The back-to-back NLL champs, the Buffalo Bandits, have scraped into the semifinals after an astonishing 5-4 win over the San Diego Seals to break their regular-season two-game tie. Their quarterfinal victory marked the lowest scoring NLL playoff game in League history, and the lowest scoring Bandits win this season. To secure their semifinal appearance, Vancouver overtook the Rochester Knighthawks 15-10 in their first home playoff game in franchise history, featuring an all-star first playoff appearance by longtime Vancouver forward Keegan Bal, tallying 11 points (five goals, six assists).
The Warriors’ last visit to KeyBank Center was in Week 18, where Vancouver pulled ahead in the final quarter with two consecutive goals from Bal and Adam Charalambides, striking their third straight win.
Crowley, Bal and Loewen each score 3 as the Vancouver Warriors snap a 4-game losing streak, taking down the Bandits 13-12 at home
👀 GAME RECAP pic.twitter.com/Ars3O2tXAQ
— NLL (@NLL) March 2, 2024
Now on the road back to Buffalo for the postseason rematch, the difference in postseason experience has become increasingly evident. In their 33-year history in the NLL, the Bandits have made the playoffs 25 times and won six titles, and are hungry for their seventh. Including their win over San Diego last weekend, the Bandits also haven’t lost a home playoff game since June 18th, 2022, and are now on an eight-game home win streak in the postseason. Conversely, Vancouver only made the postseason once during their time as the Vancouver Stealth, but did secure a championship win in their first season as the short-lived Washington Stealth, taking down the Toronto Rock 15-11 in the single-game NLL Championship format. However, despite a clear rift in playoff experience, the current successes of both squads speak volumes.
Vancouver is looking for their eighth straight win with goalkeeper Christian Del Bianco in net, while the Bandits head into the semifinals eager to reestablish their League-wide dominance after their three-goal loss to the Georgia Swarm in Week 21 and being held scoreless in the second half by the Seals in the quarterfinals. But while the playoff story is still being written, each team has several X-Factors in play that could swing the story in their favor.
While by no means the only defensive weapon at their disposal, it’s abundantly clear that Del Bianco’s addition to the Vancouver Warriors’ d-line has given them the edge they so desperately needed in the early weeks of the regular season. Despite playing in just six short games, Del Bianco tallied an 82% save percentage with 238 saves, 40 of which he stopped in Vancouver’s previous matchup in Buffalo. So far in the postseason, Del Bianco has made 48 saves and handed out two assists, putting transition Owen Grant on the board against the Knighthawks and helping Bal get his fifth of the evening. CDB’s exemplary performance thus far in net, combined with his previous playoff and championship experience, has lined him up to be the postseason defensive difference maker the Warriors pulled him off the couch to be.
Half man, half amazing! @cdelbianco35 👏 pic.twitter.com/GvD0pOsAPI
— NLL (@NLL) April 27, 2025
It’s widely accepted by fans and players alike that Big #42 just might be the greatest to ever do it. Finishing the regular season with 730 saves and a 79% save percentage, the Bandits’ Matt Vinc is a brick wall unscalable by mere mortals. The eight-time NLL Goaltender of the Year has led his Buffalo Bandits to the last four NLL finals since his acquisition in the 2018-19 season, holding the line to secure the last two NLL Cups. Additionally, he held down the pipes as the goaltender for the original Rochester Knighthawks, the last team in the League to pull off a three-peat. With 48 saves in the playoffs so far, it’s not a far reach to say that Vinc will be the deciding factor between who stays and who goes in this semifinal series.
Matt Vinc makes 48 saves to lead the Bandits to a 5-4 win over San Diego, the lowest-scoring playoff game in NLL history.
👀 Vinc Highlights pic.twitter.com/2UvaYirPt8
— NLL (@NLL) April 26, 2025
Having never made the playoffs with the Washington Stealth and being traded to Colorado during the Stealth’s only playoff run in the 2017 season, Keegan Bal entered the 2025 NLL Playoffs with arguably the biggest chip on his shoulder. Bal finished the regular season with 112 points (43 goals, 69 assists) and a 2025 MVP nomination, racking up 10 of his 112 points in his last showing in Buffalo (4G, 6A). Bal’s ability to shoot and score from almost every corner of the play made him a major threat on the scouting report, and he already leads the League in postseason points with 11 gold stars (5G, 6A) tallied against the Knighthawks. His physicality in settled offense and intensity in transition make him the player to always be aware of on the turf.
Bal was UNSTOPPABLE in the quarterfinals for the @vanwarriors! 🎯🔥 pic.twitter.com/mwNjlfuHc7
— NLL (@NLL) April 29, 2025
Buffalo forward Josh Byrne is as consistent as he is animated, making it no wonder why he’s been handed an MVP nomination his year. Tied at 134 points (44 goals, 80 assists) with fellow MVP nominee and teammate Dhane Smith, Byrne has been the man to beat for defenders looking to make names for themselves in the past few seasons. Despite being held goalless against San Diego, Byrne was still able to dish out two assists in the quarterfinals to keep Buffalo on the road to a third NLL Cup. However, after hobbling off the field during their bout with the Seals, he was under brief scrutiny as to whether he would be able to perform in the semifinals against Vancouver. While Byrne did go back into the game and has since been confirmed to be dressing out for Game 1, his injury, however brief, has made him a topic of concern for Banditland. Byrne performing on all cylinders this weekend is a must-see for the Buffalo offense as they head into their revenge match with the Warriors.
When Josh Byrne did THIS in the Semifinals last year! 🤯@NLLBandits pic.twitter.com/l6E6etaNvd
— NLL (@NLL) May 2, 2025
Halifax, Nova Scotia – Mar 14: National Lacrosse League game between the Halifax Thunderbirds and Saskatchewan Rush on March 14 2025 at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Thunderbirds)
Two-time champions, the No. 2 Saskatchewan Rush, are back in the semifinals after a hefty four-goal victory over the No. 7 Georgia Swarm, where an especially motivated Jake Boudreau put up four goals, a single-game high after only putting away 10 goals during the regular season. On the visiting end, the No. 3 Halifax Thunderbirds scratched together a similar outcome to punch their ticket to the next round, taking down the No. 6 Calgary Roughnecks 16-12 in the franchise’s first home playoff game since relocating to Nova Scotia from Rochester, NY.
Halifax and Saskatchewan have already had two encounters this season, first during Week 3 in Saskatoon, which the Rush took 9-8 in overtime, then again in Week 16 at Scotiabank Centre, where the Thunderbirds got their revenge 17-9. As the two teams find themselves in a tie-breaker that is not dissimilar to the Bandits-Seals quarterfinal decider, Halifax and Saskatchewan will instead have three games to prove who really owns the tie-breaker.
They led 9-2 after the 1st quarter and never let up. @HFXThunderbirds take it 17-9 over Saskatchewan in The Nest.
GAME RECAP 👀 pic.twitter.com/719rT4w79T
— NLL (@NLL) March 15, 2025
The Rush have been a frequent postseason contender over the years, both as the Edmonton and Saskatchewan incarnations of the franchise. Since their addition to the League in 2005, the Rush have made it to the NLL Cup Finals five times, winning back-to-back in 2015 as the Edmonton Rush and in 2016 as Saskatchewan, as well as in 2018. Despite accruing three League titles in their two decades of activity, the Rush have been absent from the playoffs the last three seasons, making this year’s postseason push all the more lucrative for the franchise. With father and son duo, head coach Derek Keenan and captain Ryan Keenan, at the helm heading into this weekend’s first game, Saskatchewan boasts a slew of championship-caliber players and staff, as well as a chippy freshman class chomping at the bit for the shot at a title run.
Halifax has had similar levels of success over the years, but not as the Thunderbirds we’ve come to know them as. Before relocating to the Nova Scotian coast, the Thunderbirds found plenty of playoff success as the original Rochester Knighthawks, the only team in League history to win a three-peat. As the modern-day Thunderbirds, however, they’ve yet to make it past the first round of the playoffs. The Rush isn’t willing to give up their chance to reenter the history books, and the Thunderbirds are hungry to hang their first banner from the Scotiabank Centre rafters– but for a series between the No. 2 and the No. 3, who are the difference makers?
After a four-goal, five-point quarterfinal game, Boudreau is now exceedingly difficult to ignore in the semifinals. On top of his already outstanding offensive performance, Boudreau was certainly no slouch on defense either, picking up nine loose balls, causing three turnovers, and even blocking a shot of his own against the Swarm forwards. Now in his third season with the Rush, he’s solidified himself as a utility player on both sides of the ball, and after his social-media-highlight-reel performance against Georgia, the Thunderbirds will be less than willing to give him an easy loose-ball breakaway.
Boudreau had the hot hand — dropping 4 goals when it counted most for @SaskRushLAX! pic.twitter.com/WQHRNqYiWx
— NLL (@NLL) April 27, 2025
There’s no end to a healthy sibling rivalry, not even at the highest levels of competition. The Hossacks have been competing all year, and their efforts have borne fruit in the form of opposing semifinal appearances and two Defensive Player of the Year nominations. By the numbers, Matt is a part of one of the most effective defenses in the League, as the Rush currently lead the remaining teams in penalty kill percentage (61%), and sit just behind the No. 4 Vancouver Warriors for goals against (SAS 179, VAN 172). In addition to his 129 loose ball pickups, Matt also led the league in caused turnovers during the regular season, stripping 34 players for possession, and blocked 26 shots.
Matt Hossack masterclass ladies and gents 🚨
SSK 5
ROC 5 pic.twitter.com/hVVLv3det3— Saskatchewan Rush (@SaskRushLAX) February 16, 2025
Graeme and the Thunderbirds’ man-down line are by no means ineffective either, following close behind the Rush with a 59% penalty kill percentage. Individually, Graeme out-scooped his brother by a heavy 22 looseballs, finishing the season with 151 pickups, but trailed behind Matt in caused turnovers by 14 (20 CTO). Against some of the most sought-after and highlight-reel forwards in the League on both squads (SAS Austin Shanks and Zach Manns, HFX Randy Staats and Dawson Theede), the defensive responses are going to be crucial for both squads’ success. However, if the chance at a national championship wasn’t enough for these potential DPOY’s, the chance to one-up each other could very well give them an edge unattainable by their sibling-less teammates.
It’s not often Graeme Hossack goes off for a hat trick but when he does it’s a thing of beauty 👌
3 goals, 2 assists & 13 loose balls for the Cyborg in @HFXThunderbirds win. pic.twitter.com/An4mmNtxOc
— NLL (@NLL) March 22, 2025
If you’re looking to stop the Rush dead in their tracks, you have to start from the first whistle by dominating the faceoff dot. Saskatchewan’s rookie faceoff specialist, Jake Naso, has been making headlines throughout the season, winning 214 of his 349 faceoffs taken and finishing seventh overall in FOW during the regular season, and has already topped the playoff leaderboard after winning 18 of his 26 faceoffs against Georgia. However, Halifax’s Jake Withers led the league in FOW during the regular season, swiping up 299 of his 472 faceoffs taken, and sits just below Naso with 16 FOW in the postseason so far. Withers also put together 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists) and picked up 227 loose balls in the regular season, outpacing Naso significantly in the scrum (85 LB, 2G).
Additionally, while Naso controlled the faceoff dot in their first bout (12-21 in Week 3 vs Halifax), leading the Rush to an OT win, Withers kept his foot on the gas in their second meeting to help his Thunderbirds to an eight-goal victory (18-30 in Week 16 vs Saskatchewan). While faceoff wins and loose balls will be more than necessary to any successful playoff run, they’re going to be absolutely crucial for the Thunderbirds in this weekend’s first meeting and down the line. Halifax will assuredly be looking to Withers to set the tone early.
Look out… artists at work 🚧
Jake Withers x Michael Sisselberger pic.twitter.com/7IgajIDbCN
— NLL (@NLL) January 19, 2025
