DULUTH, Ga. (December 15, 2022) – The Georgia Swarm invite Eastern Division rival, the Philadelphia Wings, to Gas South Arena this Saturday, Dec. 17. The Swarm look for redemption over the Wings as Philadelphia topped Georgia in overtime on April 30, 2022, eliminating the Swarm out of a spot in the playoffs.
The last five meetings between the two organizations have been a battle to the very last second as each final score has been within one goal. Philly won four of the last five matchups with the last three going into overtime.
Last Five Meetings:
March 30, 2022: 11-10 (OT) – Philadelphia
January 29, 2022: 8-7 (OT) – Philadelphia
January 8, 2022: 12-11 (OT) – Philadelphia
March 8, 2020: 12-11 – Philadelphia
January 31, 2020: 12-11 Georgia
Philadelphia (0-1) holds an advantage over Georgia (0-1) in the all-time series, leading 5-3. The Swarm edged the Wings once at home, 12-6 on Dec. 14, 2019. The last win Georgia saw over Philadelphia was on Jan. 31, 2020, taking a 12-11 triumph.
Both the Swarm and Wings are on the hunt for a win as they both fell in their first game of the season. Philadelphia lost 18-8 to the Halifax Thunderbirds (12/2/22) while Georgia fell to the Rochester Knighthawks, 16-11 the following day. Both offenses were unsuccessful on power plays during opening night as Georgia went 0-for-2 and Philadelphia fell short on four man-up opportunities.
Georgia held a 9-6 lead over Rochester at halftime but only finished two shots in the second half, resulting in their first loss of the year. The team was led by Shayne Jackson’s five points (3G, 2A) and Jeremy Thompson’s 21 faceoff wins and two goals. The squad caused nine turnovers with TJ Comizio leading the pack, forcing four.
Craig Wende started his first game in a Swarm uniform last week, totaling 39 saves and a 73.5 save percentage. Philadelphia’s goaltenders split time against the Thunderbirds with Zach Higgins playing 17 minutes, making 12 saves while Angus Goodleaf played 43 minutes, stopping 33 shots.
Considering the team’s history with one another, and both Georgia and Philadelphia are looking for a win, this will be a battle you won’t want to miss. Following the showdown, the Swarm go on a three-week rest and return to Gas South Arena on Jan. 7, 2023. Georgia hosts its third-straight home game of the year against the 2022 NLL Runner-up Buffalo Bandits.
Swarm Spotlight:
- Shayne Jackson had a strong opening night and currently leads the team in goals and points with three and five, respectfully
- Swarm newcomer Andrew Kew ranks second on the team in points with four after scoring two goals and dishing out two assists
- Jeremy Thompson reached his 2,000th career faceoff win last game; Jeremy Thompson won 21-of-27 attempts, producing a 77.8 percent clip
- Jordan MacIntosh dished out three assists on opening night, recording his 400th career point
- MacIntosh won two faceoffs against Rochester becoming sixth all-time in NLL career faceoff wins, totaling 1,652
- TJ Comizio leads the team in caused turnovers after forcing four against the Knighthawks
- Craig Wende started his first game in a Swarm uniform, stopping 39 Rochester shots and producing a 73.5 save percentage
- Teioshontathe McComber notched his first NLL goal while Will Cecile gave out two assists in his first professional game
Eyes on the Wings:
- Philadelphia totaled eight goals against Halifiax, Blaze Riorden scored five of them; Riorden ended the night with a .455 shooting percentage
- Kiel Matisz dished out a team-best four assists on opening night, ranking him first on the team in assists and second in points behind Riorden
- Matt Rambo notched two goals and an assist in during the first game while John Ranagan scored one
- The defense caused eight turnovers against the Thunderbirds with Eric Shewell, Alex Pace, and Ranagan forcing two each
- Zach Higgins and Angus Goodleaf shared time in net both allowing nine goals; Higgins played 17 minutes, making 12 saves while Goodleaf stopped 33 shots in 43 minutes
- The Wings offense scored a high of four goals in the third frame while notching one goal in the second and fourth
- Philly was unsuccessful on four man-up opportunities while the defense stopped 2-of-5 man-down situations
Milestones:
- Bryan Cole needs seven points to reach 100 in his career.
- Shayne Jackson needs six assists to reach 400 in his career
- Lyle Thompson needs four assists to reach 300 in his career.
Where to Watch:
- Gas South Arena – Get tickets for as low as $15 to the Georgia Swarm vs. Philadelphia Wings game
- ESPN+ – Use your ESPN+ account (or create a new one) to watch the game live Saturday, December 17, 2022, and all season long
- Watch in person at six Gwinnett County Taco Mac locations: Buford, Cumming, Duluth, Johns Creek, Lawrenceville & Suwanee
