2023 Buffalo Bandits season Lacrosse team season
Lacrosse team 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.
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
NLL Standings
Reference:[ 2]
Game log
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
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
Public address announcer Chris Swenson leads the championship rally for Bandits on June 15, 2023
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
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:
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
External links