Wikipedia

2023 Buffalo Bandits season

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.

2023 Buffalo Bandits
NLL Champions
LeagueNLL
Division1st East
2023 record14-4
Home record7-2
Road record7-2
Goals for215
Goals against191
General ManagerSteve Dietrich
CoachJohn Tavares
CaptainSteve Priolo
Alternate captainsDhane Smith, Nick Weiss
ArenaKeyBank Center
Average attendance14,731
Team leaders
GoalsJosh Byrne (43)
AssistsDhane Smith (96)
PointsDhane Smith (132)
Penalties in minutesSteve Priolo (70)
Loose BallsSteve Priolo (143)
WinsMatt Vinc (14)
Goals against averageMatt Vinc (10.42)

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

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Team captain Steve Priolo holds the NLL Cup

NLL Standings Reference:[2]

East Conference
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1Buffalo Bandits – xyz18144.7780.07–27–2215191+2411.9410.61
2Toronto Rock – x18135.7221.08–15–4234164+7013.009.11
3Halifax Thunderbirds – x18108.5564.05–45–4238210+2813.2211.67
4Rochester Knighthawks – x18108.5564.06–34–5218214+412.1111.89
5Philadelphia Wings1899.5005.04–55–4200211−1111.1111.72
6Georgia Swarm18810.4446.03–65–4219207+1212.1711.50
7New York Riptide18513.2789.03–62–7201243−4211.1713.50
8Albany FireWolves18315.16711.00–93–6167233−669.2812.94
West Conference
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1San Diego Seals – xy18144.7780.07–27–2240193+4713.3310.72
2Calgary Roughnecks – x18135.7221.07–26–3218167+5112.119.28
3Panther City Lacrosse Club – x18108.5564.06–34–5204193+1111.3310.72
4Colorado Mammoth – x1899.5005.07–22–7190208−1810.5611.56
5Saskatchewan Rush18810.4446.05–43–6204212−811.3311.78
6Las Vegas Desert Dogs18513.2789.04–51–8179222−439.9412.33
7Vancouver Warriors18414.22210.02–72–7188247−5910.4413.72


Game log

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Game Date Opponent Location Score OT Attendance Record
1 December 3, 2022 Albany FireWolves KeyBank Center L 10–11 11,493 0–1
2 December 17, 2022 @ Toronto Rock FirstOntario Centre W 11–8 7,730 1–1
3 December 30, 2022 Halifax Thunderbirds KeyBank Center W 18–13 14,040 2–1
4 January 7, 2023 @ Georgia Swarm Gas South Arena W 18–9 8,304 3–1
5 January 14, 2023 Georgia Swarm KeyBank Center W 11–9 14,189 4–1
6 January 20, 2023 @ Rochester Knighthawks Blue Cross Arena L 12–15 6,948 4–2
7 January 27, 2023 @ Philadelphia Wings (2018–) Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia) W 13–9 7,768 5–2
8 January 28, 2023 @ New York Riptide Nassau Coliseum W 16–10 4,990 6–2
9 February 4, 2023 Rochester Knighthawks KeyBank Center W 13–10 14,923 7–2
10 February 18, 2023 Philadelphia Wings (2018–) KeyBank Center W 13–12 OT 14,632 8–2
11 March 3, 2023 @ Halifax Thunderbirds Scotiabank Centre W 10–9 6,724 9–2
12 March 10, 2023 Halifax Thunderbirds KeyBank Center W 10–9 OT 14,896 10–2
13 March 18, 2023 Colorado Mammoth KeyBank Center L 8–13 15,496 10–3
14 March 25, 2023 @ San Diego Seals Pechanga Arena W 7–6 OT 4,388 11–3
15 April 1, 2023 @ Toronto Rock FirstOntario Centre L 7–18 13,127 11–4
16 April 15, 2023 New York Riptide KeyBank Center W 11–10 OT 16,051 12–4
17 April 22, 2023 Toronto Rock KeyBank Center W 11–10 16,861 13–4
18 April 29, 2023 @ Albany FireWolves Times Union Center W 16–10 3,558 14–4

Playoffs

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Game Date Opponent Location Score OT Attendance Record
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals May 6, 2023 Rochester Knighthawks KeyBank Center W 20–8 14,794 1–0
Eastern Conference Finals
(Game 1)		 May 12, 2023 Toronto Rock KeyBank Center W 14–5 11,510 2–0
Eastern Conference Finals
(Game 2)		 May 13, 2023 @ Toronto Rock FirstOntario Centre W 17–8 8,304 3–0
NLL Finals
(Game 1)		 May 27, 2023 Colorado Mammoth KeyBank Center W 13–12 14,260 4–0
NLL Finals
(Game 2)		 May 29, 2023 @ Colorado Mammoth Ball Arena L 10–16 10,686 4–1
NLL Finals
(Game 3)		 June 3, 2023 Colorado Mammoth KeyBank Center W 13–4 18,296 5–1

Roster

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


Buffalo Bandits roster
Active (21-man) roster Inactive roster Coaches
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

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

Round Overall Player College/Club
1 13 Cam Wyers Toronto Beaches – Loyola University
1 14 Dylan Robinson Toronto Beaches
1 19 Zach Belter Niagara Thunderhawks – St. Bonaventure
4 73 Ryan Sharkey UCBLL Rapids – Canisius College/UMass
5 82 Christian Watts UCBLL Rapids – Siena College
5 88 Austin Blumbergs UCBLL Rapids – St. Bonaventure University

References

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  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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