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Breaking: League Adopts Unified Standings Format & Updated Playoff Structure for 2023-24 Season

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 1
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Halifax
Fri, Dec 1
22:00:00
Albany
Las Vegas
Fri, Dec 1
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
Sat, Dec 2
19:00:00
Calgary
Rochester
Sat, Dec 2
19:30:00
Philadelphia
New York
WK
2
Sat, Dec 9
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Dec 9
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Dec 9
19:30:00
Colorado
Georgia
Sat, Dec 9
20:00:00
Rochester
Saskatchewan
Sat, Dec 9
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sun, Dec 10
16:00:00
Las Vegas
Panther City
WK
3
Fri, Dec 15
22:00:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
Sat, Dec 16
13:00:00
Albany
Philadelphia
Sat, Dec 16
19:30:00
Halifax
New York
Sat, Dec 16
19:30:00
San Diego
Buffalo
Sat, Dec 16
22:00:00
Georgia
Vancouver
WK
4
Fri, Dec 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Panther City
Fri, Dec 22
21:00:00
Georgia
Colorado
Sat, Dec 23
19:00:00
Vancouver
Rochester
WK
5
Fri, Dec 29
18:30:00
Philadelphia
Halifax
Fri, Dec 29
19:30:00
Georgia
Buffalo
Fri, Dec 29
22:00:00
Rochester
San Diego
Sat, Dec 30
16:00:00
New York
Toronto
Sat, Dec 30
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Sat, Dec 30
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sun, Dec 31
20:00:00
Albany
Saskatchewan
WK
6
Sat, Jan 6
19:00:00
Halifax
Albany
Sat, Jan 6
19:30:00
Panther City
Georgia
Sat, Jan 6
19:30:00
Colorado
Buffalo
Sun, Jan 7
15:00:00
New York
Philadelphia
WK
7
Fri, Jan 12
18:30:00
Toronto
Halifax
Fri, Jan 12
22:00:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
Sat, Jan 13
19:00:00
Buffalo
Rochester
Sat, Jan 13
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Philadelphia
Sat, Jan 13
19:30:00
Panther City
New York
Sat, Jan 13
19:30:00
Albany
Georgia
Sat, Jan 13
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Jan 13
22:00:00
Calgary
Vancouver
WK
8
Fri, Jan 19
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Jan 20
19:00:00
Georgia
Toronto
Sat, Jan 20
19:00:00
San Diego
Albany
Sat, Jan 20
20:00:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sat, Jan 20
21:00:00
Calgary
Colorado
WK
9
Fri, Jan 26
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Jan 27
18:00:00
Rochester
Halifax
Sat, Jan 27
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Jan 27
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Jan 27
19:30:00
San Diego
Philadelphia
Sat, Jan 27
22:00:00
Panther City
Las Vegas
WK
10
Fri, Feb 2
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Fri, Feb 2
19:30:00
Vancouver
Georgia
Fri, Feb 2
21:00:00
New York
Calgary
Sat, Feb 3
19:00:00
Las Vegas
Albany
Sat, Feb 3
19:30:00
Rochester
Buffalo
Sat, Feb 3
20:00:00
Panther City
Saskatchewan
Sat, Feb 3
21:00:00
Toronto
Calgary
Sun, Feb 4
18:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
WK
11
Fri, Feb 9
18:30:00
Las Vegas
Halifax
Fri, Feb 9
20:00:00
Colorado
Panther City
Sat, Feb 10
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Feb 10
19:00:00
Calgary
Toronto
Sat, Feb 10
19:30:00
San Diego
New York
Sat, Feb 10
22:00:00
Saskatchewan
Vancouver
WK
12
Fri, Feb 16
18:30:00
Buffalo
Halifax
Fri, Feb 16
22:00:00
Philadelphia
Las Vegas
Sat, Feb 17
19:00:00
Colorado
Albany
Sun, Feb 18
19:00:00
Halifax
Calgary
WK
13
Fri, Feb 23
21:00:00
New York
Colorado
Fri, Feb 23
22:00:00
Georgia
San Diego
Sat, Feb 24
19:00:00
Las Vegas
Rochester
Sat, Feb 24
19:00:00
Vancouver
Toronto
Sat, Feb 24
19:30:00
Albany
Buffalo
Sat, Feb 24
20:00:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Feb 24
21:00:00
Philadelphia
Calgary
Sun, Feb 25
16:00:00
Georgia
Panther City
WK
14
Fri, Mar 1
19:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Fri, Mar 1
20:00:00
San Diego
Panther City
Fri, Mar 1
22:00:00
Toronto
Las Vegas
Fri, Mar 1
22:00:00
Buffalo
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 2
13:00:00
Calgary
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 2
19:00:00
New York
Albany
Sat, Mar 2
21:00:00
Saskatchewan
Colorado
Sat, Mar 2
22:00:00
Toronto
San Diego
Sun, Mar 3
16:00:00
Rochester
Panther City
WK
15
Fri, Mar 8
19:00:00
Vancouver
Albany
Fri, Mar 8
19:30:00
Calgary
Georgia
Fri, Mar 8
19:30:00
Saskatchewan
Buffalo
Sat, Mar 9
17:00:00
Colorado
Toronto
Sat, Mar 9
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Mar 9
19:30:00
Las Vegas
New York
Sat, Mar 9
22:00:00
Halifax
San Diego
Sun, Mar 10
15:00:00
Panther City
Philadelphia
WK
16
Fri, Mar 15
18:30:00
Panther City
Halifax
Fri, Mar 15
21:00:00
San Diego
Calgary
Fri, Mar 15
22:00:00
Las Vegas
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 16
19:00:00
Rochester
Albany
Sat, Mar 16
19:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Mar 16
19:30:00
Philadelphia
Georgia
Sat, Mar 16
20:30:00
New York
Saskatchewan
WK
17
Fri, Mar 22
20:00:00
Buffalo
Panther City
Fri, Mar 22
21:00:00
Albany
Calgary
Sat, Mar 23
19:00:00
Halifax
Toronto
Sat, Mar 23
19:00:00
Vancouver
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 23
19:30:00
Saskatchewan
New York
Sat, Mar 23
21:00:00
Rochester
Colorado
Sat, Mar 23
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Mar 24
17:30:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
WK
18
Sat, Mar 30
13:00:00
Buffalo
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 30
19:00:00
Halifax
Rochester
Sat, Mar 30
19:30:00
Toronto
New York
Sat, Mar 30
22:00:00
Vancouver
Las Vegas
WK
19
Fri, Apr 5
21:00:00
Saskatchewan
Calgary
Fri, Apr 5
21:00:00
Buffalo
Colorado
Fri, Apr 5
22:00:00
Panther City
San Diego
Fri, Apr 5
22:00:00
Halifax
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 6
19:00:00
New York
Rochester
Sat, Apr 6
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Apr 6
19:30:00
Las Vegas
Georgia
Sat, Apr 6
20:00:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 7
16:00:00
Philadelphia
Panther City
WK
20
Fri, Apr 12
21:00:00
Philadelphia
Colorado
Sat, Apr 13
19:00:00
Rochester
Toronto
Sat, Apr 13
19:30:00
Calgary
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 13
20:00:00
San Diego
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 13
22:00:00
Colorado
Las Vegas
Sat, Apr 13
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sun, Apr 14
16:00:00
Albany
Panther City
WK
21
Fri, Apr 19
19:30:00
Rochester
Georgia
Fri, Apr 19
22:00:00
Vancouver
San Diego
Sat, Apr 20
18:00:00
Colorado
Halifax
Sat, Apr 20
19:30:00
Albany
New York
Sat, Apr 20
20:00:00
Toronto
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 20
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 20
22:00:00
Buffalo
Las Vegas
Sun, Apr 21
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
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Bandits’ Tavares Will Return In 2015

Buffalo’s veteran enters 24th season plus coverage from 2014 NLL Draft

He’s back. The Buffalo Bandits have announced legendary forward John Tavares, the National Lacrosse League’s all-time leading scorer, will return to the team for a league-record 24th season after reaching a contract agreement earlier this month.

“John wanted to make sure we wanted to have him back,” said Bandits director of lacrosse operations Scott Loffler. “Of course, we couldn’t say no.”

The 46-year-old helped the Bandits return to the playoffs last year by posting 51 points (24+27) in 16 games in a bounceback effort following his 2013 campaign that saw him play only 12 games due to injury.

“We’re excited,” said Bandits general manager Steve Dietrich. “JT seems to be getting older, but his production doesn’t seem to decline, and he’s a tremendous leader in the locker room. It’s fantastic to have the greatest player back.”

Tavares, a four-time NLL champion who won the league’s MVP award three times (1994, 2000 & 2001), holds the league record in pretty much every statistical category including points (1,717), goals (803), assists (914) and games played (296).

“The guy’s a phenom,” added Bandits assistant coach Dan Teat.

This season, Tavares will have a few left-handed prospects to mentor as the team was busy during the 2014 NLL Draft at Toronto Rock Athletic Centre on Monday, Sept. 22.

Bandits head coach Troy Cordingley said beforehand that the team had to “fill some areas where we can get better.” In order to help the team do just that, the Bandits traded back into the first round to select Brandon Goodwin.

“He’s a big kid who our western scouts really like,” said Bandits general manager Steve Dietrich. “We felt like we needed to get ahead of a few teams to get him.”

Goodwin is a left-handed forward who had lots of success at Adelphi University with a big body and good hands. He’s been scouted as a strong complementary offensive player. Goodwin’s sophomore year saw 89 points from his midfield spot.

Buffalo traded Rory Smith, Eric Penney and the 12th overall pick in 2014 to Vancouver for Nick Weiss, the 9th overall pick (’14), the Stealth’s 2015 second round pick and their first round pick in 2018.

Nick Weiss was acquired by Vancouver in the second round of the 2013 draft, 17th overall. The gritty enforcer played 16 games last year and recorded 86 loose balls and 13 points. Weiss is expected to help fill the hole left by trading away Smith.

With their first pick in the second round, the Bandits selected Matthew Bennett (LT) from the Brampton Excelsiors, a physical player who racked up 193 penalty minutes last season. Bennett said being drafted by the Bandits was a “dream come true” while noting that he can “add some edge and grit out the back door…I see myself fitting in on transition.”

Bennett also has attended Bandits games before and said he was star struck when he shook Tavares’ hand.

At 24th overall, the Bandits selected Jordan Dance from Orangeville. Dance’s father played in the league in the early 1990’s. 

“My dad had a lot of friends who played for Buffalo,” Dance said. “I was always keeping my eye on playing for them.”

Dance is described as a pesky lefty who won a Minto Cup with the Orangeville Northmen in 2012.

Buffalo also selected versatile transition player Tyler Ferreira in the second round. He’s excited to join the Bandits organization and said he’s ready to bring his game to Buffalo.

“Coming in as a young guy, I bring a lot of speed and can find the middle of the floor,” said Ferreira after being drafted.

The Bandits moved back into the sixth round of the draft to select Mike Melnychenko. Steve Dietrich traded for Melnychenko halfway through the summer indoor season and must have liked what he saw as he made the trade with New England to acquire him.

“I’m excited to be drafted by the home team, the closest team to me,” said Melnychenko. “I want to bang some bodies and get people open.” 

Mike also spent some time playing with Ryan Benesch and Shawn Williams in his summer league.

The Bandits brass seemed to focus on left-handed offensive talent with the 2014 draft. There will be stiff competition in camp for the few left side spots in transition and forward positions.

Dietrich talked about their selections and how they’d fit in with Williams, Benesch and Tavares. The Bandits are hoping to find some support for an aging left side, especially off-ball to get Benesch and Tavares open.

“If these draft picks come to camp with an open mind, they can learn a lot from them,” he said.

Buffalo’s GM also talked about the Weiss for Smith trade.

“Nick Weiss is a kid we targeted last year,” Dietrich said. “He’s hard-nosed and gritty like Rory in a lot of ways.”

With the trade, the Bandits stockpiled some future draft picks including a second-round selection in what is considered to be a deep 2015 draft. Buffalo will help open the 2015 NLL season by visiting the New England Black Wolves at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, Jan. 2.

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