In a city where passion for sports runs deep, lacrosse has carved out its special place in the hearts of Vancouverites. Under the spotlight against the defending NLL champion Buffalo Bandits on Mar. 1, the Vancouver Warriors picked up a huge win not just for the fans, but for the city as a whole.

Highlighted by a packed house, the Warriors came in and battled all night, giving the team a much-needed win and something to be excited about moving forward. The outcome came on a special night for the organization as they were hosting a First Nations Celebration Night for the home crowd. Warriors head coach Curt Malawsky underscored post-game how much it meant for the team to share the floor with dozens of Indigenous children before the bout, celebrating the game that came from First Nations peoples.

For netminder Aiden Walsh, it was his first career win with the Warriors, saving 39 of 51 and giving the fans a bright future to look ahead to. He emphasized after the game the importance of keeping his cool between the pipes. “I try to be the calm guy in the back, hopefully, my calmness radiates to the rest of the team.” More so than that, in what was considered a fairly rough game at times, he even got in on some of the action towards the end of the first quarter, giving the electric crowd more fuel to get amped for.

The meaning of this win for the city is not to be understated. Malawsky, a Lower Mainland product, knows how much it means to come out and get a big win for the home crowd. “When we go in here and don’t win games, we wear it. We’re upset. It’s been a long time coming. (I) haven’t been able to come up here (to the podium) and smile for a while.”

As the Warriors look to put more wins together, the electricity around the fan base and the sport of lacrosse grows, cementing the team as an important piece to the sporting landscape in the city of Vancouver.