The suddenly surging San Diego Seals (5-5), who just days ago ended Buffalo’s National Lacrosse League-leading 16-game win streak, will return to Pechanga Arena this Saturday night (Feb. 22) for the back half of a home-and-home against the two-time reigning NLL Champion and first-place Bandits (7-1). Faceoff is 7 p.m. PT.
It’ll be Margaritaville Night at Pechanga Arena, presented by the Margaritaville San Diego Hotel, and the evening will feature free San Diego Seals straw hats for the first 4,000 fans in attendance and a halftime performance from long-time Jimmy Buffet lead guitarist Mac MacAnally.
Sitting at 3-5 just two weeks ago, the Seals are suddenly one of the NLL’s hottest teams. Team Captain Wes Berg has put the Seals on his shoulders and scored game-winning goals in back-to-back games, including his most recent 5:02 into overtime last Saturday night to give the Seals a 14-13 win over the Bandits at the Key Bank Center in Buffalo. Buffalo came into the game red hot, having won 16 straight games, including playoffs, with their last defeat having come at the hands of the now defunct Panther City Lacrosse Club on March 22, 2024.
Berg’s game winner against the Bandits capped a game-leading and season-high five goal night for the Seals captain. Transition player Zach Currier backed up Berg’s performance with a season-high three goals, while Rob Hellyer, Dylan Watson and Ben McIntosh each scored two goals apiece. Currier, who now leads the NLL with 110 loose balls secured on the season, paced a stout defensive performance for the Seals as he led the way with a season-best 14 loose balls secured against the Bandits, while he and Hellyer both had a team-high four of the Seals 20 caused turnovers. And in net, goaltender Chris Origlieri put together his second straight clutch performance, holding Buffalo scoreless for the final 11:56 while stopping 39 shots.
Two weeks ago, the snapped a three-game losing streak in Toronto with Hellyer scoring a goal with 1:16 left in the fourth that tied the game, 10-10, before Berg netted the game winner just 27 seconds later.
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