Albany, NY – The Albany FireWolves (2-0) defeated the Buffalo Bandits (0-1) in a huge 17-13 win in front of their home crowd in what will be a home opener to remember.
Thanks to a 5 goal 3 assist performance by forward Alex Simmons, Doug Jamieson standing tall in net, and a gritty effort all around, the FireWolves pulled off a statement win.
The scoring was balanced with the offensive spreading the love with 5 goal scorers and the defense scoring 3 huge goals to keep the momentum going as Buffalo attempted a comeback in the 3rd Quarter. Head Coach Glenn Clark and staff pulled off a great game plan and frustrated the defending NLL Champs.
The scoring started as Albany converted on their first power play with Simmons threading a pass to Ethan Walker for a quick stick goal to go up 1-0. Buffalo answered with 2 goals, but Marshall Powless would even the score back up with another power play goal before the end of the 1st Quarter making it 2-2.
The 2nd Quarter saw the FireWolves score 8 goals as Joe Nardella won faceoff after faceoff and the Albany shooters were finding the holes on Buffalo goalie Matt Vinc. Goals from Simmons, Powless, and Longboat got the crowd on their feet heading into halftime with the score 10-6.
The Bandits wouldn’t go quietly as they closed the gap to two goals and the teams traded highlight reel goals. To start the 4th Quarter, Jackson Nishimura scored his first of the season on the breakaway and Patrick Kaschalk followed it up with a bouncer on the breakaway making it 14-10. With the clock winding down in the 4th Quarter, the Bandits made another push for a comeback, but 2 Simmons’ goals were the dagger to seal the win for the FireWolves.
The FireWolves and Bandits players were physical all game as there were several fights and big loose ball battles. Jamieson made 33 saves to keep the Bandits high powered offense at bay and Nardella won 22 faceoffs to dominate possessions.
There is definitely a rivalry brewing between these two teams as Albany has beat the Bandits in their first meeting two seasons in a row.
Next up for the FireWolves, is a trip to Philadelphia to take on the Wings and an opportunity to keep the good times rolling for Albany. Game time is set for 1 PM ET at Wells Fargo Center and will be broadcast on ESPN+, TSN+, and locally on MY4.
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/.
