The Buffalo Bandits are in the midst of a three game win streak at 3-1. This team is under the new leadership of Troy Cordingley. Buffalo played this past weekend without their superstar John Tavares. Additionally, they’re ranked third in the NLL.
It is clear that Cordingley brings a different game perspective to Buffalo than what they have become accustomed to. If I had to pick one major thing that has changed it is the team’s energy. They seem rejuvenated and eager to pressure the ball.
Here are my Pros and Cons to the Bandits’ recent 2014 success:
Pros: Buffalo has an overall awareness of their teammates and abilities on the roster that was MIA previously. When everyone is active they know who to send the ball to and how to best assist them.
In instances like this past weekend, Buffalo traveled to Denver and played the Mammoth without John Tavares: they won 16-9 so I would be scared to see what would have happened if Tavares were there. Other offensemen stepped up their game and still worked together fluidly to accomplish a successful road victory.
Any win is a win, and the Bandits are coming together as a team again off their accomplishments (every team needs support and momentum).
Cons: The Bandits, unfortunate as it is to say, have yet to play a ‘good’ team. What I mean by that is all their victories are against average to less than performing teams. Though they blew the Mammoth off the Mile High City, Denver themselves are currently 1-5 and struggling profusely to figure out a solution to their issues.
This translates to the point that once the Bandits play a solid, strong NLL team they may get swept off their feet and lose all the momentum and motivation they have recently rediscovered. Another plausible forethought is that come playoff time, Buffalo will be top seed and fall right off the grid of playoff performances.
Here are my thoughts on their performances as a team:
STRENGTH: Overall pressure.
Both offensively and defensively, the Bandits are pressuring the ball. They are causing defenses to move and break apart when on offense. In turn, their defense is working (on average) as a unit, pushing the ball low and forcing numerous loose balls. The game I watched in Philadelphia in particular, Buffalo increased the margin of shots from last season, which brought more goals (obviously).
WEAKNESS: Measuring performances and success.
As stated before, Buffalo is actively improving and winning, but only against minor competition (comparatively). When they are up against better teams in the NLL, I will be interested to see how they perform then. If they stand up to the odds and come out victorious after that, then the measure of the improvement this season will be truly representative of them.
Coming up this weekend (January 25), the Bandits play at home against the Rochester Knighthawks (3-0). They are two-peat NLL champions and will present the Bandits with some real competition. Buffalo will need to put their new ‘best foot’ forward if they hope to keep the streak alive.
