2023 Buffalo Bandits season

Last updated
2023 Buffalo Bandits
NLL Champions
League NLL
Division1st East
2023 record14–4
Home record7–2
Road record7–2
Goals for215
Goals against191
General Manager Steve Dietrich
Coach John Tavares
Captain Steve Priolo
Alternate captainsDhane Smith, Nick Weiss
Arena KeyBank Center
Average attendance14,731
Team leaders
Goals Josh Byrne (43)
Assists Dhane Smith (96)
PointsDhane Smith (132)
Penalties in minutesSteve Priolo (70)
Loose BallsSteve Priolo (143)
Wins Matt Vinc (14)
Goals against average Matt Vinc (10.42)

The Buffalo Bandits are a lacrosse team based in Buffalo, New York playing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The 2023 season was their 31st season in the NLL.

Contents

The Bandits won the Eastern Conference with a 14-4 record in the regular season, as well as first place overall, and home floor advantage throughout the playoffs. They beat the Rochester Knighthawks, 20-8, in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The team would go on to sweep the Toronto Rock in two games in the Eastern Conference Finals, leading to a rematch against the Colorado Mammoth in the NLL Finals, in which Buffalo had fallen to in three games, in the 2022 season.

The Bandits went on to win Game 1 at home over the Mammoth, 14-13, and then lose Game 2, 16-10, on the road in Colorado. The Bandits went on to win the third and deciding game, 13-4, to win their first championship since 2008. [1]

Regular season

Team captain Steve Priolo holds the NLL Cup Steve Priolo with NLL Cup.jpg
Team captain Steve Priolo holds the NLL Cup

NLL Standings Reference: [2]

East Conference
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1 Buffalo Bandits –xyz18144.7780.07–27–2215191+2411.9410.61
2 Toronto Rock –x18135.7221.08–15–4234164+7013.009.11
3 Halifax Thunderbirds –x18108.5564.05–45–4238210+2813.2211.67
4 Rochester Knighthawks –x18108.5564.06–34–5218214+412.1111.89
5 Philadelphia Wings 1899.5005.04–55–4200211−1111.1111.72
6 Georgia Swarm 18810.4446.03–65–4219207+1212.1711.50
7 New York Riptide 18513.2789.03–62–7201243−4211.1713.50
8 Albany FireWolves 18315.16711.00–93–6167233−669.2812.94
West Conference
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1 San Diego Seals –xy18144.7780.07–27–2240193+4713.3310.72
2 Calgary Roughnecks –x18135.7221.07–26–3218167+5112.119.28
3 Panther City Lacrosse Club –x18108.5564.06–34–5204193+1111.3310.72
4 Colorado Mammoth –x1899.5005.07–22–7190208−1810.5611.56
5 Saskatchewan Rush 18810.4446.05–43–6204212−811.3311.78
6 Las Vegas Desert Dogs 18513.2789.04–51–8179222−439.9412.33
7 Vancouver Warriors 18414.22210.02–72–7188247−5910.4413.72

Game log

GameDateOpponentLocationScoreOTAttendanceRecord
1December 3, 2022 Albany FireWolves KeyBank Center L 10–1111,4930–1
2December 17, 2022@ Toronto Rock FirstOntario Centre W 11–87,7301–1
3December 30, 2022 Halifax Thunderbirds KeyBank Center W 18–1314,0402–1
4January 7, 2023@ Georgia Swarm Gas South Arena W 18–98,3043–1
5January 14, 2023 Georgia Swarm KeyBank Center W 11–914,1894–1
6January 20, 2023@ Rochester Knighthawks Blue Cross Arena L 12–156,9484–2
7January 27, 2023@ Philadelphia Wings (2018–) Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia) W 13–97,7685–2
8January 28, 2023@ New York Riptide Nassau Coliseum W 16–104,9906–2
9February 4, 2023 Rochester Knighthawks KeyBank Center W 13–1014,9237–2
10February 18, 2023 Philadelphia Wings (2018–) KeyBank Center W 13–12OT14,6328–2
11March 3, 2023@ Halifax Thunderbirds Scotiabank Centre W 10–96,7249–2
12March 10, 2023 Halifax Thunderbirds KeyBank Center W 10–9OT14,89610–2
13March 18, 2023 Colorado Mammoth KeyBank Center L 8–1315,49610–3
14March 25, 2023@ San Diego Seals Pechanga Arena W 7–6OT4,38811–3
15April 1, 2023@ Toronto Rock FirstOntario Centre L 7–1813,12711–4
16April 15, 2023 New York Riptide KeyBank Center W 11–10OT16,05112–4
17April 22, 2023 Toronto Rock KeyBank Center W 11–1016,86113–4
18April 29, 2023@ Albany FireWolves Times Union Center W 16–103,55814–4

Playoffs

GameDateOpponentLocationScoreOTAttendanceRecord
Eastern Conference QuarterfinalsMay 6, 2023 Rochester Knighthawks KeyBank Center W 20–814,7941–0
Eastern Conference Finals
(Game 1)		May 12, 2023 Toronto Rock KeyBank Center W 14–511,5102–0
Eastern Conference Finals
(Game 2)		May 13, 2023@ Toronto Rock FirstOntario Centre W 17–88,3043–0
NLL Finals
(Game 1)		May 27, 2023 Colorado Mammoth KeyBank Center W 13–1214,2604–0
NLL Finals
(Game 2)		May 29, 2023@ Colorado Mammoth Ball Arena L 10–1610,6864–1
NLL Finals
(Game 3)		June 3, 2023 Colorado Mammoth KeyBank Center W 13–418,2965–1

Roster

Public address announcer Chris Swenson leads the championship rally for Bandits on June 15, 2023 2023 Buffalo Bandits Championship rally.jpg
Public address announcer Chris Swenson leads the championship rally for Bandits on June 15, 2023

Buffalo Bandits roster
Active (21-man) rosterInactive rosterCoaches
Goaltenders
Defensemen
Forwards
Transition
Practice Squad
Holdout
Protected list
Unable to play
Head Coach
Assistant Coaches

Equipment Manager

  • Ted Cordingley
Legend
  • * Suspended list
  • (C) Captain
  • (A) Alternate captain

Roster updated 2022-02-11
NLL Transactions

Entry Draft

The 2022 NLL Entry Draft took place on September 10, 2022. [3] The Bandits made the following selections:

RoundOverallPlayerCollege/Club
113Cam WyersToronto Beaches – Loyola University
114Dylan RobinsonToronto Beaches
119Zach BelterNiagara Thunderhawks – St. Bonaventure
473Ryan SharkeyUCBLL Rapids – Canisius College/UMass
582Christian WattsUCBLL Rapids – Siena College
588Austin BlumbergsUCBLL Rapids – St. Bonaventure University

References

  1. ↑ "Buffalo Bandits Get Over The Hump, Win First NLL Cup Since 2008 And Fifth in Franchise History". NLL.com. National Lacrosse League. June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Standings". National Lacrosse League.
  3. ↑ "2022 NLL ENTRY DRAFT LIVE RESULTS". NLL.com. September 10, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
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