In a historic moment for the Albany FireWolves, they clinched their first-ever NLL playoff victory since their relocation to Albany in 2021. The FireWolves triumphed over the Halifax Thunderbirds with a decisive 9-3 win on Sunday at the MVP Arena.
The star of the match was undoubtedly goalie Doug Jamieson, who set a new personal best with an impressive 52 saves. This feat marks only the fourth instance in NLL playoff history where a goalie has conceded 3 or fewer goals, with the record standing at 2.
Leading the charge in Albany’s scoring were Travis Longboat and John Wagner, each netting two goals. Tye Kurtz, Jackson Nishimura, Alex Simmons, and Ethan Walker also contributed to the victory with a goal each.
Next up for the FireWolves is a best-of-3 series against the San Diego Seals in the semifinals. The first game is set to kick off in San Diego on Friday at 10:30 p.m., followed by Game 2 on Sunday, May 5, at 3 p.m.
The FireWolves demonstrated their dominance in the second quarter, outscoring the Thunderbirds 3-0 to secure a 4-1 lead at halftime. Following a goal from Halifax, Albany responded with goals from Longboat and Walker, extending their lead to 6-2.
In the final quarter, Albany continued their scoring spree, netting 3 goals to the Thunderbirds’ none, including two into an empty net, to secure their victory.
Yeah, great win for the FireWolves! Can’t wait to see how they do in the semifinals.
Great job, FireWolves! #SemifinalsBound