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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 Win in Instant Classic NLL Finals Game 1

Game one delivered, and then some. The Buffalo Bandits defeated the Colorado Mammoth 15-14 on Saturday night at KeyBank Center in the opening game of the 2022 NLL Finals.

For a team that has long boasted one of the best transition games in the NLL, the Bandits’ transition was unusually silent throughout game one. Until the final minute of play, that is, when Nick Weiss got the breakaway of his life.

“[Ian MacKay] came up with an unbelievable loose ball,” Weiss described. “I saw open floor and started running. I had almost too much time so I had a little bit of time to think and I saw the way [Dillon Ward] was standing. I kind of have a favourite shot so I took that exact shot. I think most of the guys on my team knew exactly where I was shooting that ball. Thank god it went in.”

It was one of the biggest goals of his career.

“I don’t usually score goals like that; if I’m scoring goals at the end of the game it’s generally an empty netter, so that was a pretty cool feeling. Maybe I should have stuck with offense, eh boys?” Weiss said to Dhane Smith and Tehoka Nanticoke after the game.

They were quick to tell him to keep his defensive job, and it’s true, the Bandits have enough firepower up front as it is. Nanticoke led the offense with five goals and two assists, while Smith and Josh Byrne each scored three goals and four assists.

“This is the kind of game I’ve dreamed of since I was little kid playing lacrosse, holding a stick wearing a JT jersey running around the backyard,” Nanticoke said. “This is everything I expected from Banditland and I love it.”

Bandits’ head coach John Tavares thought both Weiss and Nanticoke deserved to be the team’s player of the game.

“Weiss had a great game in Hamilton and I let him know that, and then today, he had another great game and the game-winning goal,” Tavares said. “Nick’s a leader on the team; he doesn’t have an A on his jersey but he could easily have one. I wanted to give him the player of the game but I had to give it to Tehoka.”

He said that Nanticoke looked more confident today.

“He seemed like he was going to the net more often. Maybe being a rookie he doesn’t want to step on anyone’s toes but today he just played his game. Today he didn’t hold back. I’d like to see him do that all the time.”

Colorado was, as Tavares put it, “relentless.” Though they only had one lead in the entire game – when Brett McIntyre scored 55 seconds into the first quarter – they were pesky, never letting the Bandits get too far ahead. That first quarter was the only one in which the Bandits had more than a one-goal lead by the time the buzzer sounded. They held Colorado to a single goal in the opening frame and led 4-1. Connor Fields’ #SCTop10 behind-the-back goal was the highlight of the period.

Twelve goals were scored in the second quarter. The Bandits kept trying to pull away, but the Mammoth kept pushing. Zed Williams and Eli McLaughlin each had two goals and three assists in the frame. Connor Robinson had two goals and two assists.

“They have great offensive weapons,” acknowledged Tavares. “They don’t give up. The keep coming and coming. I kept thinking… ‘they haven’t taken the lead.’ I was cringing if they did. I thought it would have given them that extra momentum but they just couldn’t get there and I think that saved us.”

Buffalo led 9-8 at halftime.

Nanticoke opened the second half with a pair of goals a minute apart. He softly floated in the air to sting the back of the net for his first, and then fought off a check, completed a spin move and threw several fakes before scoring the second.

Eli McLaughlin replied with a stretch goal in front of the net before Josh Byrne potted a highlight-reel behind-the-back goal for a 12-9 lead. Cue Colorado: McIntyre completed his hat trick, shooting around a defender. Chris Wardle then fired Tyson Gibson’s cross-crease pass past Matt Vinc while the crowd was screaming for a penalty after MacKay was taken down behind the play.

“We went on our runs and we knew they were going to go on theirs eventually,” said Smith. “We didn’t think it was going to be that close by any means. The refs let us play and maybe they got away with a few things but so did we. It was two great teams battling.”

In the fourth, Colorado scored three times, but each time they did, the Bandits had an answer to restore their one-goal lead. Robinson’s hat trick goal tied the game at 12, 2:19 into the quarter. Chris Cloutier replied with a far-side wraparound goal. Zed Williams tied the game at 13, but Byrne replied with a quick stick from a Nanticoke pass. Williams then tied the game again, this time at 14, scoring off a spin shot with 1:57 left to play.

Dillon Ward’s best save of the night came as he stopped Nanticoke while on the ground, having fallen into his net, which kept Colorado’s hopes alive. But as the Mammoth pressured in the Bandits end, they lost track of a loose ball as the shot clock expired and went for a regular line change, not noticing that MacKay had the ball in no man’s land. He passed to Weiss who scored Buffalo’s 15th goal of the game.

It was on Matt Vinc to hold on for the last few seconds, and he was able to stop McLaughlin’s crease dive attempt with two seconds left to play.

Buffalo takes a 1-0 series lead into the Loud House next Saturday, June 11th, but Tavares said that being favoured to win the series makes it harder to do so.

“I personally like being the underdog,” he said. “There’s a lot of pressure on the favourite team to win and I thought our guys did a great job fighting off a resilient team.”

If game three is necessary, it will be back in Banditland and its 14,274 fans on Saturday, June 18th. As much as the Bandits would love to win on home floor, Smith said they won’t be waiting for that to happen.

“We finally have a weight off our shoulder,” said Smith. “We’re going into Colorado like it’s do or die. We can’t think that we have one more game after that. Yes, it would be awesome to win in Banditland; that being said it would be even better to win in front of their crowd and bring home the trophy.”

NLL