GAME PREVIEW: FIREWOLVES BEGIN NLL SEMIFINALS AGAINST SAN DIEGO FRIDAY NIGHT

San Diego, CA – The #3 seed Albany FireWolves won their first National Lacrosse League (NLL) playoff game in team history this past Sunday thanks to a dominant 9-3 win over the Halifax Thunderbirds and now continue their historic run to the NLL Cup with a best-of-three semifinal series against the #2 San Diego Seals that begins Friday, May 3 at 10:30 pm ET at Pechanga Arena for Game 1. The game will be nationally broadcast on ESPNU and will also be available to stream on ESPN+ and TSN+.  

The FireWolves will return home to Albany for Game 2 at MVP Arena this Sunday, May 5 at 3pm ET as fans are encouraged to wear black and blackout the arena. Tickets starting at $23 are available now for the FireWolves playoffs presented by Concord Pools & Spas. Get tickets at https://albanyfirewolves.com/tickets/ticket-center/ 

Making History 

The FireWolves are the biggest turnaround story in lacrosse and with every win this season have been making history for the franchise that moved to Albany in 2021. With tons of momentum from winning their first ever playoff game against Halifax, they are ready to continue this historic season as they play in their first semifinal series. Doug Jamieson only allowed 3 goals in their postseason win, which is the second lowest ever in a playoff game. Jamieson made 52 saves which is a career high for him in the postseason and with the Wall of Pearl Street in net the FireWolves have their eyes set on making more NLL history.

Watch FireWolves Head Coach Glenn Clark and Team President Chris Porreca on CBS 6 – Albany to talk about the NLL Semifinals. Watch the video below:

East vs West 

Since the FireWolves moved to Albany in 2021, the FireWolves have only faced the Seals two times and the series is split 1-1. The Seals handed the FireWolves their first loss of the season earlier this year as they ended Albany’s 6-0 start in a 14-7 game that was closer than the score indicates. The two teams’ arenas are 2,455 miles away from each other as this will be a true east vs west matchup. The FireWolves will continue to lean on Jamieson in net and their veteran defense, but the young and skilled offense will need to rise to the occasion for the Wolves to overpower the Seals. With so much on the line for these two franchises, this will be the start of an intense rivalry.  

Scouting The Seals 

San Diego is coming off a 9-8 overtime win over Panther City in the opening round of the NLL Playoffs and will be riding that wave of energy into the semifinals. The Seals finished the regular season with a 13-5 record and boast talent on both sides of the ball with two regular season 100+ point scorers in Wes Berg (108pts – 41g, 67a) and Austin Staats (102pts – 50g, 52a) as well as a very good young goalie in Christopher Origlieri. The Seals defense features Brodie Merrill and Kyle Rubisch who are two of the best defensemen to ever play in the NLL. San Diego are very balanced, but the FireWolves have the right make up to expose the Seals’ weaknesses that will start to crack when the playoff pressure is applied.  

FireWolves Players To Watch 

Doug Jamieson played arguably the best game of his NLL career in the opening round of the playoffs and if he can continue that groove the FireWolves will be very tough to beat. He only played one half in the FireWolves matchup with the Seals back in January after leaving with a minor injury, so having him in net for the full game could make all the difference. 

John Wagner showed why the FireWolves traded for him earlier this season as he put up a ridiculous stat line of 2 goals, 1 assist, 10 loose balls, 2 caused turnovers, and 2 blocked shots in their opening round win. Wagner is so dynamic in the middle of the floor and his aggressive style of play is crucial to the defense’s success.  

Ethan Walker has brought his game to another level in his last few games with more scoring opportunities and a willingness to make plays happen. His leadership will help guide the youngest offense in the league in their first semifinals.  

Opposing Players To Watch  

Chris Origlieri has been the backbone of the Seals in net this season and plays a dramatically different style than FireWolves goalie Doug Jamieson with athletic saves and active play.  

Austin Staats scored 4 goals and 1 assist in their win last weekend and is always dangerous when he has the ball. The FireWolves will be prepared to shut down his physical style of play.  

Dane Dobbie scored the overtime game winner last weekend and his veteran presence brings a calming presence to the Seals offense.  

The FireWolves need the Capital Region at MVP Arena this Sunday, May 5 at 3 pm for the NLL Semifinals against the San Diego Seals! Wear black to the game this Sunday to support the FireWolves as we blackout MVP Arena! Get your playoff tickets now starting at $23!

For more information regarding tickets, visit www.albanyfirewolves.com or call/text the FireWolves ticket hotline 518-612-4196.     

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 Firebirds of the Arena Football League and the Division I Men’s College Basketball Siena Saints. For more information, please visit https://www.mvparena.com/