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BUF at SD - Sat. 10pm ET on ESPNews 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
20:30:00
San Diego
Panther City
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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Mammoth Complete Series Comeback Win 10 to 8 in Game 3 to Claim First Title Since 2006

It truly was a Mammoth win as Colorado captured its first NLL championship since 2006 with a 10-8 victory in deciding Game 3 over the Bandits at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday night in front of 19,060 fans.

“This is why we play lacrosse, we play for championships,” said Mammoth captain Robert Hope, who was drafted in 2014 by Colorado. “It’s been a long time building. There’s a lot of emotions right now but we’re super happy, super pumped for this.”

Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward was named NLL Finals MVP after setting a championship game record with 55 saves, including 22 in the fourth quarter. Ward made 40 saves each in both Colorado’s Game 2 win and Game 1 loss.

Zed Williams led the Mammoth on Saturday with four goals and two assists, while Chris Wardle added one goal and five assists. Brett McIntyre, Sam Firth (with his first NLL goal), Dylan Kinnear, Tyson Gibson and Anthony Joaquim also scored for Colorado, while Connor Robinson recorded two helpers and eight loose balls. Hope had three assists and three loose balls.

“I think our guys, we get better the later the series go on,” Hope said. “Our staff does a really good job with film and breaking down tendencies and systems. I thought we did a really good job of that, we made adjustments. The first game, they took it to us pretty good and we made some adjustments obviously.”

The Mammoth finished the regular season with a 10-8 record and were the West’s third playoff seed. Colorado then went on a run during the postseason, defeating defending 2019 NLL champion Calgary in the one-game first round before beating San Diego two games to one in the best-of-three West Conference Finals.

“You don’t get here by accident,” said Ward, who was drafted third overall in 2013 by the Mammoth. “We’ve had a really strong defense all year and we just went out and we executed what we wanted to.”

The Bandits, the league’s best team in the regular season at 14-4 and the top playoff seed, narrowly took an exciting Game 1 at home by a 15-14 margin on a last-minute goal by Nick Weiss. Colorado bounced back in Game 2 with an 11-8 comeback win in Denver, outscoring Buffalo 7-2 in the second half.

“It was a do-or-die situation. we needed to win.” Ward said. “Personally, I didn’t think I played my best game in Game 1. Game 2, I wanted to put my best foot forward and have my best game of the playoffs. Game 3 was the same situation, it was do or die, so just again wanted to play an awesome game, give my team confidence, give us a chance to win.”

In Saturday’s Game 3, the Bandits led 3-2 at the end of the first quarter but the Mammoth outscored Buffalo 5-2 in the second quarter to go up 7-5 at halftime. The Bandits scored the only goal of the third quarter and were able to tie the game 7-7 early in the fourth but Colorado then scored three straight goals, including two by Williams, to secure their third title in franchise history (2006 and in 1987 when the franchise was located in Baltimore).

Kyle Buchanan had three goals and one assist for Buffalo, while Josh Byrne had one goal and three assists. Dhane Smith, Ian MacKay, Chris Cloutier and Connor Fields also scored for the Bandits. Matt Vinc made 29 saves, and passed current Buffalo head coach John Tavares for most career postseason appearances with 39 games played.

“We played them hard,” said Ward. “We forced them into situations that I don’t think they wanted to be in, and the shots that we gave up for the most part were shots that I was looking for.”

Colorado was again without injured forwards Ryan Lee, who had 119 points in 18 regular-season games, and Eli McLaughlin, the NLL’s top playoff scorer with 20 goals and 41 points in five games, for Game 3. In a bit of gamesmanship, McLaughlin was added to the active roster earlier Saturday and dressed for the pregame warmup but was then scratched from the lineup.

“They counted us out as soon as Leezer went down, and we made it to the Finals. Liger goes down,” Robinson said. “The only people that thought we could this were the guys in the room.”

Mammoth head coach Pat Coyle lauded his team, from Ward on out to the defenders, the transition game, and forwards like Williams.

“We knew the longer we went without Ryan Lee and Eli McLaughlin, we were going to have to win games with our defense and our goaltending,” said Coyle. “And tonight, they did. Getting a transition goal from Anthony Joaquim was huge. That goal was really big. Our plan was that if we all can contribute, we’re going to be a hard team to stop.

“[Zed] took the responsibility on himself that he was going to step up. He’s a big man, and a strong guy and really hard to handle. I just think he’s a tough matchup and defenses have to adjust for him. And he’s such a fantastic team guy too, really humble, and a great family guy. We’re so lucky to have him.”

“[Ward]’s a goalie that adjusts well. He watches film, he knows where he gets scored on, and then he just changes how he plays a bit. He does very subtle things. I know Matt Vinc is a fantastic goalie, and all credit to him, but I feel like we have the best goalie in the league and we’ve been saying that for years. This is what Dillon’s been doing for 10 years with the Mammoth.”

For Coyle it’s his first championship as a coach after winning five as a player, including with Colorado in 2006.

“I’m still sort of shocked actually at how well it went for us,” Coyle said. “We had a plan but still, a part of it is there’s a lot of luck involved and there’s a lot of just the way the ball bounces.

“It’s awesome to win as a coach but … this is the players that did this. I’m so lucky to be part of the two championships with the Mammoth, and they both happened here [in Buffalo]. Really lucky.”

The Bandits, on the other hand, were not so lucky as they dropped their third consecutive finals appearance, following championship losses in 2016 to Saskatchewan and 2019 to Calgary. Buffalo has not won the NLL title since 2008.

“First place doesn’t mean anything,” said Tavares. “You got to go out and win. We ran into a hot team. Ward had a great game, great series. Zed Williams was hard to stop. The fourth quarter there, Ward made a bunch of good saves and Zed scored that game-winning goal.”

What a game, what a series, what a playoffs and what a season, which started on December 3, 2021 after the previous two seasons were shut down due to COVID-19 and then went on a seven-month rollercoaster ride unlike any other in NLL history with pandemic-related postponements and reschedulings, and games played in front of no or limited amounts of fans.

The league debuted teams in Albany, which relocated from New England, and Panther City, an expansion franchise based in Fort Worth, Texas. Next season Las Vegas joins the NLL.

But back to the 2021-22 season, one of constant setbacks, comebacks and next man up. In the end, the Colorado Mammoth are the last team standing.

“We went out there, we battled,” said Robinson. “We went out there and we got the job done, we’re NLL champs. Tusk up baby, woo!”

NLL