RECAP: FIREWOLVES TRAINING CAMP WEEK 2

SIX NATIONS – Training Camp resumed for the Albany FireWolves this past weekend as they competed in two preseason scrimmages against the Halifax Thunderbirds and Rochester Knighthawks at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena on the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve. The FireWolves continue to build toward their Home Opener against the Saskatchewan Rush on Saturday, November 30 at MVP Arena. Single Game Tickets are available now: https://albanyfirewolves.com/tickets/single-game-tickets/

The FireWolves came away with a 20-9 victory over Halifax on Saturday and then fell 10-14 to the Rochester Knighthawks on Sunday. Preparing for the National Lacrosse League (NLL) season is always a challenge, but with the bulk of Albany’s roster returning from last season’s run to the NLL Finals and several exciting additions, they are in great shape to pick up where they left off.  

With 29 players on the training camp roster heading into the weekend, FireWolves Head Coach Glenn Clark and his staff mixed and matched the lineups for each scrimmage to give players their chance to shine.  

In their 20-9 win versus Halifax on Saturday, the FireWolves got out to a fast start and were firing on all cylinders on both ends of the floor. The offense was fast paced with multiple players showcasing great shooting and chemistry. The defense worked effectively as a group and pushed transition every chance they got. Doug Jamieson played the first half and looks poised for another goalie of the year caliber season. Andrew Kidd played the second half and made several great saves.    

Travis Longboat led the way with 5 goals and looks to improve upon his impressive numbers last season. The FireWolves #1 Draft pick from 2023, Dyson Williams, shined in his first NLL action as he scored 4 goals in a variety of different ways. 2024 NLL Rookie of the Year Alex Simmons scored 3 goals and is ready for a big sophomore season. New addition Eric Fannell added 2 goals. John Piatelli, Marshall Powless, Nicholas Volkov, Tye Kurtz, Jake Cates, and Jakson Raposo each scored 1 goal.  

Watch the highlights from the FireWolves scrimmage against Halifax below:

The next day against Rochester, it only took 10 seconds for Albany to score off the faceoff as Nick Chaykowsky found the back of the net. They would go up 4-0 before the Knighthawks got on the board with a goal. With Jamieson back in net for the first half, the FireWolves controlled the pace as they held a 5-3 lead at halftime. Joe Nardella was excellent on faceoffs and helped spark transition chances throughout the game. New addition Will Johnston played the second half in net and was solid against the Knighthawks shooters. Rochester would make a push in the second half and their deadly offensive group went on big scoring run that would lead them to the 14-10 win over Albany.  

There were bright spots throughout the scrimmage as the FireWolves answered Rochester’s scoring runs with goals of their own and great team plays. A preseason loss like this will help Albany work out the kinks in their defensive and offensive systems. Williams, Piatelli, and Chaykowsky each scored twice to pace Albany. Jackson Nishimura, Simmons, Powless, and Raposo each added 1 goal to round out the scoring. 

Several rookies got their first taste of NLL action and impressed in their first time wearing a FireWolves jersey. Dyson Williams showed his scoring touch with 6 goals on the weekend, but it was his hustle plays, slick passing, and overall lacrosse IQ that set him apart. Jakson Raposo was all over the floor scooping up tough loose balls and scored 2 big transition goals. Zac Masson immediately let Rochester feel his presence with some physical play and put Connor Fields on the ground in a one-on-one matchup late in the game.  

With two more weekends to go before their first regular season game, the FireWolves are already building great chemistry and confidence, which is quite the contrast to the uncertainty from a year ago. The 2024-2025 FireWolves will be a team built on its strong defense and goaltending, tenacious style of play, and an incredibly talented offense. This team has their sights set on another shot at the NLL Cup this Spring. 

Following this past weekend’s scrimmages, the FireWolves released Saam Olexo, JP Ward, and Brendon Hoechsmann. Training Camp will continue with the FireWolves last preseason scrimmage against the Philadelphia Wings on Sunday, November 17 at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. 

The FireWolves will begin the 2024-2025 NLL season with their Home Opener on Saturday, November 30 at MVP Arena against the Saskatchewan Rush. The game will be a WHITEOUT and all fans are encouraged to wear white to support the FireWolves.  

Don’t miss out on the FireWolves’ Home Opener Family Pack of 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 sodas for only $99! Purchase the deal here: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/AFWFamilyPack 

Season tickets for the FireWolves 2024-25 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 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 Empire 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/