The 2005 National Lacrosse League season will open with two games on New Year's Day, the league announced today.

It is the first time the season will open on a holiday -- and the first time games have ever been played on 1 January -- although several games over the years have been played on New Year's Eve.

Apparently an attempt to establish a tradition similar to the NBA's Christmas games, the 1 January doubleheader begins in Rochester, where the Knighthawks host the expansion Minnesota franchise.

Ninety minutes later, the Calgary Roughnecks and the Colorado Mammoth reprise their 2004 Western Division Championship Game showdown at Pepsi Center. Calgary won that game, and went on to win its first Champion's Cup two weeks later.

The other seven teams will begin action in Week Two, a six-game slate highlighted by playoff rematches in Calgary (against San Jose) and Buffalo (against Toronto).

The sixteen-week regular season ends on Sunday, 17 April, when Toronto visits Calgary.

The scheduling template for 2005 is similar to that used one season ago, with Eastern Division teams playing twelve games against each other and four against clubs from the Western Division.

Minnesota's addition to the league reduces each Eastern rivalry to three games, though, with each team getting the extra home game against two division foes. For example, Philadelphia hosts Toronto and Rochester twice each, but must visit Buffalo and Minnesota two times apiece.

The Western Division format is essentially unchanged, with differing amounts of interdivisional play. While Vancouver only plays two games against the Eastern Division, Anaheim is scheduled for five such games.

The 2005 National Lacrosse League schedule (all times Eastern):

Sat  1 Jan             Minnesota @ Rochester        7:35
Sat  1 Jan               Calgary @ Colorado         9:00

Fri  7 Jan          Philadelphia @ Arizona          9:30
Fri  7 Jan              San Jose @ Calgary          9:30
Sat  7 Jan               Toronto @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat  8 Jan               Arizona @ Colorado         9:00
Sat  8 Jan          Philadelphia @ Anaheim         10:30
Sat  8 Jan             Vancouver @ San Jose        10:30

Sat 15 Jan             Minnesota @ Toronto          7:30
Sat 15 Jan               Arizona @ Rochester        7:35

Fri 21 Jan               Buffalo @ Minnesota        8:30
Fri 21 Jan              Colorado @ Arizona          9:30
Fri 21 Jan               Calgary @ Vancouver       11:00
Sat 22 Jan               Toronto @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat 22 Jan               Buffalo @ Colorado         9:00
Sat 22 Jan             Vancouver @ Calgary          9:30
Sat 22 Jan             Rochester @ Anaheim         10:30
Sat 22 Jan               Arizona @ San Jose        10:30

Fri 28 Jan               Buffalo @ Philadelphia     7:30
Fri 28 Jan             Rochester @ Toronto          7:30
Fri 28 Jan               Anaheim @ Minnesota        8:30
Sat 29 Jan          Philadelphia @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat 29 Jan               Toronto @ Rochester        7:35
Sat 29 Jan               Arizona @ Vancouver        8:00
Sat 29 Jan               Calgary @ Anaheim         10:30
Sat 29 Jan              Colorado @ San Jose        10:30

Fri  4 Feb              Colorado @ Calgary          9:30
Fri  4 Feb             Vancouver @ Arizona         10:00
Sat  5 Feb               Anaheim @ Vancouver        8:00
Sat  5 Feb              San Jose @ Philadelphia     8:00

Fri 11 Feb               Anaheim @ Buffalo          7:30
Fri 11 Feb               Toronto @ Minnesota        8:30
Sat 12 Feb               Calgary @ Toronto          7:30
Sat 12 Feb          Philadelphia @ Rochester        7:35
Sun 13 Feb             Minnesota @ Anaheim          9:00
Sun 13 Feb               Arizona @ Colorado         9:00

Fri 18 Feb             Rochester @ Philadelphia     7:30
Fri 18 Feb             Minnesota @ Arizona          9:30
Fri 18 Feb               Anaheim @ Calgary          9:30
Fri 18 Feb              Colorado @ San Jose        10:30
Fri 18 Feb               Toronto @ Vancouver       11:00
Sat 19 Feb               Buffalo @ Rochester        7:35
Sun 20 Feb          Philadelphia @ Minnesota        3:00

Thu 24 Feb              San Jose @ Colorado         9:00
Fri 25 Feb             Rochester @ Toronto          7:30
Sat 26 Feb          Philadelphia @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat 26 Feb              San Jose @ Vancouver        8:00
Sat 26 Feb               Arizona @ Anaheim         10:30
Sun 27 Feb     NLL All Star Game @ Calgary AB
                     Eastern Div v Western Div      4:00

Fri  4 Mar               Buffalo @ Toronto          7:30
Sat  5 Mar             Minnesota @ Philadelphia     8:00

Fri 11 Mar               Buffalo @ Minnesota        8:30
Fri 11 Mar              San Jose @ Arizona          9:30
Sat 12 Mar             Rochester @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat 12 Mar             Vancouver @ Anaheim         10:30
Sat 12 Mar               Arizona @ San Jose        10:30
Sun 13 Mar               Calgary @ Colorado         3:00

Fri 18 Mar              Colorado @ Philadelphia     7:30
Fri 18 Mar             Minnesota @ Buffalo          7:30
Fri 18 Mar             Vancouver @ Toronto          7:30
Fri 18 Mar              San Jose @ Calgary          9:30
Sat 19 Mar               Buffalo @ Rochester        7:35
Sat 19 Mar               Calgary @ San Jose        10:30
Sun 20 Mar               Anaheim @ Colorado         3:00

Fri 25 Mar             Rochester @ Minnesota        8:30
Fri 25 Mar               Calgary @ Arizona          9:30
Fri 25 Mar               Anaheim @ San Jose        10:30
Fri 25 Mar              Colorado @ Vancouver       11:00
Sat 26 Mar               Toronto @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat 26 Mar             Minnesota @ Rochester        7:35

Fri  1 Apr             Rochester @ Buffalo          7:30
Fri  1 Apr          Philadelphia @ Toronto          7:30
Fri  1 Apr             Vancouver @ Minnesota        8:30
Sat  2 Apr              San Jose @ Anaheim         10:30
Sun  3 Apr               Arizona @ Calgary          4:00
Sun  3 Apr             Vancouver @ Colorado         9:00

Fri  8 Apr               Anaheim @ Vancouver       11:00
Sat  9 Apr               Toronto @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat  9 Apr               Buffalo @ Arizona          9:30
Sat  9 Apr             Vancouver @ Calgary          9:30
Sat  9 Apr              Colorado @ Anaheim         10:30
Sat  9 Apr             Rochester @ San Jose        10:30
Sun 10 Apr             Minnesota @ Toronto          4:00

Fri 15 Apr              Colorado @ Rochester        7:35
Fri 15 Apr          Philadelphia @ Minnesota        8:30
Sat 16 Apr              San Jose @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat 16 Apr               Calgary @ Vancouver        8:00
Sat 16 Apr               Anaheim @ Arizona          9:30
Sun 17 Apr               Toronto @ Calgary          2:00