LIVESTREAM: Germany – GAME OF THE WEEK – Hildesheim Invaders @Braunschweig New Yorker Lions, Sat. June 22, 6p CEDT (12p EDT)

The unbeaten 6-0 Hildesheim Invaders, Europe #6,  will face their toughest test of the season so far when they travel to face the also undefeated and 6-0 Braunschweig New Yorker Lions, Europe #3, Saturday, June 22 in what promises to be the game to watch in the German Football League this weekend.

The storylines abound in this one but the biggest is the return to Braunschweig by quarterback Casey Therriault who led the Lions to four German championships. His teammate, wide receiver Anthony Dable-Wolf was a part of three of those championships with the Lions (2013-2015)

Braunschweig has won its six opening games beating the Cologne Crocodiles in a back-to-back series, 23-6 and 45-7, and then took care of the only team that defeated them in the regular season last year, the Berlin Rebels. Braunschweig beat the Rebels 29-12. Two weeks ago, the Lions won a thriller, beating the previously unbeaten Dresden Monarchs 34-31 and last week walked all over the Potsdam Royals, 46-7.

The Lions offense has been effective with QB Brandon Connette throwing for just 837 yards in the six games. The backfield duo of Chris McClendon (439 yds) and David McCants (186 yds) along  with Connette (362 yds) give the Lions the best rushing attack in the GFL averaging 172.5 yards a game. Wide receivers Nicolai Schumann (218 yds) and Christian Bollmann with 163 yards receiving lead the team. Bollmann did not play in the last game with Finnish receiver Micky Kyei leading the team with two catches for 57 yards and a touchdown.

Braunschweig has one of the top two best defenses in the GFL and has only allowed opponents an average of 212 yards of offense a game. Hildesheim has been giving up 321. This will be a test for both. Braunschweig boasts the second best pass defense in the GFL giving up just 157 yards a game while the Invaders have the second best passing offense producing 301.3 yards per game. Both teams defeated the Dresden Monarchs in close games but both needed to rally from behind to do so.

The Invaders are coming off their sixth consecutive win,, a 31-27 come-from-behind victory over the Monarchs last week.  They had preceded that with a 46-10 drubbing of the Dusseldorf Panther. In fact, Hildesheim is so far the most improved team in the league and won their four previous games by one-sided scores beating the Potsdam Royals 50-28, taking care of the Panther 49-17, downing the Cologne Crocodiles 31-14 and then defeating the Berlin Rebels 56-41.

Invaders quarterback Casey Therriault, in his first season back in the GFL in two years is in prime form throwing for 1,808 yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing for a team-best 324 yards and three touchdowns. Sean Richard is the team’s second-leading rusher with 291 yards. Wide receivers Nathaniel Morris (693 yds, 8 TDs) s  Jaleel Awini (481 yds, 6 TDs),and Anthony Dablé-Wolf(492 yds, 10 TDs) may be the most explosive set of receivers in the GFL.

This is the most anticipated game in the GFL this season.

Watch the game live here. Hildesheim Invaders @Braunschweig New Yorker Lions, Sat. June 22, 6p CEDT (12p EDT)