Going into game three of the NLL Finals on Saturday night, it had been approximately 5,475 days since the Buffalo Bandits had lifted the NLL Cup. I am honored to sit here and tell you that the drought is over, Buffalo. The Buffalo Bandits are your 2023 NLL Champions.
Earlier in the day, Josh Byrne was activated from IR, which to be frank, was no surprise to anyone. Byrnzy and the Bandits’ offense turned on the gas in the second half, and pummeled Colorado in a winner-take-all game three, 13-4. Yes, that second number is correct. Colorado only mustered four goals. Matt Vinc has another record under his belt, now having the fewest goals allowed in an NLL Finals game. 18,296 were in attendance in Banditland, myself included, and the place was darn near combustible at any point in the night.
The first quarter, and really the first half, were slow and steady for both sides. Tehoka Nanticoke got the Bandits on the board first, much like the rest of the playoffs, but was answered by Connor Robinson. For the next nine or so minutes, the pace was furious and it was very much back-and-forth. With one second remaining in the first, Byrne dialed up a shot from behind the restraining line that beat Dillon Ward, on the power play. 2-1 Buffalo after one.
“I never thought I’d have to sit out a championship game,” said Byrne. “The universe has a funny way of working, and fortunately we got to game three.”
Buffalo continued their momentum to begin the second quarter, as Chase Fraser scored two in a row, almost seven minutes apart. Buffalo’s defense and Vinc completely shut down the Colorado offense and their transition. Eli McLaughlin finally got one past Vno on the power play, and that’s how the frame would end. 4-2 Bandits at the break.
Vinc was downright silly in the first half, stopping 20 of 22. Ward, who also had a solid half in net, stopped 30 of 34.
“Listen, we need to take it five minutes at a time,” said Byrne. “Stick to the game plan, keep buzzing on offense, our shots are going to continue to fall, and that’s it.”
As we’ve seen many times, Colorado should not be counted out of any game, surely not a finals game. This one was a bit different. Buffalo opened the floodgates in the second half, as well as continue the defensive masterpiece. Byrne scored his second of the game just 28 seconds into the third, and followed it up with his hat trick a few minutes after that. These two goals from Byrnzy were mirror images as he danced in front of a defender before firing bullets from range. After a seven minute scoring hiatus, McLaughlin got his second of the game, but that’d be the only goal the Mammoth would score in the quarter. Byrne lit the lamp for the fourth time and was followed up by his dynamic duo partner, Dhane Smith. 8-3 Buffalo after three. Banditland could smell it.
For the fourth straight quarter, Buffalo tallied the first goal, this time from Chris Cloutier on the power play. Clooch found himself on the crease and had a few years to shoot, and after a few head fakes, he buried it. Chris Wardle got his first of the game on the ensuing faceoff with a pretty dunk from behind the net, but that’d be the final goal for Colorado in this game. It was all Buffalo the rest of the way. Buffalo rattled off four more in a five minute span to ride this one out. Scorers were Matt Spanger, Brad McCulley, Max Adler, and Smith’s second. Each goal was different from the next. Spanger’s was a transition beauty, McCulley’s was a quick-stick snipe, Adler’s was on the ensuing faceoff as he kept it and drove right in, and Smith’s was some slick jukes before driving in and burying a shot. For the remaining 5:41, Buffalo’s defense was as stout as it’s ever been and Vinc was as stellar as it gets. Clock hits zero, pure elation in Banditland. Your final, 13-4 Buffalo.
Players of the game for Buffalo were Byrne (4+3), Smith (2+7), and Fraser (2+1). Vinc was unreal, making 46 saves on 50 shots. Smith was named NLL Finals MVP after breaking the record for most points in a postseason. For Colorado, McLaughlin (2+1) and Wardle (1+2) led the way. Ryan Lee and Zed Williams were held out of the goal column. Ward had a great first half, but fell off in the second. He made 47 saves on 60 shots.
“Give them a lot of credit,” said Mammoth head coach Pat Coyle. “I thought they played a great game, I don’t think we matched their energy. It’s disappointing.”
“It’s more stressful as a coach than as a player,” said John Tavares. It’s my latest one, so it’s my best one at the moment.”
“Each time we got a little better,” said Smith. “Last year we got a win under our belt, this year we won the championship. I’d love to have four championships, but this one means the world to me.”
The monkey is officially off the back of the Buffalo Bandits and the NLL Cup has a new home for the next year. This playoff run for Buffalo will be one for the history books with their potent scoring and unreal defense and goaltending. Assuredly so, the party is going to continue in the 716.
