With the Swarm in their first of six bye weeks in the 2019-20 NLL season, they get to enjoy a rest before their Home Opener against the Philadelphia Wings on Dec. 14. Tickets for the club’s inaugural We Are Sting City Night – celebrating the raucous home of the Swarm and the members who comprise it – are on sale now and start as low as $20.
The NLL action stops for no one, and there are three games on the docket during the Swarm’s first bye week. As part of the NLL’s Face-Off Weekend festivities, they’ve teamed up with B/R Live to have all of the games in the first two weekends broadcast for FREE! Visit B/R Live Saturday night to keep up with all the NLL action.
Let’s take a look at each matchup this weekend and who leads each team out the front door and protects their net. All stats are from the 2018-19 season and reflect the top scorer from last season’s roster still on the team.
NEW YORK RIPTIDE
vs
HALIFAX THUNDERBIRDS
Saturday, Dec. 7 at Scotiabank Centre
Face-off at 6:00 p.m. ET
An expansion franchise and a re-branded franchise. The East Division New York Riptide and North Division Halifax Thunderbirds open up the weekend’s festivities with the first-ever NLL game in Nova Scotia.
The Riptide are playing their first game in franchise history and will be looking to spoil the home team’s festivities. Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds will roll out a roster featuring a number of players who were in the 2017-18 NLL Finals, trying to reverse their fortunes from their last season in Rochester.
A lot of questions about both teams will be answered in this game. How will the expansion Riptide look in their first game together? Will the Thunderbirds prove last year was a fluke?
Catch all the action on B/R Live at 6:00 p.m. ET.
THE FIREPOWER
Player |
Team |
G |
A |
PTS |
LB |
TO |
CT |
S% |
Tyler Digby |
NY |
27 |
45 |
72 |
49 |
33 |
3 |
26.0 |
Cody Jamieson |
HFX |
30 |
57 |
87 |
80 |
58 |
3 |
16.1 |
THE WALL
Player |
Team |
Min. |
Record |
GAA |
SV% |
Alex Buque |
NY |
381:29 |
3-3 |
11.80 |
.763 |
Warren Hill |
HFX |
387:53 |
4-2 |
10.36 |
.810 |
NEW ENGLAND BLACK WOLVES
vs
TORONTO ROCK
Saturday, Dec. 7 at Scotiabank Arena
Face-off at 7:00 p.m. ET
Another East vs. North game, Saturday’s second game will feature two postseason potentials hoping to start their respective seasons with a W. The Black Wolves ended the 2018-19 season with an exit in the East Division Semifinals, while the Rock were forced out a round later.
Both teams are hungry to get back to the postseason and feature two of the top offensive weapons in the NLL. It’ll be a battle with a lot of firepower versus a veteran netminder and another coming into his own.
Catch all the action on B/R Live at 7:00 p.m. ET.
THE FIREPOWER
Player |
Team |
G |
A |
PTS |
LB |
TO |
CT |
S% |
Callum Crawford |
NE |
48 |
61 |
109 |
78 |
57 |
8 |
17.5 |
Tom Schreiber |
TOR |
29 |
65 |
94 |
61 |
40 |
5 |
11.8 |
THE WALL
Player |
Team |
Min. |
Record |
GAA |
SV% |
Doug Jamieson |
NE |
698:26 |
6-6 |
12.28 |
.784 |
Nick Rose |
TOR |
1028:03 |
12-6 |
11.73 |
.771 |
SAN DIEGO SEALS
vs
BUFFALO BANDITS
Saturday, Dec. 7 at KeyBank Center
Face-off at 7:00 p.m. ET
The final NLL game of the weekend is the only one a West Division team will play in. The San Diego Seals play the North Division Buffalo Bandits in their barn. The Bandits fell to the Calgary Roughnecks in the NLL Finals, and the Seals’ postseason run was short-lived as injuries took their toll.
Offseason injuries hit the Bandits hard, but they have some strong offensive weapons and the 2019 NLL Goaltender of the Year. The Seals experienced plenty of roster turnover and will see how well the new pieces fit into their systems come gameday.
Catch all of the action on B/R Live at 7:00 p.m. ET.
THE FIREPOWER
Player |
Team |
G |
A |
PTS |
LB |
TO |
CT |
S% |
Kyle Buchanan |
SD |
28 |
39 |
67 |
98 |
27 |
6 |
17.1 |
Dhane Smith |
BUF |
32 |
70 |
102 |
72 |
54 |
6 |
15.9 |
THE WALL
Player |
Team |
Min. |
Record |
GAA |
SV% |
Frank Scigliano |
SD |
997:54 |
10-7 |
12.03 |
.779 |
Matt Vinc |
BUF |
1036:24 |
14-2 |
10.02 |
.803 |