The National Lacrosse League will close out the 2000 season with the league's championship game on Saturday, 6 May at 3:00 PM. That game will pit the visiting Rochester Knighthawks against the defending NLL champion Toronto Rock. The contest has the potential for historical significance as it could mark the last sporting event to be played in 68-year-old Maple Leaf Gardens.

The Rock announced earlier this month that they will move to the Air Canada Centre next season. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, who owns the building, is currently reviewing offers from potential buyers for the facility.

It would be fitting to have a lacrosse game close out the building. The sport was being played there as long ago as 1932, about six months after MLG opened. In addition, a late 19th century monthly publication noted that "the game of lacrosse...was adapted as the national game of Canada on the 1st of July 1859." On 12 May 1994, the following Bill (C-212) received Royal Assent and became law: "To recognize Hockey as Canada’s National Winter Sport and Lacrosse as Canada’s National Summer Sport." (This decree is known as Canada’s "National Sport Act.")

The Rock joined the NLL in the league’s first season, 1998, playing out of Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario as the Ontario Raiders. Since moving to MLG prior to the start of last season, the team is now 14-1 in that building, including their 14-10 win this past Saturday night over the Philadelphia Wings in a NLL semifinal playoff game.

Last year’s Championship Game at Maple Leaf Gardens sold out, with 15,691 watching the Rock beat Rochester 13-10. This year Toronto set new regular season team attendance records twice, drawing 15,050 on 31 March for their game against the Pittsburgh CrosseFire, then 15,078 on 8 April when the team beat the expansion Albany Attack.

Tickets for the Championship Game went on sale earlier this week. Prices range from $11.00 to $28.00 (Canadian funds) and tickets can be purchased in person at the Air Canada Centre box office or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at 416.872.5000.