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.
Regular season
NLL Standings
Game log
Playoffs
Roster
Entry Draft The 2022 NLL Entry Draft took place on September 10, 2022. The Bandits made the following selections: RoundOverallPlayerCollege/Club 113Cam Wyers Toronto Beaches – Loyola University114 Dylan Robinson Toronto Beaches119 Zach Belter Niagara Thunderhawks – St. Bonaventure473 Ryan Sharkey UCBLL Rapids – Canisius College/UMass582 Christian Watts UCBLL Rapids – Siena College588 Austin Blumbergs UCBLL Rapids – St. Bonaventure University
Player stats = Indicates team leader
= Indicates league leader
Reference:
Runners (Top 10) Player GP G A Pts LB PIMDhane Smith 18 36 96 132 99 6Josh Byrne 18 43 50 93 66 12Kyle Buchanan 18 21 37 58 97 2Tehoka Nanticoke 13 21 18 39 31 26Ian MacKay 18 19 19 38 121 14Chris Cloutier 9 17 19 36 46 8Brad McCulley 15 11 19 30 26 23Brandon Robinson 10 13 8 21 31 9Nick Weiss 18 6 14 20 117 14Steve Priolo 17 3 16 19 143 70 Totals 215 336 551 1,260 302
Goaltenders Player GP MIN W L GA Sv% GAAMatt Vinc 18 1,047:52 14 4 182 .803 10.42Devlin Shanahan 18 39:10 0 0 9 .750 13.79 Totals 1,087:02 14 4 191 .801 10.54
References
External links 2023 Buffalo Bandits at nllstats.com