Firewolves announce 2023-24 schedule

Franchise hosts Buffalo and Colorado, among nine home games

The Albany Firewolves on Tuesday released their 2023-24 schedule, an 18-game slate that includes home games against the defending National Lacrosse League champion Buffalo Bandits and the Western Conferencewinning Colorado Mammoth.

The Firewolves make their home debut Dec. 9 against the Bandits at MVP Arena and host the Mammoth Feb. 17. Eight of Albany’s nine home games are on Saturday. The only exception is a Friday, March 8 contest against the Vancouver Warriors.

“Every year, the schedule release is an exciting time for fans, players and staff. It means Firewolves lacrosse is coming!” Firewolves president Chris Porreca said in a news release. “We look forward to sharing an exciting season with fans and community partners as we enter our third year.”

Albany opens the season Dec. 1 at the Las Vegas Desert Dogs.

The Firewolves will play all of the NLL’S other 14 teams at least once as part of a change in the league’s format, also announced Tuesday. The NLL is doing away with East and West divisions in favor of “Unified Standings,” in which the 15 teams are ranked regardless of geography. The top eight will make the playoffs.

“The revamped standings, schedule and playoff formats provide a streamlined, easy-to-follow, and fiercely competitive method of determining our playoff teams and, ultimately, our champion,” NLL commissioner Brett Frood said in a news release.

“This also affords us flexibility in matching up teams to sustain lasting rivalries, create new ones, and maximize fan and partner engagement across the league.”

The Firewolves will play four opponents twice, home and away: Las Vegas (Dec. 1 and Feb. 3 in Albany), Buffalo (Dec. 9 and Feb. 24 in Buffalo), New York (March 2 in Albany and April 20 on Long Island) and Rochester (March 9 in Rochester and March 16 in Albany).

Albany, which went 315 last season, plays backto-back nights once: March 8 at home against Vancouver and March 9 at Rochester.