The Links: All-business Bandits dethrone Mammoth to win NLL Cup courtesy of convincing Game 3 finish
Ian Mackay, Buffalo Bandits (Photo: Michael Hetzel)
We spent Sunday morning collecting all the media mentions from last night’s Cup-deciding Game 3 of the 2023 National Lacrosse League Finals between the Buffalo Bandits & Colorado Mammoth.
Winning their first Cup since 2018 and fifth in franchise history, the Bandits came away with a convincing 13-4 win over the Mammoth, the same team that topped them for the title just a season ago.
Click here for The Lax Mag’s NLL Playoffs schedule, scores and more, plus keep reading for last night’s links from booming Banditland.
The big new heading into Game 3 was obviously the status of Buffalo forward Josh Byrne, who was on the team’s injured-reserve list for the first two games of the series. Byrne, who had played against the Rochester Knighthawks in the Quarter Finals and then again versus the Toronto Rock in the East Conference Finals, had been sidelined with what was simply described as an upper-body injury. Without him in the lineup, the Bandits went from blowing teams away to inching out a Game 1 win and then outmatched in Game 2 to require Saturday’s dramatic series decider.
Josh Byrne, Buffalo Bandits (Photo: Michael Hetzel)
On Friday evening, news of Byrne’s potential return was reported, some 15 hours later the league & Bandits reporting that he had been moved from the team’s IR to the active roster.
Byrne would go onto score four goals, including the extremely early game winner, in his heroic Game 3 return.
Prior to the game, Bandits second-year forward Tehoka Nanticoke took part in an emotional pre-game interview with local media, and then was again brought to tears while being interviewed by TSN’s Ashley Docking mere minutes after Buffalo claimed this year’s Cup. Nanticoke was one of several players visibly gutted by last year’s Game 3 loss to the Mammoth. Buffalo Head Coach John Tavares and many of this year’s Bandit players often referred to 2022’s difficult Cup-dropping result as their main motivator a season later. Nanticoke scored last night’s opening goal of the game, setting the tone for what would be one of the most one-sided decisions in NLL Cup Finals history.
Tehoka Nanticoke & Dhane Smith, 2022 NLL Cup Finals (Photo: Jack Dempsey)
Below are the biggest goal differentials in an NLL Cup contest, both during one game, best-of-two series (with mini games) and best-of-three series finals. Last night’s differential was the third largest goal gap in league Cup history.
1994 Cup: Philadelphia 26 at Buffalo 15 (11)
1990 Cup: Philadelphia 17 at New England 7 (10)
2023 Game 3: Colorado 4 at Buffalo 13 (9)
2006 Cup: Colorado 16 at Buffalo 9 (7)
2018 Game 1: Saskatchewan 16 at Rochester 9 (7)
2005 Cup: Arizona 13 at Toronto 19 (7)
2014 Game 2: Calgary 10 at Rochester 16 (6)
2015 Game 1: Edmonton 15 at Toronto 9 (6)
The four-goal effort by the Mammoth was the lowest offensive output in an NLL Cup Finals game ever, plus one of the lowest single-game playoff totals too. The 1992 Philadelphia Wings (1.0) hold that record, scoring just twice against the Toronto Rock to open that year’s playoffs.
Ian MacKay & Zed Williams (Photo: Jack Dempsey)
Colorado had just three goal scorers total with Eli McLaughlin scoring a pair, plus singles from Connor Robinson & Chris Wardle. The Mammoth mustered just three even-strength goals over 60 minutes. Colorado forwards Zed Williams, Ryan Lee and Tyson Gibson had a combined 25 shots on goal, with not a single dropping behind Buffalo backstop Matt Vinc.
Prior to Game 3, we outlined how out of hand penalty calls & power-play opportunities had gotten during this year’s playoffs. Well, that troubling trend did not continue into Saturday’s Game 3, with minimal penalties called, other iffy infractions ignored (which they had not been previously) and extra-man goals having little to no influence on the final result - Buffalo 2/3 & Colorado 1/1 on the power play.
Disregarded by local media during much of the season, Buffalo beat writers & members of media from all over the city (and beyond) were all seemingly present in Banditland last night. Below is just some of what was shared on Twitter from various non-lacrosse media over the past 24 hours.
Although Byrne had arguably last night’s best game, after having missed Games 1 & 2 due to injury, it was unlikely he’d be in consideration for the series MVP award. Most felt the most-deserving most valuables were either Vinc or Dhane Smith, with Smith securing the honour after scoring 23 points in the series, bringing his grand total during the playoffs to 49 points in just six games. As is often the case with Smith over the last number of years, that sky-high total is a new league record. The Lax Mag’s recent pick for 2023’s MVP, Smith came second to Calgary Roughnecks goalie Christian Del Bianco in the NLL’s official vote.
Had Vinc been named MVP last night, it’s unlikely few if any would have complained after his record-setting performance in Game 2 and throughout this year’s playoffs. Colorado’s Dillon Ward, who was named 2022’s final series’ MVP, made 47 stops to Vinc’s 46 last night, but it was Vinc who was able to frustrate shooters much more often while allowing the fewest goals in an NLL Finals game, whatever the format.
Dillon Ward, Colorado Mammoth (Photo: Michael Hetzel)
Signing a one-year contract with the Bandits in August, was this year’ Vinc’s final season in the NLL?
The now four-time Cup winner will turn 41 later this month, and although still one of the fittest players anywhere in the league, Vinc is one of the oldest in the NLL too.
Winning his previous three title with the Rochester Knighthawks (1.0), Vinc played his Ontario Junior Lacrosse League career with the St. Catharines Athletics. The city of St. Catharines, just about 30 miles away from nearby Buffalo, has long been a supporter of the Bandits franchise, who’ve seen their fair share of A’s alumni play for the team going back to the 90s.
Matt Vinc, Buffalo Bandits (Photo: Michael Hetzel)
Last night’s KeyBank Center attendance officially came in at 18,296, which was just shy of 2022’s sold out Game 3 total, but still ranks as one of the biggest crowds in playoff history. Click here to see the NLL’s all-time highest attended playoff games.
And finally, a thank you to NLL photographer Michael Hetzel, who snapped many of the incredible photos you’ve seen here and on social media from Saturday’s final NLL game of the season. The Lax Mag was fortunate to showcase Hetzel’s work all season long from Banditland. Below are some of his most-superb snaps during Saturday’s post-game celebrations both on the turf and in the Bandits’ champagne-soaked locker room. Visit MichaelHetzelPhoto.com for more of his Buffalo-based work.
