ALBANY, NY – The Albany FireWolves (2-8) will welcome the Philadelphia Wings (5-4) to MVP Arena on Saturday, February 22 at 7 pm for an action-packed night in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
The game on the turf will be thrilling, but off the floor the FireWolves will have over a dozen mascots attending to celebrate their mascot Alphie’s birthday with several exciting in game promotions. Alphie’s Birthday will also include a mascots vs kids lacrosse game at halftime.
Tickets are available starting as low as $15.96 when fans call into the FireWolves office at (518) 362-4900. The game will be available to watch on ESPN+, TSN+, NLL+, and locally on MY4.
Don’t Hold Anything Back
At this point in the NLL season, the FireWolves cannot hold anything back as they work to start stringing together wins to make a run for playoff contention. In previous games, they have let off the gas pedal and let their opponents dictate the tempo for key stretches of the game. When the FireWolves play lacrosse with pace, fun, and no fear they are capable of scoring in bunches and controlling a game. For this group to find success in the second half of the season, they will need to start playing with a chip on their shoulders to compete at the level that they know they can. With Captain Colton Watkinson returning to the lineup last game and offensive stars like Alex Simmons stepping up, the FireWolves still have their fate in their own hands.
Battle Of The #1 Picks
The #1 Pick in the 2023 NLL Draft was FireWolves forward Dyson Williams. The #1 Pick in the 2024 NLL Draft was Wings forward Brennan O’Neill. The last two top drafts picks will finally face each other in the NLL, but their history already runs deep. Williams and O’Neill were teammates at Duke University for four years before entering the pro ranks and are both rookies this season. So far O’Neill has the edge in rookie scoring with 37 points (16g, 21a) compared to Williams’ 35 points (13g, 22a), but it will be exciting to see them go head-to-head and try to out due one another in a game.
Scouting The Wings
Philadelphia has one of the oldest rosters in the NLL with an average age of 29 compared to Albany’s average age of 26. The Wings have used their veteran offensive players to come up with late wins so far this season. Their top three scorers are all 30 years old or more with players like Mitch Jones and Joe Resetarits being some of the top goal scorers in the league’s history. Goalie Nick Damude is a younger goalie in the league and has been a difference maker for them so far this season. The FireWolves defeated the Wings 15-10 in their last meeting during the 2023-2024 season in dominating fashion.
FireWolves Players To Watch
Ethan Walker has been very consistent on offense for the FireWolves this season and last time he faced the Wings he put up 2 goals and 3 assists.
Mike Byrne is the hardest working player on Albany and the defenseman is a threat to score in transition with 2 goals on the season so far.
Joe Nardella leads the NLL with a 66% faceoff win percentage and his success will be crucial for a win against Philadelphia.
Opposing Players To Watch
Joe Resetarits is the leader of the Wings offense with his great passing and elite shooting.
Brennan O’Neill is a big and athletic forward who the FireWolves will need to play tough to limit his production.
Nick Damude has been solid in net for Philadelphia so Albany will need to move the ball well to find them openings on him.
Get tickets now for Alphie’s Birthday tonight! Fans can take advantage of the best ticket prices around starting at $15.96! For more information regarding tickets, visit www.albanyfirewolves.com or call/text the FireWolves front office at 518-675-8678 to avoid fees.
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) 675-8678 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 14 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, Ottawa Black Bears, 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 AFL 1 Arena Football League and the Division I Men’s College Basketball Siena Saints. For more information, please visit https://www.mvparena.com/
