Philadelphia, PA – The Albany FireWolves (2-0) are on the road this weekend to take on the Philadelphia Wings (1-1) in an early afternoon matchup at the Wells Fargo Center. Tune into ESPN+, TSN+, or locally on MY4 this Saturday at 1 PM ET as the FireWolves aim for a 3-0 start.
The FireWolves are the hottest team in the National Lacrosse League after decisive wins in their first two games against Las Vegas and Buffalo. The Wings will provide another big test for this young team. Â
Offensive FirepowerÂ
The FireWolves lead the league with five players having 10 or more points. The offense has been sharing the wealth and showing their scoring depth as they have put up 29 total goals scored. They are led by Ethan Walker and Rookie Alex Simmons who both have 12 points, which is tied for third in the NLL. Right now, it feels like any player on their offense could explode for a big game. Â
Don’t Mess With The FireWolvesÂ
The offense has gotten most of the spotlight, but the toughness and grittiness of FireWolves players on both sides of the ball has been a huge factor in their wins. Whether it’s been battles for loose balls, fighting through picks, or even several actual fights, this young team is not going back down. Buffalo thought they could come into MVP Arena and push them around, but the FireWolves answered the bell and have simply been out working their opponents. Â
Father vs SonÂ
This game will also feature a chance for Albany Head Coach Glenn Clark to play against his son Taggart who is a forward on the Wings. Taggart scored his first career NLL goal last week against Toronto and if he is in the lineup again it will be a historic moment for the Clark family. Â
Scouting The Wings Â
The Wings are 1-1 to start the season and will be playing their first home game at Wells Fargo Center with their devoted fans behind them. They will be without Captain Blaze Riorden and forward Holden Cattoni due to injuries, but their offense is still potent with Mitch Jones and Joe Resetarits being two of the top scorers in the league. In the FireWolves and Wings last meeting on April, 23, 2023, the game went to overtime where the Wings pulled out the win 10-9.Â
FireWolves Players To WatchÂ
Marshall Powless has provided some highlight reel plays so far this season, but it is his 16 loose balls that have really made a big difference to gain those extra offensive possessions. Powless’ crafty play style has injected the FireWolves with some creative flair. Â
Patrick Kaschalk has 2 goals in two games and both came at big moments as the defender has been a sparkplug for the team. Against Buffalo, he was a part of a few fights that got the crowd going and his goal brought the crowd to their feet. Kaschalk’s style of play will be crucial versus a tough Wings team. Â
Doug Jamieson has once again been the backbone of the FireWolves by making the saves he’s needed to and more. His steady presence along with an improved defensive group in front of him has Albany off to a great start. Â
Opposing Players To Watch Â
Mitch Jones scored 44 goals last season and is one of the best lefty forwards in the league. He can do a little bit of everything: hit corners from the outside, get underneath his defender and finish on the crease, or feed his teammates with great passing. Â
Zach Higgins has solidified himself as a great goaltender in the NLL the past three seasons as the Wings’ starter. His 81% Save Percentage through two games is near the top of the league so the FireWolves offense will need to work hard to find ways to beat him. Â
Joe Resetarits is no stranger to the FireWolves as he played with the team in their inaugural season in 2022. Resetarits is a veteran forward who is looking to score 100 points for the third season in a row. Â Â
Single game tickets for the 2023-2024 FireWolves season are available now! 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/.
