Buffalo Bandits defeat Vancouver Warriors to reach NLL Finals for fifth straight season
This will be the Bandits’ fifth straight appearance in the finals.
Buffalo Bandits forward Ian MacKay chases down a loose ball in the corner against the Vancouver Warriors during the second half
of Game 1 of the National Lacrosse League semifinals on Friday at KeyBank Center. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
The Buffalo Bandits are heading to a familiar place this month – the National Lacrosse League Finals.
The two-time defending champions earned the right Sunday with an 11-9 victory over the Vancouver Warriors at Rogers Arena, sweeping the best-of-three semifinal series.
This will be the Bandits’ fifth straight appearance in the finals, also a best-of-three series. They will play Game 1 of the finals at KeyBank Center on May 16, facing the winner of the other semifinal series between the Saskatchewan Rush and Halifax Thunderbirds. Tickets for that game will be on sale beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The Rush opened with a 16-7 victory in Game 1 on Saturday, and the two teams are scheduled to meet again Saturday and Sunday, if necessary.
In Game 1 on Friday night at KeyBank Center, the Bandits cruised to a 9-3 win behind Ian MacKay’s four goals and Josh Byrne’s five points, including four assists.
It wasn’t quite as easy on the road Sunday night. Vancouver trailed only 5-4 at halftime, with the Bandits’ MacKay collecting a hat trick (his three goals matching a team high) in the first two quarters. He also finished with a team-high six points, followed by five (two goals, three assists) from Dhane Smith.
The Warriors went ahead 8-7 in the third period as Adam Charalambides struck for two of his team-leading three goals. They took charge early, scoring twice in a 14-second span. After Tehoka Nanticoke’s goal for the Bandits tied the score at 6-6, Vancouver scored two more. Then Chris Cloutier added a power-play tally with 5:03 left in the period to draw the Bandits within one.
That was the first of four consecutive goals for the Bandits, who grabbed the lead for good after striking quickly for scores during a 3:10 run in the fourth quarter. Smith, Chase Fraser and Cloutier scored in succession. Fraser, who scored the team’s third goal to start the second period, completed his hat trick with 5:45 left for the final score of the game, giving the Bandits the two-goal margin of victory.
Goaltender Matt Vinc finished with 29 saves after making 35 in Game 1.