BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — Matt Vinc saved 35 of 38 shots, Ian MacKay scored a game-high four goals, and the Buffalo Bandits defended their home turf with a 9-3 win in game one of the NLL semifinals against the Vancouver Warriors.
Coming off a very close win that could’ve gone either way last week against San Diego. The Bandits came out and set the tone on both ends of the floor. Which had a lot to do with them getting some of those playoff nerves under control.
"Even myself those one-game eliminations are like going into a playoff series game seven. You never know what can happen, and you saw last week a 5-4 game, and it was anybody's game," Bandits head coach John Tavares said after the game. "The first couple of shifts we threw the ball away on both ends of the floor, so I was a little nervous about it, but then we did settle in quite well after that."
A strong defensive effort opened the game up for Ian MacKay, who scored an absurd goal that got Banditland on its feet.
"I just know Dhane (Smith) took a hit to make a play. Josh (Byrne) followed up on it and flipped it over. I don't know how much time was on the shot clock so it was a matter of getting a shot off quick," says MacKay.
WOW. 🤯#LetsGoBandits | @NLL pic.twitter.com/mO4zD5pdBO
— Buffalo Bandits (@NLLBandits) May 3, 2025
We heard it from the guys before this game that momentum is everything. It played a role in tonight's win, and it’ll play a role Sunday when this team goes to Vancouver, one win away from a 5th consecutive trip to the NLL Finals. But they’ve gotta handle business in the Northwest first
"Hopefully, we come in with the same mindset we did today," added Matt Vinc. "I try and break it down to one save a a time, one shift at a time, those types of things, and hopefully we'll be successful."
Game two is set for Sunday at 9 p.m. EST. in Vancouver.
