgary, both brothers reflected on how special it had been to grow into adults playing together in the same city and the role lacrosse played in their lives.
"It’ll go away one day and I know I’ll miss it,” Mike said. “We just want to really appreciate all the moments with the team and each other."
"There isn’t too many times we aren’t talking lacrosse,” Scott said. “That’s something that we have together."
You can read more about the Carnegie's bond here on CalgaryRoughnecks.com.
The brothers are in action in the final weekend of the regular season this weekend and when the NLL playoffs begin May 3.
Watch every NLL game here on B/R Live.
The 2019 National Lacrosse season is about halfway over, and it's full of highlight-material goals, dime-dropping assists, spectacular saves and some heavy collisions.
If you're a college lacrosse fan at any level, there are former stars you'll recognize who are now lighting up the indoor league. Below are seven of the best who have carried their accomplished careers on campus into the pros.
Every NLL game is available to stream on B/R Live.
Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm (Albany)
Thompson twice won the Tewaaraton Award at Albany, college lacrosse's equivalent to football's Heisman. In 2017, he won the NLL's MVP award and could be on track to claim it again this season. Inside Lacrosse just named him as their Midseason Player of the Year, and Thompson is second in the league in goals scored with 29 in 11 games. The 26-year-old New York native also has 33 assists to his name this season. At Albany, he surpassed the single-season 100-point mark three times.
Austin Staats, San Diego Seals (Onondaga Community College)
A two-time All-American at Onondaga Community College, Staats passed on the chance to play at the NCAA level to jump straight into the pros. The attackman was selection No. 1 overall in the 2018 NLL draft by the Seals and did not disappoint in his debut, notching five goals and four assists. He leads San Diego in scoring this season with 20 goals and 17 assists in eight games. In two seasons of community college ball, he racked up 102 goals and 54 assists in just 26 games.
Eli Salama, Calgary Roughnecks (RIT)
Salama racked up Division III awards at the Rochester Institute of Technology his senior year, being named Long Pole of the Year by USILA, Defensive Player of the Year by the Liberty League and a USILA All-American. Salama has proved to be a versatile contributor as a rookie in Calgary. So far, he's notched three assists, scooped up 28 loose balls and forced eight turnovers in eight games. The 6'2", 22-year-old was the 12th overall pick in this past year's draft. RIT made the NCAA tournament each year Salama was in school and appeared in the national championship in 2017.
Ian MacKay, Buffalo Bandits (Vermont)
Another versatile player, MacKay was the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NLL draft after a standout career at Vermont. He was a two-time All-American, the America East Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore and a two-time team captain. What's more, he left Vermont as the program's all-time leader in goals scored with 150. He also dropped 80 assists for the Catamounts, good for fifth all-time. In the NLL, McKay has played solid both ways as a rookie, tallying eight goals, 12 assists, 48 loose balls and 11 caused turnovers. The Bandits are 9-2 this season, and McKay's versatility is a big reason why.
Trevor Baptiste, Philadelphia Wings (Denver)
A beast in faceoffs, Baptiste's expert skill in college has transitioned well to the pros. At Denver, he was twice a finalist for the Tewaaraton Award and was named the Big East Midfielder of the Year four times. He set NCAA records for faceoff wins (1,158) and winning percentage (71.4). The 14th overall pick in the 2018 NLL draft has made an impact right away for the Philadelphia Wings, as he leads the league in faceoff wins with 186. He's also notched three assists and five forced turnovers.
Matt Rambo, Philadelphia Wings (Maryland)
The 2018-19 season is Rambo's first in the National Lacrosse League, and he's already making an impact as one of the league's top newcomers. So far this season for the Wings, the 24-year-old forward from Glenside, Pennsylvania, has tallied 11 goals and nine assists through nine games. He's also racked up 15 loose balls. Rambo was the 2017 Tewaaraton Award winner, was a two-time All-American, a three-time selection to the NCAA's all-tournament team and the 2017 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year at Maryland. As a Terp, he set program records for career points (257), goals (155), points in the NCAA tournament (62) and became the first Maryland player with 100 goals and 100 assists in a career.
Miles Thompson, Georgia Swarm (Albany)
The older brother of Lyle, Thompson has built a stellar career in college and pro lacrosse too. In 2014, he shared the Tewaaraton Award with his brother at Albany. He left college with 293 total points and scored a goal in every game he played in over his collegiate career. Thompson shares the NCAA Division I single-season record for goals scored with Jon Reese of Yale, both having scored 82 goals in 18 games. For the Swarm this season, Thompson has tallied 12 goals, nine assists and 25 loose balls through 11 games.
The National Lacrosse League is in Week 7, and five games are on the schedule this weekend.
The 4-1 Buffalo Bandits play twice this weekend, with 4-1 Toronto also in action. The Georgia Swarm, which was the NLL's last undefeated team, will look to rebound after losing twice last week. The Philadelphia Wings are also looking for their first win when they play at home against Toronto on Saturday.
Check out the Week 7 National Lacrosse League regular-season schedule and how to watch below, including via live stream.
NLL: Schedule, How to Watch, Live Stream Week 7 Games
All games can be watched on B/R Live. Each team will play 18 games this season. Click the "Watch" links for more individual game information (all times ET).
Saturday, Jan. 26
Toronto Rock (4-1) at Philadelphia Wings (0-5), 7 p.m. | Watch
Buffalo Bandits (4-1) at Rochester Knighthawks (1-3), 8 p.m. | Watch
Colorado Mammoth (1-3) at Vancouver Warriors (1-5), 10 p.m. | Watch
Sunday, Jan. 27
Saskatchewan Rush (3-1) at Georgia Swarm (4-2), 4:05 p.m. | Watch
Buffalo Bandits (4-1) at New England Black Wolves (3-1), 6 p.m. | Watch
Fans can watch games online for the 2018-19 season in the following ways:
Season pass: $39.99 USD/$51.99 CAD
Monthly pass: $7.99 USD/$9.99 CAD
NLL Standings, Scores
Georgia was the league's final undefeated team, but the Swarm lost to the Toronto Rock and the New England Black Wolves last weekend.
The Rock scored the first four goals of the game and never trailed in handing the Swarm their first loss, 14-9. Toronto's Dan Craig scored three goals and added an assist. Goalie Nick Rose had 40 saves in the win.
Also last Friday, San Diego pushed aside Calgary, 15-9. The Seals outscored the Roughnecks 6-1 in the third quarter. Austin Staats had a busy and productive game, scoring three goals and totaling four assists.
On Saturday, New England beat Georgia (13-12), Buffalo beat Philadelphia (14-10), Saskatchewan got by Rochester (12-7) and San Diego edged Vancouver (11-10).
In the New England-Georgia game, the teams were tied 11 times, including at 12-12. But Tyler Digby scored the winning goal to get the win.
Buffalo kept Philadelphia winless this season, even though the Wings' Kiel Matisz led all players with four goals.
Saskatchewan used three goals and four assists by Mark Matthews to improve to 3-1. Also on Saturday, San Diego beat Vancouver 11-10 as Garrett Billings had two goals and three assists.
On Sunday, Colorado won 12-7 against Calgary. The Mammoth outshot the Roughnecks 52-39.
Here are the National Lacrosse League standings going into Week 7:
Eastern Division
1. Toronto Rock: 4-1
2. Buffalo Bandits: 4-1
3. New England Black Wolves: 3-1
4. Georgia Swarm: 4-2
5. Rochester Knighthawks: 1-3
6. Philadelphia Wings: 0-5
Western Division
1. Saskatchewan Rush: 3-1
2. San Diego Seals: 4-2
3. Calgary Roughnecks: 3-4
4. Colorado Mammoth: 1-3
5. Vancouver Warriors: 1-5
Going into Week 7, Buffalo has the most potent attack, scoring 72 goals in five games. Calgary has 73 goals, but it's played seven games.
Individually, Calgary's Dane Dobbie and Buffalo's Shawn Evans both have 37 points. San Diego's Austin Staats and Georgia's Lyle Thompson are tied for the lead in goals with 18.
