Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - In a rematch of the 2025 NLL Finals, the Buffalo Bandits were able to, once again, able to display what has made them back-to-back-to-back champions.
While the game required overtime, it was Josh Byrne calling game for the Bandits in an 11-10 win over the Saskatchewan Rush for a much-needed victory at KeyBank Center.
The two teams entered this game at different ends of the spectrum. Buffalo held a 4-6 record and were fighting for a top-eight spot in the playoff picture. As for the Rush, they came into the game as the top team in the NLL with a 10-1 record.
Just 47 seconds into the contest, Byrne slipped a pass to Tehoka Nanticoke just outside the crease, who finished the job to give Buffalo the early 1-0 lead.
One minute later, the Bandits struck again, this time on the power play. Ian MacKay scored his 16th goal of the season to make it 2-0, Buffalo, sending an early message to the Rush.
Kyle Buchanan added to the surge later in the first quarter, stretching the lead to 3-0. It looked easy early for the Bandits, almost too easy.
However, Saskatchewan answered with 5:30 left in the opening quarter when Josh Zawada got the Rush on the board.
The momentum swing was short-lived, though, as Clay Scanlan responded with a leaping goal across the crease, finding twine to restore a three-goal cushion at 4-1.
The Rush refused to go quietly, cutting into the Buffalo lead with under three minutes left in the first quarter.
Just before the end of the first quarter, Buchanan scored his second goal of the night, giving the Bandits a 5-2 lead after 15 minutes of play.
MacKay picked up where he left off to open the second quarter, scoring his second goal of the night off a missed shot from Nanticoke to push the Buffalo lead to 6-2.
Ryan Keenan answered less than a minute later for Saskatchewan, followed by an almost immediate response from Zach Manns on a power play, pulling the Rush to within a pair, 6-4.
Every time the Rush inched closer, though, Buffalo had an answer.
Nanticoke worked his way around the crease for his second goal of the game. Just about three minutes later, MacKay capped off his hat-trick to extend the Buffalo lead to 8-4 with 4:30 left in the second quarter.
The third quarter opened with Saskatchewan flipping the momentum in their favor.
Robert Church found twine just over a minute in to cut into the deficit early. Then moments later, Keenan struck again for the Rush, trimming the lead to 8-6 with 13:05 left in the third.
The comfortable edge Buffalo once had was suddenly fragile.
MacKay settled things down for Buffalo, as he scored his fourth goal of the night just four-and-a-half minutes gone in the third quarter to push the lead to 9-6.
The Rush wouldn’t fade, though, as Austin Shanks answered to make it 9-7, keeping the pressure squarely on the Bandits.
With two minutes left in the third, captain Steve Priolo responded in a big moment, scoring to give Buffalo a 10-7 lead and three-goal cushion heading into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter opened much like the third did, with Saskatchewan striking first. Keenan completed his hat-trick at 12:19 to cut the margin back to two again, 10-8.
What followed that was a tense, defensive stretch, with chances coming for both sides and the scoreboard staying frozen until the final minutes.
In the final 90 seconds, the Rush managed to strike twice to tie the game at 10-10 and send the game to overtime. Keenan struck again for his fourth of the game to make it a one-goal affair, while Church kept Saskatchewan's hopes alive and get the contest to overtime.
Overtime was back-and-forth as well, with neither team being able to ice the game in the opening minutes of action.
Then with 8:13 to go in overtime, Byrne ended it a bounce shot from range that beat goalie Frank Scigliano to give Buffalo the win.
The Bandits don't have long to savor the win from the championship rematch, though. They’re back in action Saturday night when they head North of the border to take on the Toronto Rock at the TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario.
Faceoff is slated for 7 p.m.
