The end game, the holy grail, the Bandits’ proverbial “goal”: the 2025 NLL Playoff Finals are finally coming to a screen near you.
After sweeping their respective semifinal series, the Saskatchewan Rush hit the road to Buffalo for the first time this season.
The 2025 NLL Championship marks the Buffalo Bandits’ fifth-straight NLL Finals appearance under the leadership of head coach John Tavares. After a six-year playoff drought, Saskatchewan’s return to the Finals marks the franchise’s third championship appearance since their relocation from Edmonton, and the fifth in Rush franchise history.
The two last met in the NLL Finals during the 2016 season, ending in the Rush’s first title win in Saskatchewan and the franchise’s second consecutive championship. During their second postseason run in Saskatchewan, the Rush met with the Georgia Swarm in the Finals, hoping to carve their names into League history as the second team to three-peat. Ultimately, the Swarm claimed their first—and currently only—championship against Saskatchewan (though the Rush would be back the following year to win their third non-consecutive Cup).
Since the 2016 Finals, both rosters have undergone significant change. Still, a few familiar faces are once again reuniting on the battlefield: Saskatchewan’s Robert Church, and Buffalo’s Steve Priolo, Dhane Smith, and Nick Weiss.
This season’s semifinals lead-up paved the way for an extensive highlight reel from both teams. Saskatchewan’s Robert Church had himself a night in Game 2, scoring two goals and dishing out three assists, including the game-winning pass to teammate and former Thunderbird Austin Shanks to seal the deal in overtime. The Rush’s defensive line held Halifax to the final whistle, featuring a Defensive Player of the Year-worthy performance by Matt Hossack, who tallied a goal and an assist against his older brother’s team, along with eight loose balls, three blocks, and a caused turnover. The all-dominant Mike Messenger laid down the law in Saskatoon as well, scoring an unassisted goal, blocking a shot, and causing three turnovers against the Thunderbirds.
Buffalo, in true Bandits fashion, got the whole team involved for a trademark three-goal run in the fourth quarter to secure a second straight win over the Vancouver Warriors. The Bandits’ golden boys, forwards Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne, tallied a collective nine points at Rogers Arena—despite Byrne being held scoreless for a second playoff game this year. He was previously barred from the back of the net in the quarterfinals against the San Diego Seals. Buffalo transition star Ian MacKay reminded the League why he’s recognized as the threat he is with a three-goal, three-assist performance.
Saskatchewan last hosted Buffalo during Week 14 of the regular season, with the Bandits escaping the SaskTel Centre with a 9–7 victory—despite the Rush leading by two goals until the end of the third. An unanswered three-goal run in the fourth quarter by the Bandits gave them their first lead of the night, and ultimately, the win.
Since returning to their well-preserved seat at the Finals table, the Bandits will have had 12 days to rest and prepare for the Rush. Though still boasting a squad of proven playoff contenders and extensive championship experience—including two players from the Rochester Knighthawks’ three-peat roster (Matt Vinc, Paul Dawson)—Tavares is keeping his players calm and collected, reminding them of the gravity of the situation and the lessons they’ve learned throughout the regular season.
“We’ve learned that we can’t take anything for granted,” Tavares said. “We know that getting there isn’t enough and even having that experience, you’ll never be satisfied, and you don’t take anything for granted. The goal for everyone at the beginning of the year is to win a championship – we’re willing to do whatever it takes.”
Alongside their impending title run, the Bandits are setting historic individual records to boot. Smith, awarded the Offensive Player of the Year and named to the 2025 Most Valuable Player short list, is just one-point away from reaching 200 career NLL playoff points, making him only the second player to reach the milestone. Additionally, an extra point against the Rush this weekend would surpass Tavares for all-time NLL Playoff Points.
Additionally, on top of his already legendary career in goal, Buffalo’s Matt Vinc needs four minutes in net this weekend against Saskatchewan to become the first goalie in NLL history to reach 3,000 Playoff Minutes. Vinc is also just 39 stops away from becoming the first goalie to make 2,000 Playoff Saves.
For Saskatchewan, it’s a matter of pride and progress. Despite the Rush’s early introduction as consistent playoff and Cup Contenders, the franchise has missed their train to the postseason the last three years. With a shot at a third cup for Saskatchewan, and a fourth career championship win for general manager and co-head coach Derek Keenan, the Rush aren’t so willing to let the Bandits bounce in and write their page to the history books.
Keenan and Saskatchewan co-head coach Jimmy Quinlan’s efforts on and off the turf have not only reinvigorated the Rush franchise, but led their rookie and veteran players back to the winning side of the unified standings. Their dedication earned not only nominations but certifications as this year’s General Manager of the Year and the Les Bartley Coach of the Year Award respectively.
“I think it’s a credit to our players and the work they put in all season, every week,” said Quinlan. “I’m just the guy whose name gets brought forward, so again, it’s something that I’m obviously proud of, but it’s the guys in the room and the people that I’m surrounded with that deserve all the credit.”
As lucrative as Keenan and Quinlan are to this modern Rush renaissance, their success, as Quinlan noted, wasn’t possible without a team as bought in as their coaching staff, uplifting each other along the road to the Cup. Saskatchewan forward Keegan Bell has become the embodiment of that idea, earning himself the National Lacrosse League Player Association’s vote for Teammate of the Year. Bell’s dedication to uplifting his teammates, his willingness to do anything to support the team, and not to mention, his eagerness to hop between the pipes against the Albany Firewolves (“Just unbelievable. Can’t believe that happened,” Bell said), has cemented his position as the cornerstone that holds the Saskatchewan bench upright.
But with all the buzz about numbers, superlatives and score predictions, let’s not forget what’s at stake this weekend– the banner, the Cup, and the glory. The Bandits are eager to further solidify their legacy as one of the all-time greatest teams in franchise and sports history– a true and proper sports dynasty, in the same conversations as the greats and GOAT’s; the ‘80’s Edmonton Oilers, the ‘90’s New York Yankees, the ‘90’s Chicago Bulls– and finally dethroning the League’s own original Rochester Knighthawks, the first and only team in League history to three-peat.
This weekend’s final battle against the would-be three-peat Saskatchewan Rush, and the could-be three-peat Buffalo Bandits begins this Friday, May 16th, at 7:30PM ET. All games are available to stream on TSN, ESPN+, TSN+ and NLL+. The first round of the final showdown will also be available for local broadcast on CW23 Buffalo.
