The New York Riptide and Vancouver Warriors will play each other in the penultimate game for each team in the 2023-2024 season on April 13th at 10:00 PM EST. Both teams are coming off massive wins that increased each of their playoff chances. The Riptide went on the road to upstate New York and walked out with a 14-9 victory over the Knighthawks. Jeff Teat and Stephen Keogh led the Riptide offense while Cam Dunkerley was sensational, making 49 saves and collecting the W. Vancouver played spoiler in their matchup with the Halifax Thunderbirds, as the T-birds could have clinched their playoff spot with a win. The Warriors came back from a three-goal deficit at the half to stay alive in the playoff race. Keegan Ball was the catalyst for the comeback with five goals in the second half.
Playoff Picture:
The New York Riptide are currently in the eighth and final spot in the playoff picture at 8-8. The Riptide and Panther City have the same record, but Panther City holds the edge by winning the head-to-head matchup. The Riptide holds a one-game edge over Calgary, Saskatchewan & Vancouver, who are all 7-9 on the season. New York will look for another strong effort on the road before returning home for the final home game in Uniondale, New York. This meeting between the two teams will have massive implications around the league on who slides into the final spot, as the Warriors and Riptide are 1-1 against each other in the team’s histories. 
MVP Race:
The MVP race is as wide open as it has been in the last couple of seasons. Dhane Smith leads the league in assists, while Josh Byrne leads the league in points, but the Bandits have underperformed this year as the reigning NLL champions. Nick Rose has been sensational this season for the Rock in goal, with a 13-2 record, along with an 81% save percentage, which is first in the NLL. Nick Rose is one of only two beginning goalies In the NLL with a sub-10 Goals Allowed Average. Nick Rose is letting up 9.27 goals a game, compared to last year’s MVP, Christian Del Bianco, who is averaging 10.48 goals a game. 
The final Candidate at the moment is Jeff Teat, who has had the most impact on his individual team’s improvement from last year. The Riptide were the third worst team in the league, and Teat has turned the franchise around to be in a playoff position with two games to go. Jeff is leading the NLL in goals while being just two points behind Josh Byrne. Jeff’s 51 goals are the most in the NLL, as he is the only player who has eclipsed the 50-goal mark in the 2024 season.
Milestone Watch:
Reilly O’Connor is second on the Riptide in assists this season with 48. He is closing in on a career milestone as he sits just three assists away from 300 in his career. Through eight seasons, O’Connor has amassed 423 points in his career, with 120+ in less than two full seasons with the Riptide. Kiel Matisz was held scoreless last game, as he still sits just three goals shy of 200 in his career. Another veteran in this league, Matisz has been producing for eleven seasons in the NLL and is having his best year since 2019 with Philadelphia.
