FIREWOLVES DOMINATE LOOSE BALL BATTLE DESPITE LOSS: BY THE NUMBERS PRESENTED BY STOREDTECH

This past weekend, the Albany FireWolves (6-2) came up short against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs (3-4) in a 9-6 loss, but there were bright spots up and down the roster as the players gave the FireWolves a fighting chance to win all game. As they weather the storm of a long National Lacrosse League (NLL) season, this was another test for the youngest team in the league. 

Let’s take a look at the key numbers from this past Saturday’s game against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs.   

600 Career Loose Balls For Joe Nardella 

The impact of Joe Nardella this season has been a game changer as his presence in the faceoff circle and on defense have given the FireWolves a much-needed edge in possessions. With 10 loose balls in this past weekend’s game against Vegas, Nardella reached 600 career loose balls and he has done that in only 38 games. He has 76 loose balls on the season, which is fourth in the league. He also won 16 of 20 faceoffs against the Desert Dogs for an 80% win percentage. His play was crucial for keeping Albany in the game in the second half. At a rate of 9.5 loose balls per game and 10 more regular season games to go, Nardella is on the hunt for a 200 loose ball season. 

45 Saves By Justin Geddie 

With Doug Jamieson on injured reserve, Justin Geddie stepped up big time for Albany as he got his first start of the season in net against Vegas. He played the entire second half in their previous game against San Diego and in that game as well as this past weekend he performed very well. Geddie held the Desert Dogs to only 9 goals which is impressive for any goalie in the NLL to do on any given night. It was also a career best mark for Geddie when playing the full 60 minutes in net. His 45 saves on 54 shots allowed the game to stay close and he frustrated the Vegas offense.  

45 Loose Balls By Tye Kurtz Leads All Rookies  

As a rookie forward, Tye Kurtz is expected to contribute on offense, set hard picks, and do his best to help the team win as he adjusts to pro lacrosse. However, Kurtz has excelled only 8 games into his NLL career and perhaps the most underrated part of his game is his knack for getting loose balls. With 7 loose balls against Vegas, Kurtz now has 45 which leads all rookies in the league. He gets most of these loose balls off of rebounds from shots or when there is a scrum for possession in the corner. As a non-faceoff man, these numbers are seriously impressive. Kurtz isn’t afraid to go toe to toe with the big and experienced defenders in this league and his crafty stick skills and lacrosse IQ have him coming up with repossessions and making big plays. 

The Albany FireWolves return to action at MVP Arena on Saturday, February 17 at 7 pm to face the Colorado Mammoth as they look to get back in the win column. Game will be available to watch on ESPN+, TSN+, and locally on MY4. 

Single game tickets for the 2023-2024 FireWolves season are available now! Join us for Alphie’s Birthday Bash on February 17 as we celebrate the best mascot around. Enter our poster contest and get there early to pick up an Alphie bobblehead. For more information regarding tickets, visit www.AlbanyFireWolves.com or call/text the FireWolves front office at 518-362-4900. 

About Albany FireWolves

The Albany FireWolves is the Capital Region’s very own Professional Box Lacrosse team, playing in the National Lacrosse League out of the MVP Arena in downtown Albany, NY. For more information, contact the Albany FireWolves Front Office at (518) 362-4900 or visit AlbanyFireWolves.com. Follow the team on Facebook at facebook.com/AlbFireWolves, Twitter @AlbFireWolves, and Instagram @AlbFireWolves.

About the National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s premier professional lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of 15 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, New York Riptide, Panther City Lacrosse Club (TX), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors. For more information, visit NLL.com and find @NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About MVP Arena

MVP Arena is a full-service entertainment and sports facility featuring a wide variety of family shows, sporting events, trade shows and concerts. Owned by Albany County and managed by ASM Global, MVP Arena opened in 1990 and is home to the Albany FireWolves of the National Lacrosse League, the Albany Empire of the National Arena League and the Division I Men’s College Basketball Siena Saints. For more information, please visit https://www.mvparena.com/