The Saskatchewan Rush beat the Buffalo Bandits 11-10 in Game 2 of the NLL Finals on Sunday night, forcing a decisive Game 3 this Saturday. In a game where neither team had more than a three-goal lead at any point, it was the hometown Rush who finished the strongest.
The last time the Bandits lost a playoff game was May 29, 2023, when the Colorado Mammoth beat them 16-10 in Game 2 of that year’s Championship Final; they won 10 straight after that defeat, including the last two championships.
The way the game started, it looked like it might be a blowout—Saskatchewan scored the first goal 1:07 into the contest and then added two more before the Bandits finally got on the scoreboard, picking up their fiurst goal late in the quarter, then adding two more in the second quarter to tie the game.
The Rush added two more after that to retake the lead, but Buffalo was not about to roll over, going on another three-goal run to tie the game again and then take the lead for themselves. Jake Boudreau tied the game yet again with just one second left in the half, following a scramble in the Bandit’s zone, sending the teams to the locker rooms with the score knotted at 6-6.
Buffalo opened the scoring in the third quarter, grabbing the lead again on a highlight reel, behind-the-back goal from Chase Fraser, and they held it for just over five minutes. Saskatchewan finally found the back of the net on an equally crazy crease-diving catch-and-shoot goal from Brock Haley, starting a back and forth exchange of goals for the rest of the period. When the dust settled, the Bandits were taking a one-goal lead into the fourth quarter.
It took just over six minutes, but the Rush tied the game yet again and grabbed the lead a minute-and-a-half later. They added one more with 3:08 left on the clock and then weathered the storm as Buffalo pushed hard to tie the game and force overtime. It was not to be however—they got one back, but Holden Garlent stepped in the way of the last shot of the game, sacrificing the body to seal the victory.
Austin Shanks has another outstanding game, scoring three times and adding five assists for eight points, bringing his postseason total to 30 points (16 goals, 14 assists), the most of anyone in the playoffs this year. Dhane Smith had a five point night for the Bandits, on two goals and three helpers.
Frankie Scigliano made 40 saves for the Rush to earn the win while Matt Vinc stopped 41 shots for the Bandits.
Game 3 of the series takes the teams back to Buffalo for a rare Saturday afternoon game. The winner goes home with the NLL Cup; the loser just goes home.
