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BUF at TOR - Sat. 7pm ET Schedule

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 2
FINAL
Philadelphia
8
Halifax
18
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Vancouver
8
Toronto
19
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
San Diego
15
New York
14
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Albany
11
Buffalo
10
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Rochester
16
Georgia
11
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Colorado
6
Saskatchewan
18
WK
2
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL
Las Vegas
11
Panther City
13
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
12
San Diego
13
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Toronto
7
Rochester
11
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Vancouver
9
Calgary
11
WK
3
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
5
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Panther City
9
Las Vegas
3
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Buffalo
11
Toronto
8
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Rochester
14
Albany
13
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Philadelphia
13
Georgia
12
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Halifax
20
New York
11
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Colorado
12
Panther City
9
WK
5
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
Halifax
13
Buffalo
18
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
San Diego
17
Calgary
14
Sat, Dec 31
FINAL
Panther City
9
Saskatchewan
11
WK
6
Fri, Jan 6
FINAL
Philadelphia
14
Las Vegas
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Panther City
9
Rochester
17
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Halifax
14
Albany
11
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Buffalo
18
Georgia
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Toronto
15
New York
7
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Calgary
8
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Vancouver
11
San Diego
16
WK
7
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Albany
11
Halifax
10
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
10
Colorado
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Halifax
8
Toronto
17
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Panther City
12
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Georgia
9
Buffalo
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
San Diego
10
Calgary
14
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Las Vegas
16
Vancouver
19
Sun, Jan 15
FINAL
Rochester
11
New York
8
WK
8
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Buffalo
12
Rochester
15
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
15
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
Toronto
14
Philadelphia
5
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
New York
16
Albany
10
WK
9
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Rochester
7
Halifax
17
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Buffalo
13
Philadelphia
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Buffalo
16
New York
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Las Vegas
10
Saskatchewan
15
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL/OT
Toronto
11
Calgary
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
San Diego
13
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Panther City
20
Vancouver
7
WK
10
Fri, Feb 3
FINAL
Georgia
10
Colorado
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL/OT
Calgary
12
Halifax
11
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
New York
14
Toronto
22
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Albany
5
Philadelphia
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Rochester
10
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Panther City
10
San Diego
12
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
14
Vancouver
8
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Colorado
8
Las Vegas
13
WK
11
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Toronto
11
Georgia
10
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
13
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Halifax
14
Rochester
16
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Albany
12
New York
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Vancouver
13
Panther City
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Colorado
9
Calgary
13
WK
12
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
9
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
16
San Diego
11
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Georgia
7
Toronto
16
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
Albany
10
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
12
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Colorado
7
Panther City
13
Sun, Feb 19
FINAL
New York
12
Halifax
13
WK
13
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Panther City
12
Colorado
14
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Calgary
9
Las Vegas
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL/OT
New York
10
Rochester
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Albany
4
Georgia
20
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Vancouver
16
Saskatchewan
12
WK
14
Fri, Mar 3
FINAL
Buffalo
10
Halifax
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
New York
12
Philadelphia
19
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
San Diego
15
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Rochester
8
Toronto
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL/OT
Georgia
9
Albany
8
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
10
Panther City
16
Mon, Mar 6
FINAL
Toronto
10
Philadelphia
11
WK
15
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL/OT
Halifax
9
Buffalo
10
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL
Calgary
16
Colorado
10
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Albany
6
Toronto
12
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Philadelphia
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
San Diego
12
Saskatchewan
11
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
5
Sun, Mar 12
FINAL
Rochester
19
Georgia
18
WK
16
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
11
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
San Diego
16
Vancouver
9
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Georgia
13
Philadelphia
12
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Toronto
12
Halifax
14
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Albany
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Colorado
13
Buffalo
8
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
8
Panther City
11
Sun, Mar 19
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
9
Rochester
8
WK
17
Fri, Mar 24
FINAL
San Diego
17
Panther City
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Toronto
11
Albany
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Halifax
14
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Georgia
13
New York
8
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Calgary
14
Saskatchewan
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL/OT
Buffalo
7
San Diego
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Colorado
12
Vancouver
14
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Rochester
7
Las Vegas
12
WK
18
Q4
12:11
New York
5
Georgia
9
Fri, Mar 31
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Colorado
Fri, Mar 31
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sat, Apr 1
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Apr 1
20:00:00
Albany
Panther City
Sat, Apr 1
21:30:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 2
13:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Sun, Apr 2
18:00:00
Rochester
Philadelphia
WK
19
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sat, Apr 8
22:30:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
WK
20
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Georgia
Albany
Sat, Apr 15
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 15
21:30:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 15
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
WK
21
Fri, Apr 21
20:30:00
Calgary
Panther City
Sat, Apr 22
18:00:00
New York
Halifax
Sat, Apr 22
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 22
21:30:00
Colorado
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 22
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Apr 23
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Albany
WK
22
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Halifax
Georgia
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 29
22:30:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
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Stories/Op-Ed

Bandits Hit The Road To Keep Championship Hopes Alive

After losing a hard-fought Game 1 at First Niagara Center, the Buffalo Bandits will look to keep their championship aspirations alive on the road Saturday when they take on the Saskatchewan Rush in Game 2 of the Champion’s Cup Finals. 

If Buffalo is able to win on Saturday, the club will host a deciding Game 3 back at First Niagara Center on June 11. If the Bandits lose Game 2, their season will end just short of adding a fifth championship to the organization’s history and the Rush will earn back-to-back titles. 

Despite the pressure that comes with a must-win game, the Bandits are eager to get back on the floor Saturday. 

“We’re not nervous. We’re anxious,” said Bandits assistant coach Rich Kilgour. “They’re in a great spot and we’re in a tough spot, but we’ve showed that we can play right with them. 

“We know what’s at stake, but you can’t focus on what it means, you just have to focus on doing your job. When we’ve done that this year, we’ve won a lot of games, and now we just have to find a way to get it done.”

Saturday’s radio broadcast coverage will be on WGR Sports Radio 550 and on WGWE 105.9 in Salamanca. The pregame show will begin at 8:30 p.m.

Television coverage will be available on MSG+, NESN Plus, Altitude, CSN Bay Area, CSN Chicago 2 and Root Sports Pittsburgh. The game will stream live on the ESPN APP IN THE U.S. and will also be on TSN GO and TSN2 in Canada. 

(716) Food and Sport will also be hosting the OFFICIAL BUFFALO BANDITS CHAMPION’S CUP WATCH PARTY. The party will feature many of the game day elements that have made First Niagara Center one of the NLL’s most exciting arenas. Rax will be on hand along with members of the Bandettes to cheer along the team on (716)’s 38-foot video screen. 

Faceoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET at SaskTel Centre. 

Although the Bandits didn’t come away with a victory in Game 1, the club wasn’t disappointed with their performance in the 11-9 loss. Immediately after the game and during the week leading up to Game 2, the team has maintained a positive attitude. 

“We lost and while we definitely would like to do some things better, it’s not as if we played terribly,” Kilgour said.

“We’re still upbeat and we know in the back of our minds that we can win in their building. All of our goals are still alive and well, and now we have to go out and try and accomplish them.”

In order to accomplish those goals, Buffalo will need to start and finish the game better than it did in Game 1. After seeing their league-leading offense explode for 20 goals in Game 2 of the East Division Finals against the New England Black Wolves, the Bandits were held scoreless in the first quarter against Saskatchewan and managed only a single goal in the final quarter. 

That will need to change in Game 2. 

“They had the first run and the last run, and that usually will be enough to win you a game,” Kilgour said. “At the same time, we know we can put together runs against them. We just have to regroup and make sure we get the last run this Saturday.” 

Offensively, the Bandits will need support for their leading scorer. While Dhane Smith continued his incredible season with a six-point night (3+3) in Game 1, Buffalo’s secondary scoring struggled to produce against the Rush’s stingy defensive unit. 

Although Saskatchewan’s league-leading defense surely played a role in slowing down the Bandits’ supporting cast, Buffalo did generate plenty of shots and chances in the Game 1 defeat. If they are to improve in Game 2, the Bandits will simply need to return to form in converting those opportunities. 

“They’re the top defensive team in the league and they have a way of forcing top offensive guys into having off nights,” Kilgour said. “Top to bottom they have a really strong group of defenders. However, and not to take anything away from their defense, we had some looks that we usually would bury. We have to figure out a way to bury them in Game 2.”

On the defensive end, Buffalo will need another strong performance from veteran goaltender Anthony Cosmo. On a night that was long in the making for the 16-year veteran, Cosmo was at his best in Game 1 as he finished the night with 40 saves on 51 shots.  

“Coz was huge for us,” Kilgour said. “In the beginning, our offense was struggling to get going and our defense was allowing some good looks, but Coz was just stopping shot after shot. It could’ve been a lot worse than 2-0 after the first quarter. He’s been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and he certainly made the most of it in Game 1.”

All things considered, the Bandits aren’t making any drastic alterations to their game plan heading into Saturday’s do-or-die matchup. After a year that saw them set a franchise single-season record in wins (13), win the East Division, and enter the playoffs as the NLL’s top overall seed, the Bandits will merely look to fine-tune their play. 

“Nothing will really change for us,” Kilgour said. “We won’t have some big new game plan, but we just want to execute our game plan a little bit better. We have to play as hard as we can with discipline, and if we do that we’ll be happy to let the chips fall where they may.”

Buffalo will hope that they can replicate the performance they put forth the last time they traveled to Saskatoon to take on the Rush at the SaskTel Centre. 

Back on Feb. 26, a Mitch Jones overtime goal saw the Bandits beat the defending champions 19-18 on the road in a game that was just as tightly contested as Game 1 of this series. 

That win certainly doesn’t inhibit the Bandits’ confidence that they can go on the road to obtain a vital victory. 

“It was a long time ago and both teams have changed and improved, but it’s a small thing in the back of our minds,” Kilgour said. “We know we can stick with them and play with them. It’s an up and down game, we know we have to tighten up a few screws and find a way to go on that last run.

“We’re not worried, but we’re anxious to try and get this done on Saturday and bring this series back to Buffalo.”

By Zac Hirschbeck for Bandits.com. Photo by Josh Schaefer.

NLL