Buffalo, NY – This past weekend, the Albany FireWolves (8-2) went into Buffalo in front of a crowd of 17,953 and stunned the Buffalo Bandits (5-5) with a huge 13-10 win. The dominant performance saw their offense continue to build chemistry while the whole team banded together to show that this turnaround is not a fluke. Let’s look at the key numbers that led to the FireWolves eighth win of the 2023-24 National Lacrosse League (NLL) season.
93% Faceoff Win Percentage By Joe Nardella
Joe Nardella has been an unsung hero for the FireWolves success this season and he put in his best faceoff performance of the season in the wild environment of Banditland. Nardella won 25 of 27 faceoffs and scooped up 14 loose balls, allowing Albany to control the game’s pace. The Bandits do not have a true faceoff man, so Nardella took full advantage with clean win after clean win as he popped it to himself or out to a teammate. Especially in the fourth quarter when things got a little dicey, the FireWolves knew that they would get most of the faceoff wins and could wind down the clock for the win. He is currently fourth in the NLL in total faceoff win percentage at 68%. Nardella’s steady presence in the faceoff circle has been fueling this great season the FireWolves are putting in through 10 games.
| OPP. |
FOW |
FOA |
FO% |
| Las Vegas |
15 |
25 |
60% |
| Buffalo |
21 |
29 |
72% |
| Philadelphia |
22 |
29 |
80% |
| Saskatchewan |
22 |
25 |
88% |
| Halifax |
9 |
26 |
35% |
| Georgia |
19 |
24 |
79% |
| San Diego |
11 |
24 |
46% |
| Las Vegas |
16 |
20 |
80% |
| Colorado |
14 |
26 |
54% |
| Buffalo |
25 |
27 |
93% |
| Total |
174 |
255 |
68% |
6 Goals By Tye Kurtz
The FireWolves rookies have been on fire all season, but Tye Kurtz chose to have the best game of his short career on the big stage of the KeyBank Center. Kurtz’s 6 goals are his career high and the most that any Albany player has scored in a game this season. It’s also the first sock trick in Albany FireWolves history since the team moved to the Capital Region for the 2021-2022 season. Kurtz scored with pinpoint outside shots, a shovel shot, and even a dunk from behind the net. Head coach Glenn Clark has been high on Kurtz since they drafted him and knew that he would be a high-end offensive player in this league. Through 10 career games, Kurtz is already making a case as one of the best goal scorers in the NLL.
1 Goalie Goal
To cap off the FireWolves’ most complete game as a team this season, goalie Doug Jamieson decided to get in on the scoring and launched a bounce shot down the floor right in the middle of the empty net with under 10 seconds left to make it 13-10. Goalie goals are very rare in the NLL and it turns out Jamieson is one of the few to actually now have 2 goalie goals. He scored with the New England Black Wolves back in 2019. Jamieson played another great game against the Bandits with 46 saves, but his goalie goal to seal the game in Buffalo will be a moment this team will remember forever.
The Albany FireWolves will return to action back home at MVP Arena on Saturday, March 2 at 7 pm for Marvel Super Hero Night. The first 3,000 fans will receive a Marvel Legends Of Lax comic book.
Single game tickets for the 2023-2024 FireWolves season are available now! Join us for Marvel Night as the first 3,000 fans will receive an NLL themed comic book featuring FireWolves players Doug Jamieson, Marshall Powless, and Colton Watkinson on the cover. 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/
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