The Semifinals continue Saturday as the Rush host the Thunderbirds in Game 2 of their series on TSN and ESPN+. The winner will face the Bandits in the 2025 NLL Finals, beginning Friday, May 16 in Buffalo.
The Rush host the Thunderbirds on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET in Game 2 of their best-of-three Semifinal matchup. The Rush took Game 1 with a dominant 16–7 win in Halifax. A win on Saturday would send them to the NLL Finals to face the two-time defending champion Buffalo Bandits. If the Thunderbirds force a Game 3, it will take place Sunday at 8:00 p.m. ET on TSN and ESPN+.
on May 2, 2025 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. Vancouver Warriors @ Buffalo Bandits. (Caroline Sherman/NLL)
With a series win over the Warriors, the Bandits now set their sights on completing the first three-peat in major North American pro sports since the NLL’s own Rochester Knighthawks (now Halifax Thunderbirds) 2012–14 run. It’s not the first time Buffalo has been on the cusp of history. After winning back-to-back titles in 1992 and ’93, the Bandits came up short in the 1994 championship game against the Wings.
As the Bandits enter the Finals, star forward Dhane Smith sits at 198 career postseason points, just three shy of surpassing his head coach, John Tavares (200), for the most in NLL playoff history.
Saskatchewan star forward Austin Shanks will once again face his former team in Game 2. The 31-year-old set the tone for his return with a dominant six-goal performance in the Rush’s 16–7 blowout win over the Thunderbirds in Game 1. Shanks joined NLL Box Out with Maki & Coop this week to discuss Saskatchewan’s success this season. Listen here
The NLL has announced the finalists for the 2024–25 season awards, highlighted by a tightly contested MVP race featuring Buffalo’s Dhane Smith, Rochester’s Connor Fields, and San Diego’s Wesley Berg. Rising stars Albany’s Dyson Williams and Philadelphia’s Brennan O’Neill headline the Rookie of the Year category, showcasing the league’s next generation of talent.
In this week’s episode of NLL Box Out With Maki and Coop, Austin Shanks joins the show to discuss Saskatchewan’s Semifinal Game 1 victory and the team’s mindset as they gear up for this weekend. Plus, Maki and Coop recap the Bandits series win. Stay tuned for more on what to expect in this weekend’s matchups.
