Tag Archives: playoffs

National Lacrosse League Playoffs Begin Friday, May 5; Schedule Features Two Games on TSN and ESPNU

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) closed out its record-setting 2022-23 regular season in dramatic fashion yesterday, as the Halifax Thunderbirds defeated the Georgia Swarm, 17-11, to claim the final spot in the 2023 NLL Playoffs.

The Buffalo Bandits (14-4) and San Diego Seals (14-4) repeated as the East and West Conference regular season champions, respectively, and will have home floor advantage in next week’s single-elimination NLL Quarterfinals game. The Bandits earned the #1 overall seed by virtue of its win over Albany.

Each conference’s second seeds – the Toronto Rock (13-5, East) and Calgary Roughnecks (13-5, West) – will also host games next weekend.

This season’s playoff field features six teams from last year’s postseason, including the defending champion Colorado Mammoth (9-9). New this year are the Rochester Knighthawks (10-8) and Panther City Lacrosse Club (10-8).

TSN will carry two games: Toronto’s home tilt versus Halifax on Friday, May 5, at 7:30pm ET, and the Panther City-Calgary matchup on Saturday, May 6, at 9:30pm ET. ESPNU will also carry the Saturday playoff doubleheader starting with Buffalo hosting Rochester followed by the game at Calgary.

Here is the complete single-elimination NLL Quarterfinals broadcast schedule:
• Friday, May 5
– Halifax (E3) vs. Toronto (E2) at 7:30pm ET, TSN, TSN+, ESPN+
– Colorado (W4) vs. San Diego (W1) at 10pm ET, ESPN+, TSN+
• Saturday, May 6
– Rochester (E4) vs. Buffalo (E1) at 7pm ET, ESPNU, ESPN+, TSN+
– Panther City (W3) vs. Calgary (W2) at 9:30pm ET, TSN, TSN+, ESPNU, ESPN+

Next week’s winners advance to their respective best-of-three Conference Finals, with Games 1 and 2 scheduled for May 12-15, and any necessary Game 3 played between May 19-22. Conference champions will face off in the best-of-three NLL Finals starting the final weekend of May.

Exact dates and broadcast schedules for TSN and ESPN for the Conference Finals and NLL Finals rounds will be announced after the pairings and dates are set. To view the 2023 NLL Playoffs bracket, visit https://www.nll.com/standings/.

NLL Begins ‘The March to May’ as Teams Vie for Eight Playoff Spots in Season’s Final Weeks

With its teams battling for playoff berths and seeds in the remaining weeks of the regular season, “The March to May” is on in the National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league. Every matchup down the stretch will influence the eight-team NLL Playoffs that begin May 5-7.

“The March to May” begins with every NLL team in action during an eight-game slate this weekend, including seven contests on Saturday. The new campaign will be incorporated across all NLL channels, including broadcasts, NLL.com, social networks, and in-venue by all teams to promote their remaining regular season contests and push towards the playoffs.

“’The March to May’ clearly defines how the run up to the NLL Playoffs is an exciting time for fans, players, teams, and league partners as we collectively march towards the postseason played through the month of May,” said Kurt Hunzeker, Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations. “The campaign easily communicates the importance of every game as teams pursue the ultimate prize, the NLL Championship.”

As previously announced, the 2023 NLL Playoffs format will again feature the top four teams from the East Conference and top three from the West Conference, plus a “wild card” entry with the best record between the fourth-place team in the West standings and the fifth-place finisher in the East. This “wild card” will play in the West Conference side of the bracket as the fourth seed. The unique qualifying format gives fans in nearly every NLL market a chance to earn a spot in the postseason tournament.

Last year, the final week of the regular season featured 32 possible playoff seeding and qualifying combinations, and the final NLL Playoffs bracket wasn’t settled until the final game of the regular season was completed.

The first round will be single elimination, while the East and West Conference Finals and NLL Finals will each be a best-of-three series. Game 1 and 2 of the NLL Finals will be played during Memorial Day Weekend, while Game 3 of the NLL Finals, if necessary, is scheduled for the weekend of June 2-4. The complete broadcast TSN and ESPN broadcast schedules will be announced at a later date.

National Lacrosse League Announces Playoff Format and Playoff Schedule For 2022-23 Season

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league, today announced its eight-team playoff format for the 2022-23 season. The format will again feature the top four teams from the East Conference and top three from the West Conference, plus a “wild card” entry with the best record between the fourth-place team in the West standings and the fifth-place finisher in the East. This “wild card” will play in the West Conference side of the bracket as the fourth seed.

The first round of the 2023 NLL Playoffs, beginning the weekend of May 5-7, will be single elimination, while the Conference Finals and NLL Finals will each be a best-of-three series. Game 1 and 2 of the NLL Finals will be played during Memorial Day Weekend, while Game 3 of the NLL Finals, if necessary, is scheduled for the weekend of June 2-4.

“The NLL will have a regular season that every fan and every team in any sport desires, one where every regular season game will have meaning and relevance, “said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “We saw last year how the new playoff system drove interest and excitement down the stretch and are confident that this format will again maintain that season-long momentum, with the intensity reaching a crescendo with our playoffs.”

The full NLL regular season schedule, which begins this Friday when the Philadelphia Wings take on the Halifax Thunderbirds on TSN, ESPNews and ESPN+ at 6pm ET, is available at https://www.nll.com/schedule/full-schedule/. All games will be carried on ESPN+, TSN.ca and the TSN app.

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 the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

National Lacrosse League Playoff Pairings, Schedule Set As Buffalo, San Diego Win Conference Titles

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) regular season is complete, with Saturday’s results completing the expanded playoff format as eight teams have advanced to the NLL “Chase for the Championship,” beginning on Friday, May 6. Buffalo (14-4) and San Diego (10-8) are the East and West Conference regular season champions, respectively, and will have home floor advantage in Quarterfinal single-elimination games, along with Conference runners-up Toronto (13-5, East) and Calgary (10-8, West).

In the new NLL postseason format, the top four teams in the East (Buffalo, Toronto, Halifax, Albany) and top three in the West (San Diego, Calgary, Colorado) and one wild card team (Philadelphia) qualified. The Wings’ thrilling 11-10 victory in OT over Georgia last night gave them the final slot over the Swarm. Albany also secured its berth with a win over New York.

The Quarterfinal matchups are as follows:

(E3) Halifax at (E2) Toronto, Friday, May 6, 7:30 p.m. ET, Sports Interaction Game of the Week on TSN, ESPN+
(W3) Colorado at (W2) Calgary, Friday, May 6, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN.ca, Altitude
(E4) Albany at (E1) Buffalo, Saturday, May 7, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN.ca
(WC) Philadelphia at (W1) San Diego, Saturday, May 7, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN.ca, WPSG, FOX5

The Quarterfinal winners will meet in best-of-three Conference Finals: the first games are set for May 12-16), with Game 2 (May 19-23) and Game 3 (if necessary, May 26-30) set to close out the month (dates subject to change). The best-of-three NLL Finals will take place June 2-6, June 9-13, and June 16-20 (if necessary). Exact dates and broadcast schedules for media partners TSN and ESPN for the Conference Finals and NLL Finals rounds will be announced once the pairings and dates are set.

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Six Teams In, Three Fight For Final Two NLL Playoff Spots In Regular Season Finales Saturday

With one weekend of regular season play to go, several National Lacrosse League (NLL) matchups have critical playoff impact. Georgia (9-8), Albany (8-9) and Philadelphia (8-9) can still claim the final two spots, while Colorado (10-7), San Diego (9-8) and Calgary (9-8), which have already clinched the three West Conference slots, are vying for the West Conference regular season title and home playoff games in their respective contests this Saturday, April 30. The NLL playoffs begin with Quarterfinal action Friday, May 6.

Under the new expanded “Chase for the Championship” playoff format announced this season, the top four teams in the East, top three teams in the West and one wild card team with the next best record qualify.

In the East, Buffalo (14-3) is the Conference Champion and will have home floor advantage throughout the playoffs, beginning with its announced May 7 Quarterfinal. Toronto (12-5) has clinched a playoff berth and quarterfinal home game set for May 6, and Halifax (10-7) has secured a playoff spot. The breakdown for the contending East clubs is as follows:

Georgia:

  • Can clinch an East Conference playoff berth with a win vs. Philadelphia (Sat., 7 p.m. ET)
  • Can clinch a Wildcard playoff berth with a loss vs. Philadelphia AND Albany loss vs. New York (Sat., 7 p.m. ET)
  • Can be eliminated from playoff consideration with a loss vs. Philadelphia AND Albany win vs. New York

Albany:

  • Can clinch an East Conference playoff berth with a win vs. New York AND Georgia loss vs. Philadelphia
  • Can clinch a Wildcard playoff berth with a Philadelphia loss at Georgia
  • Can be eliminated from playoff consideration with a loss vs. New York AND Philadelphia win at Georgia

Philadelphia:

  • Can clinch an East Conference playoff berth with a win at Georgia AND Albany loss vs. New York
  • Can clinch a Wildcard playoff berth with a win at Georgia AND Albany win vs. New York
  • Can be eliminated from playoff consideration with a loss at Georgia

In the West, the three playoff teams will determine their respective slots as follows:

Colorado:

  • Can clinch the West Conference regular season title with a win at Calgary (Sat., 9 p.m. ET, TSN Sports Interaction Game of the Week)
  • Can clinch a Quarterfinal home game with a San Diego loss at Vancouver (Sat., 10 p.m. ET)

San Diego:

  • Can clinch the West Conference regular season title with a win at Vancouver AND Colorado loss at Calgary
  • Can clinch a Quarterfinal home game with a win at Vancouver, OR Calgary loss vs. Colorado

Calgary:

  • Can clinch the West Conference regular season title with a Win vs. Colorado AND San Diego loss at Vancouver
  • Can clinch a Quarterfinal home game with a win vs. Colorado

For the full standings, visit https://www.nll.com/standings/. The playoff schedule is as follows:

  • Quarterfinals, May 5-9, Single-elimination
  • Conference Finals, May 12-16, May 19-23, May 26-30 (if necessary) Best-of-three
  • NLL Finals, June 2-6, June 9-13, June 16-20 (if necessary) Best-of-three

Media partners ESPN and TSN will broadcast every playoff game. TSN and ESPN broadcast schedules for the quarterfinal round will be announced after the pairings are set. Follow along at NLL.com for clinching scenarios as they develop.

National Lacrosse League Championship Sets Whirlwind Seven-Week Playoff Schedule Outline

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced the outline of the 2022 Playoff schedule, which runs up to seven weeks from May 5 through June 20. Under the new expanded playoff format instituted for this season, the top four teams in the East, top three teams in the West and one wild card team with the next best record qualify. With 34 games on the schedule to determine playoff spots and seeds, the Chase to the Championship begins tomorrow, March 31 when the Philadelphia Wings host the East Conference leading, Buffalo Bandits, the first and only team to qualify thus far.

Media partners ESPN and TSN will provide live broadcasts of every game (beginning with the single-elimination quarterfinal matchups held May 5-9. The first game of the best-of-three Conference Finals is set for the following week (May 12-16), with Game 2 (May 19-23) and Game 3 (if necessary, May 26-30) set to close out the month (dates subject to change).

The best-of-three NLL Finals will take place June 2-6, June 9-13 and June 16-20 (if necessary). Exact dates and the TSN and ESPN broadcast schedules for all rounds will be announced once the teams have clinched playoff home games in each series.

“With a month left in the season, every team is still in the playoff hunt and all but one slot is still up for grabs,” said Jessica Berman, NLL Deputy Commissioner. “The Chase to the Championship gives every one of those games playoff implications, and fans are excited to watch their favorite teams vie for the title.”

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Cubs Take Down Yankees In Strat-O-Matic’s 2020 Baseball Playoff Simulation

Anthony Rizzo (credit: Arturo Pardavillo III)

It has been more than eight decades since the Cubs and Yankees met in the World Series, but according to the simulation posted today by Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com), the leader in sports simulation games, those two storied franchises will survive three rounds of playoffs and match up for the title next month. Chicago, behind four home runs and 10 RBI by MVP Anthony Rizzo, won it in seven games, a two-run single by unlikely hero Victor Caratini in the eighth inning of the deciding contest providing the winning margin in what would be Chicago’s second crown in five years and fourth in its history.

After edging sixth-seeded Miami in the N.L. Wild Card round, two games to one, No. 3 Chicago won its next series more efficiently, 3-1 over Atlanta and 4-1 over San Diego. The Yankees, the A.L. No 5 seed, had a similar run to the Series, sweeping Cleveland in the Wild Card round, taking Toronto, three games to one, and Minnesota, four games to one.

In the World Series, the Cubs took a three games to one lead before the Yankees earned wins in games five and six to set up the winner-take-all finale. Despite two home runs by Giancarlo Stanton, Caratini’s pinch hit put the Cubs up for good in the 8-5 victory. Rizzo hit .483 and also scored seven runs in the series, which pitted the same franchises who were paired in 1932 and 1938.

“It’s been a season unlike any other in so many ways,” said Hal Richman, Strat-O-Matic President. “And while these may not be the favored teams in either league, anything can happen in a short series, and the Strat-O-Matic simulation, which has annually been a good predictor of the winner, reflect that.”

Each round’s series results are below; fans can see linescores for each contest at www.strat-o-matic.com.

2020 Strat-O-Matic Baseball Playoff Simulation Results:

A.L. Wild Card Round
Toronto 2, Tampa Bay 1
New York 2, Cleveland 0
Minnesota 2, Houston 0
Chicago 2, Oakland 0

N.L. Wild Card
Los Angeles 2, Milwaukee 0
San Diego 2, St. Louis 1
Chicago 2, Miami 1
Atlanta 2, Cincinnati 1

A.L. Division Series
New York 3, Toronto 1
Minnesota 3, Chicago 1

N.L. Division Series
San Diego 3, Los Angeles 2
Chicago 3, Atlanta 1

Championship Series
New York 4, Minnesota 1
Chicago 4, San Diego 1

World Series
Chicago 4, New York 3

IDSCA Offers Action on the 2019 NBA Playoffs, Beginning Saturday

IDSCA, a pay per head site, will offer players the opportunity to bet on the 2019 NBA Playoffs starting April 13. That is the start date for the playoffs, when the post-season tournament will begin, eventually ending with the crowning of a new champion.

In 2018, IDSCA online bookie software also allowed players to bet on the NBA playoffs. Many players, as well as bookies, made quite a bit of money when the Golden State Warriors won another championship. Compared to last year, the field this year is more wide open. While some teams have separated themselves from the pack in terms of wins, there does not seem to be the clear, consensus favorite that there was a year ago.

“Anything can happen in the NBA this year. Sure, Golden State has to be a favorite, but that record says they aren’t as dominant as they used to be. This makes for a great opportunity for bookies and players. We’re excited to see the kind of money that our bookies are going to make during this playoff season,” said Julio Vargas, marketing manager of IDSCA.

In addition to the NBA playoffs, IDSCA also offers betting on the NHL playoffs, college basketball tournament, baseball season and more. The site also includes online casino games as well as the option to bet on horse racing.

For more information about the 2019 NBA playoffs, betting on basketball or to make a press inquiry, visit https://www.idsca.com/ or contact IDSCA at (866) 225-5437.