The Chicago Shamrox will host the Rochester Knighthawks in the first game of the 2009 National Lacrosse League season, the league announced today in releasing the 104-game schedule.

The 'Rox-Hawks showdown on Saturday, 27 December is the only game on the Week One schedule. Seven teams begin play the following weekend, with the remainder starting in Week Three of the seventeen-week season.

Among the notable early-season games are the Buffalo Bandits' banner-raising on 3 January, against their ancient rivals, Philadelphia; the debut of the Boston Blazers, on 10 January at New York; and the Blazers' home opener a week later, also against the Titans.

Unlike last season, when two teams were awarded an extra home game, all teams will play a level schedule of eight home games and eight road games.

However, one imbalance that emerges in the schedule is that, as expected, Minnesota was granted a heavily Eastern schedule despite playing in the Western Division in 2009. The Swarm will play just six intradivisional games and ten against its former division rivals.

The league's annual midseason All Star Game is scheduled for 7 March, although it has not been announced yet where the game will be played.

The complete 2009 NLL schedule follows. All times are Eastern.

WEEK 1

Saturday, 27 December
Rochester at Chicago - 8:00 PM


WEEK 2

Saturday, 3 January
Philadelphia at Buffalo - 7:30 PM
Toronto at New York - 7:30 PM
Minnesota at Portland - 10:30 PM

Sunday, 4 January
San Jose at Chicago - 8:00 PM


WEEK 3

Friday, 9 January
Colorado at Portland - 10:30 PM
Calgary at San Jose - 10:30 PM

Saturday, 10 January
Buffalo at Toronto - 7:00 PM
Boston at New York - 7:30 PM
Philadelphia at Minnesota - 8:00 PM
Chicago at Rochester - 8:05 PM
Portland at Colorado - 9:00 PM
Edmonton at Calgary - 9:30 PM


WEEK 4

Friday, 16 January
Rochester at Buffalo - 7:30 PM
Philadelphia at Chicago - 8:00 PM
Portland at Edmonton - 9:30 PM

Saturday, 17 January
Calgary at Toronto - 7:00 PM
New York at Boston - 7:30 PM

Sunday, 18 January
Rochester at San Jose - 10:30 PM


WEEK 5

Friday, 23 January
Boston at Philadelphia - 8:00 PM
Calgary at Portland - 10:30 PM

Saturday, 24 January
Philadelphia at Boston - 7:30 PM
Toronto at Rochester - 7:35 PM
Edmonton at Colorado - 8:00 PM
Buffalo at Minnesota - 8:00 PM
San Jose at Calgary - 9:30 PM

Sunday, 25 January
Chicago at New York - 4:00 PM


WEEK 6

Saturday, 31 January
Buffalo at Edmonton - Time TBD
Philadelphia at San Jose - 3:30 PM
Chicago at Boston - 7:30 PM
Minnesota at Rochester - 7:35 PM
New York at Colorado - 9:00 PM


WEEK 7

Friday, 6 February
Buffalo at Philadelphia - 8:00 PM
Minnesota at Calgary - 9:30 PM

Saturday, 7 February
Edmonton at Toronto - 7:00 PM
New York at Boston - 7:30 PM
Colorado at Minnesota - 8:00 PM
San Jose at Portland - 10:30 PM


WEEK 8

Thursday, 12 February
Minnesota at Chicago - 8:00 PM

Friday, 13 February
Boston at Philadelphia - 8:00 PM

Saturday, 14 February
Toronto at Buffalo - 7:30 PM
Calgary at Colorado - 9:00 PM

Sunday, 15 February
Rochester at New York - 8:00 PM


WEEK 9

Friday, 20 February
Buffalo at Toronto - 7:30 PM
Boston at Minnesota - 8:00 PM

Saturday, 21 February
Chicago at Philadelphia - 7:30 PM
New York at Rochester - 7:35 PM
Edmonton at San Jose - 10:30 PM

Sunday, 22 February
Portland at Calgary - 5:00 PM
Colorado at Edmonton - 8:00 PM


WEEK 10

Friday, 27 February
Minnesota at Toronto - 7:30 PM
San Jose at Edmonton - 9:30 PM

Saturday, 28 February
Philadelphia at New York - 12:30 PM
Minnesota at Buffalo - 7:30 PM
Calgary at Boston - 7:30 PM
Toronto at Rochester - 7:35 PM
Colorado at Chicago - 8:00 PM
Edmonton at Portland - 10:30 PM


WEEK 11

Saturday, 7 March
NLL All-Star Game - Time TBD


WEEK 12

Friday, 13 March
Portland at Edmonton - 9:30 PM

Saturday, 14 March
Colorado at San Jose - 3:30 PM
Toronto at Boston - 7:30 PM
Minnesota at Philadelphia - 7:30 PM
Calgary at New York - 7:30 PM
Buffalo at Rochester - 7:35 PM

Sunday, 15 March
New York at Chicago - 8:00 PM


WEEK 13

Saturday, 21 March
Rochester at Toronto - 7:00 PM
Portland at Buffalo - 7:30 PM
Philadelphia at New York - 7:30 PM
Boston at Chicago - 8:00 PM
Colorado at Calgary - 9:30 PM
Edmonton at San Jose - 10:30 PM

Sunday, 22 March
Minnesota at Colorado - 8:00 PM


WEEK 14

Friday, 27 March
Toronto at Calgary - 9:30 PM

Saturday, 28 March
Portland at San Jose - 3:30 PM
New York at Buffalo - 7:30 PM
Colorado at Philadelphia - 7:30 PM
Boston at Rochester - 7:35 PM
Chicago at Minnesota - 8:00 PM
Toronto at Edmonton - 9:30 PM

Sunday, 29 March
San Jose at Portland - 6:00 PM


WEEK 15

Friday, 3 April
Chicago at Toronto - 7:30 PM
Portland at Colorado - 9:00 PM
Calgary at Edmonton - 9:30 PM

Saturday, 4 April
Buffalo at Boston - 7:30 PM
San Jose at Minnesota - 8:00 PM
Edmonton at Calgary - 9:30 PM
Rochester at Portland - 10:30 PM

Sunday, 5 April
New York at Philadelphia - 2:30 PM


WEEK 16

Friday, 10 April
Rochester at Buffalo - 7:30 PM
Chicago at Calgary - 9:30 PM
Colorado at San Jose - 10:30 PM

Saturday, 11 April
Toronto at Philadelphia - 7:30 PM
Buffalo at New York - 7:30 PM
Rochester at Boston - 7:30 PM
Edmonton at Minnesota - 8:00 PM
Portland at Chicago - 8:00 PM
San Jose at Colorado - 9:00 PM


WEEK 17

Friday, 17 April
Calgary at Colorado - 9:00 PM
Boston at Portland - 10:30 PM

Saturday, 18 April
San Jose at Toronto - 7:00 PM
Chicago at Buffalo - 7:30 PM
Philadelphia at Rochester - 7:35 PM
New York at Minnesota - 8:00 PM
Boston at Edmonton - 9:30 PM