Bandits Win It...AGAIN!

It looked like the Bandits reign as kings of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) would come to an end after losing Game Two of the championship series to the Saskatchewan Rush 11-10, but the Buffalo Bandits roared back to win Game Three 15-6 to claim their third-straight NLL title.

The Bandits joined the Rochester Knighthawks (2012-14 champions) as the only NLL teams to three-peat. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers (2000-02) are the most recent team in one of the four major pro sports to win three in a row.

Josh Byrne led the Bandits with four goals and five assists in the clinching game, Dhane Smith had three goals and five assists, Chris Cloutier also scored a hat trick in returning from missing Game 2 with an injury, and Matt Vinc finished with 42 saves while shutting out the Rush in the second half as Buffalo ran away with its seventh indoor lacrosse championship, the most in the sport’s 39-year history.

Following two tightly contested games to start the best-of-three series, and trailing for much of the first quarter, Buffalo pulled in front with a four-goal run spanning 2:46 early in the second quarter. Coming out of halftime with a 7-6 lead, the Bandits put the game away by scoring seven times in the third quarter while Vinc stopped all 20 shots he faced second half.

Watch highlights from Game Three here: https://youtu.be/A7hbptUZgKk?si=jk2-z9XcU0WY59C0

Here is a recap of the NLL's 2025 season:

1. Buffalo Bandits (13-5)
2. Saskatchewan Rush (13-5)
3. Halifax Thunderbirds (11-7)
4. Vancouver Warriors (11-7)
5. Rochester Knighthawks (10-8)
6. Calgary Roughnecks (10-8)
7. Georgia Swarm (9-9)
8. San Diego Seals (9-9)
9. Ottawa Black Bears (8-10)
10. Colorado Mammoth (8-10)
11. Albany Firewolves (7-11)
12. Philadelphia Wings (7-11)
13. Toronto Rock (6-12)
14. Las Vegas Desert Dogs (4-14)

Quarterfinals

Buffalo 5, San Diego 4

Vancouver 15, Rochester 10

Saskatchewan 13, Georgia 9

Halifax 16, Calgary 12

Semifinals

Buffalo defeated Vancouver 9-3, 11-9 (2-0)

Saskatchewan defeated Halifax 16-7, 10-9ot (2-0)

Final

Buffalo defeated Saskatchewan 12-10, 10-11, 15-6 (2-1)

2025 Top Scorers:

Dhane Smith 134 pts (32 G, 102 A)

Josh Byrne 134 pts (44 G, 90 A)

For more information on the NLL:  https://www.nll.com/