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BUF at SD - Sat. 10pm ET on ESPNews Schedule

×
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
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 25
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Mar 25
21:30:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Buffalo
San Diego
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 25
22:30:00
Rochester
Las Vegas
WK
18
Fri, Mar 31
19:00:00
New York
Georgia
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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Game RecapsNewsPlayoffsStories/Op-Ed

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