10 THINGS ABOUT NLL WEEK 7

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) hits full stride with eight games over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All 15 NLL teams will be in action (Halifax twice).

Here are 10 things to know about the NLL for Week 7:

Albany visits Halifax (Friday, 6:30 p.m. ET) at Scotiabank Centre in a key East Conference matchup as the TSN Game of the Week (also available on ESPN+, TSN.ca, TSN app).
Rochester (4-0) and San Diego (4-0) remained unbeaten after wins last week. The Knighthawks, who have already matched their win total from 2021-22, visit New York on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN.ca, TSN app), while the Seals travel to Calgary on Saturday (9 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. MT, ESPN+, TSN.ca, TSN app).
Josh Byrne (New Westminster, B.C.) of the Buffalo Bandits has been named a candidate for the World Games 2022 Athlete of the Year after leading the tournament in goals and points across the competition as Team Canada claimed the gold medal with an undefeated record.
The NLL will be well-represented at the USA Lacrosse Convention in Baltimore from Jan. 20-22. Buffalo standouts Josh Byrne (New Westminster, B.C.) and Dhane Smith (Kitchener, Ont.) will be on hand along with Bandits head coach John Tavares.

In NLL community news, the New York Riptide and Warrior Lacrosse have partnered on a community-based collaboration focused around Warrior athlete and Riptide star and reigning National Lacrosse League Rookie of the Year Jeff Teat. It’s highlighted by “Teat’s Warriors,” a program that will include tickets being provided to underprivileged communities. Additionally, Teat will take part in multiple stick stringing clinics for children at Lacrosse Unlimited locations on Long Island with scheduled dates coming soon.
ESPN SportsCenter highlighted the Desert Dogs’ Erik Turner (St. Albert, Alb.) (Friday, #8) and Thunderbirds’ Eric Fannell (St. Catharines, Ont.) (Saturday, #6) goals in their Top 10 plays.
The NLL today launched its official TikTok channel (@NLL_Official), adding to the suite of NLL social media outlets.
UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling was seen at the Las Vegas Desert Dogs home game against Philadelphia Wings. His enthusiastic support for the homestanding Desert Dogs created some buzz in the crowd and in the sports media world.
Some milestones players eclipsed last week include:

- Buffalo forward Dhane Smith (Kitchener, Ont.) now has 700 loose ball recoveries after notching six at Georgia on Saturday
- Halifax forward Ryan Benesch (Elmira, Ont.) passed Gary Gait for seventh all-time with 1,166 assists with four against Albany Saturday
- Halifax forward Eric Fannell (St. Catharines, Ont.) now has 104 career points after his four-goal, two assist effort at Albany
- Halifax defenseman Graeme Hossack (Port Perry, Ont.) now has 804 loose ball recoveries with nine recorded at Albany
- Halifax defenseman Jake Withers became the 11^th player to reach 1,200 career faceoff wins
- Georgia transition player Jordan MacIntosh (Oakville, Ont.) became the 10th player all-time with more than 1,500 loose ball recoveries when he recorded seven vs. Buffalo on Saturday
- Georgia forward Lyle Thompson (Onandaga Nation, N.Y.) now has 301 career assists after notching two vs. Buffalo
- Colorado forward Rhys Duch (Victoria, B.C.) became the 12th player in league history to reach 1,000 points with his five-point performance vs. Calgary on Saturday
- Toronto defenseman Mitch de Snoo (Oshawa, Ont.) has now played in 100 career games
- San Diego forward Wesley Berg (Coquitlam, B.C.) now has 401 loose ball recoveries after grabbing two vs. Vancouver on Saturday
- San Diego forward Curtis Dickson (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) now has 400 assists after posting two vs. Vancouver
- Vancouver forward Shawn Evans (Peterborough, Ont.) became the sixth player in league history to reach 1,300 points with five vs. San Diego.
- Vancouver forward Mitch Jones (Delta, B.C.) surpassed the 400 points and 600 loose ball recoveries vs. San Diego

Some milestones players may reach this week include:

- Albany forward Kieran McArdle (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) needs three points to reach 200
- Albany forward Jerome Thompson (Nedrow, N.Y.) needs three points to reach 100
- Buffalo forward Kyle Buchanan (Nepean, Ont.) needs three goals to reach 200
- Calgary forward Josh Currier (Peterborough, Ont.) needs two goals to reach 100
- Georgia forward Shayne Jackson (Bowmanville, Ont.) needs one assist to reach 400
- Halifax defenseman David Brock (Burlington, Ont.) needs three points to reach 100
- Halifax forward Austin Shanks (Courtise, Ont.) needs one goal to reach 100
- Las Vegas forward Jacob Ruest (Cornwall, Ont.) needs three goals to reach 100
- New York defenseman Damon Edwards (Toronto) needs one point for 100
- Panther City forward Patrick Dodds (Victoria, B.C.) needs two points to reach 100
- Philadelphia forward Blaze Riorden (Fairport, N.Y.) needs one assist to reach 100
- Rochester defenseman Dan Coates (St Catharines, Ont.) needs eight faceoff wins to reach 500
- San Diego forward Dane Dobbie (Elora, Ont.) needs nine points to become the 13^th player in league history to reach 1,000
- Saskatchewan defenseman Ryan Dilks (Edmonton, Alb.) needs five points to reach 100
- Saskatchewan forward Matthew Dinsdale (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs one goal to reach 100
- Toronto forward Stephen Keogh (Toronto) needs one assist to reach 200
- Vancouver forward Shawn Evans (Peterborough, Ont.) needs one goal to pass Mark Steenhuis for ninth on the all-time list with 460. Should he play this weekend, he will tie Las Vegas Desert Dogs head coach/general manager and NLL Hall of Famer (Class of 2021) Shawn Williams for 10^th all time
- Vancouver forward Riley Loewen (Burnaby, B.C.) needs three points to reach 300