2022-'23 Buffalo Bandits

[Taro T]

Took 7 ####ing games, but the Bandits FINALLY figured out how to beat the friggin' Mammoth.  (Yes, they beat them twice before in those 1st 6 games, but that's simply because they're so much more talented than them.)

Pass the ####ing ball and get Ward moving and also setting back in his crease.  And don't take dumb ####ing penalties because Colorado's PP is deadly.

From the very 1st goal with Josh Byrne drawing 2 defenders to him to set Naticoke clear to go in 1 on 1 on Ward through to MacKay cleanly stealing the ball to run out the last 28 seconds; this team played disciplined clean lax.  Matt Vinc had a mirror image season to last year - last year he was unbeatable to start the year and became a relative sieve (compared to the normal Matt Vinc) by the time the playoffs rolled around.  And this year, he couldn't stop a beach ball in the 1st game against Albany and wasn't much better the 1st quarter of the season, but he found his game as the year went on and set a record tonight for the fewest goals given up in a finals game - 4.

Stinks that this team had 2 championship chances stolen from them for Covid, but this team is REALLY good.  

And so cool that MacKay got to hold the ball to the final whistle.  That guy has meant so much this year at both ends of the field especially with all the injuries to the forwards they went through this year.

Let's go Ban-dits!

[Taro T]

 

[JujuFish]

I tuned in with a few minutes left in the first half through the end of the game. That was great to watch.

[Eleven]

I am the most casual Bandits fan you can imagine, but I do like Buffalo teams and I am glad when they succeed, whether it be St Bonaventure making the NCAA basketball tournament, or Niagara hockey doing well, or whatever.  

For those of you who are Bandits diehards, I am so happy.  You supported this team, went to games, some of you subscribed to streaming packages, all that.  And I am very, very happy for you!  Congrats!!!!!

Edited June 4, 2023 by Eleven

[Pimlach]

Congrats Buffalo Bandits and their fans.  A 5th Championship Banner will hang from the rafters!

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

Bandits dominated the game...set a finals record for defense...only allowed 4 goals...crushing defeat of Colorado 13-4!

 

Champs!!!

Should have been 3. Mammoth 4th goal shouldn't have counted.

2 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

I never watched lacrosse before, but it's a great sport. Like hockey without ice. 

Indoor lacrosse is "The Purge" of pro sports. 😂

[Wyldnwoody44]

3 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Should have been 3. Mammoth 4th goal shouldn't have counted.

Indoor lacrosse is "The Purge" of pro sports. 😂

Because it didn't cross the line or his foot was down? 

[PromoTheRobot]

4 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Because it didn't cross the line or his foot was down? 

Both. You never saw the ball cross the line fully until well after the guy,'s foot landed in the crease. 

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Because it didn't cross the line or his foot was down? 

1st off, his foot might have been on the line before he even got the ball.  (TV never reshowed that far back.)  But the ball didn't cross the line until MacKay falling into the goal knocked the goal behind the goal line which came WELL after not only the shooter's foot hit the crease but his other knee hit the crease too.

The overhead view showed that NO part of the ball fully crossed the goal line (much less the entire ball) until well after the shooter had stepped in the crease.

[Taro T]

Had the score been remotely close, the refs likely would've gotten the call right.  But at that point, with so little time left in the game they thought it better to give Colorado a CHANCE to come back rather than just shut the door on them.  The Bandits scoring right off the next faceoff made up for that error in judgment.

[spndnchz]

👍🏻👍😀😎

[Night Train]

June 15th 5pm. Victory party in the plaza. I'm predicting there will be beer and music !  

[Brawndo]

The NLL Shop is completely sold out of Bandits Championship Merchandise less than 12 hours after the game ended. 😳

 

Which is interesting as it was all pre-order and none of it has gone into production yet.

[JohnC]

I saw a picture of the arena filled to capacity with a raucous crowd. What a great snapshot! There are a few people who have argued that the Buffalo market was too small to sufficiently support a NHL team. What the Bandits (and the Bills) have shown is that having a well-run organization that is able to consistently produce a competitive and entertaining team, the fans will show up and the team will be enthusiastically supported. 

[LabattBlue]

I have a question for those who follow lacrosse more than I do…

 

I watched the NCAA lacrosse final and the goalies seem to wear little protective gear.  NLL goalies…humongous marshmallow men.  Why the difference?

Edited June 4, 2023 by LabattBlue

[Taro T]

23 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I have a question for those who follow lacrosse more than I do…

 

I watched the NCAA lacrosse final and the goalies seem to wear little protective gear.  NLL goalies…humongous marshmallow men.  Why the difference?

Not positive, but always figured it was because the field is so much smaller than an outdoor lax field along with a much smaller net so that there are way more opportunities for shots and the goalie blocks way more of those shots with his body than an outdoor lax goalie blocks.  Outdoor goalies make most all their saves with their stick; indoor goalies tend to have the saves come more of a 50-50 split between stick saves and body saves.

And if the goalie didn't have so much padding or the net were any larger, each team would be scoring into the 30's each game.  It wouldn't be lacrosse, it would be basketball.

[Marvin]

33 minutes ago, Taro T said:

And if the goalie didn't have so much padding or the net were any larger, each team would be scoring into the 30's each game.  It wouldn't be lacrosse, it would be basketball.

Back in the early 1990's, scores like 21-15 were common.  It is an indicator of how much defence has evolved over the years.

[Taro T]

31 minutes ago, Marvin said:

Back in the early 1990's, scores like 21-15 were common.  It is an indicator of how much defence has evolved over the years.

They were.  But you still didn't get 40-35 games like you would with outdoor nets being used indoors.

 

[Turbo44]

Bravo to Buffalo selling out the playoff games!! I remember watching the first championship in year one.

My memory may be failing me but I think it was 9-9 or 10-10 with 30 Seconds left in regulation and Geary (I think) saved a breakaway against Philly for Buffalo. It went into OT, Philly didn’t score on the first possession then Tavares scored behind his back to win it.

Not too proud to say I cried. My mom came by the tv and said, “why are you crying?” I said “we’re world indoor lacrosse champions.” She said ,”you’re messed up.” I said, “yes I am.”

After seeing all other buffalo teams fail in pivotal moments, to see the Bandits win there, it was just crazy. I haven’t followed them as closely since then but will always be so thankful for that moment and Tavares’s incredible goal.

[Doohicksie]

15 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

I never watched lacrosse before, but it's a great sport. Like hockey without ice. 

And with more of a 3D component.  High sticking of the ball is encouraged.

[Doohicksie]

We have a NLL team here in Fort Worth (Panther City Lacrosse Club); they just finished their second season.  I keep saying I need to get out to a game but I haven't yet.  So far Panther City has the lowest attendance of any NLL team (3 or 4k per game I believe).  I hope it can hang in there until it catches on.

[PromoTheRobot]

Meanwhile the Toronto, Hamilton, Mississauga Rock have to relocate to a 5,000 seat area for a few years.

https://www.tsn.ca/lacrosse/toronto-rock-temporarily-move-to-mississauga-as-hamilton-arena-is-renovated-1.1967905

[matter2003]

2 hours ago, Marvin said:

Back in the early 1990's, scores like 21-15 were common.  It is an indicator of how much defence has evolved over the years.

Bandits defense was stifling yesterday...so many times Colorado didn't even get a shot on net or even a shot period with two guys double teaming a player holding their stick so they couldn't move it or blocking a shot and then basically keeping the loose ball tied up until the shot clock ran out...it was a clinic.

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

We have a NLL team here in Fort Worth (Panther City Lacrosse Club); they just finished their second season.  I keep saying I need to get out to a game but I haven't yet.  So far Panther City has the lowest attendance of any NLL team (3 or 4k per game I believe).  I hope it can hang in there until it catches on.

It takes time.  I normally associate lacrosse with Canada and the Canadian border of the US.

Good luck to them.

[Doohicksie]

One thing I noticed yesterday is that the Bandits won nearly every faceoff I saw.  They were officially 13/20 but it seemed more dominant than that, especially late.