For the first time in American pro sports history, the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) featured players’ Twitter handles on the back of their jerseys in place of traditional last names for the team’s game against the Buffalo Bandits last night.
Since formally receiving NLL approval for the jerseys in December 2011, every player on the Wings had to registered for a Twitter handle. Following Sunday’s game, the one-of-a-kind, game-worn Twitter jerseys will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society.
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Philadelphia, Pa - The Philadelphia Wings improved their record to 3-2 and are now tied for the East Division lead after a 14-13 victory over the Buffalo Bandits at Wells Fargo Center Sunday afternoon.
After a back and forth game all night, a Drew Westervelt diving goal with less than four minutes remaining in the game broke a 12-12 tie. He added another goal less than two minutes later, his third of the night, to put the Wings up 14-12. The Bandits added a late penalty shot goal.
The Wings looked like a completely different team than the one that failed to score a goal in the second half of last week’s 15-6 loss to the Rock, and it wasn’t just because they were making history as the first American sports team ever to replace last names with players’ Twitter handles on the back of their jerseys.
Leading 7-5 at halftime, the Wings played well in the third quarter, out-scoring the Bandits four goals to three and took an 11-8 advantage into the decisive final period. However, after a goalie change in the fourth quarter, the Bandits heated up and knotted the game up at 12-12 with less than five minutes to play until Westervelt’s two goals put the Wings ahead for good.
The Wings were led by Assistant Captain Dan Dawson who tallied nine assists, rookie Kevin Crowley who scored four goals and Captain Brodie Merrill who added three goals and two assists.
The Wings customized jerseys with Twitter Handles were auctioned off post-game with proceeds to benefit the American Cancer Society.
The Wings will travel to Toronto to play the Rock next Saturday and will next return to Wells Fargo Center for a March 3 home game versus the Rochester Knighthawks.