The Buffalo Bandits are a lacrosse team based in Buffalo, New York, playing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The 2022 season was their 30th season in the NLL. The Bandits returned to play after the entire 2021 season was cancelled due to Covid 19. They started the season on December 4 at home, defeating the Calgary Roughnecks, 16–9.
Buffalo got out to a hot start, starting with a 6–0 record, before falling to the Toronto Rock on February 12, by a score of 12–10. The Bandits then won seven straight following the loss, bringing their record to a league-best 13–1 record, after defeating the Philadelphia Wings on March 31. Despite losing three of their final four games of the regular season, Buffalo finished the regular season with a 14–4 record, the best record in the NLL for the season.
In the playoffs, Buffalo took down the Albany FireWolves in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which was then followed up with a 2 games to none sweep of the Toronto Rock in the Eastern Conference Finals, allowing the Bandits to advance to the NLL Finals for the first time since 2019, where they would face the Colorado Mammoth.
Unfortunately, the Bandits could not win the championship, as they lost two straight games after winning Game 1 of the Finals at home. The loss in the NLL Finals extended their championship drought to 14 years.
Regular season
NLL Standings
Game log
Playoffs
Roster
Entry Draft The 2021 NLL Entry Draft took place on August 28, 2021. The Bandits made the following selections: RoundOverallPlayerCollege/Club 13Tehoka Nanticoke Six Nations MSL/University of Albany114 Thomas Vaesen Nanaimo Jr. A/Montevello University226 Colin Munro Coquitlam Jr. A/Georgetown457 Carson Rees Maple Ridge WLA/Chestnut Hill462 Nicholas Miller Hawkeyes UCBLL/St. John Fisher College573 Kyle Hebert New Westminster WLA/Stony Brook686 Hunter Aggus Six Nations Jr. A/Paris ALL
Player stats = Indicates team leader
= Indicates league leader
Reference:
Runners (Top 10) Player GP G A Pts LB PIMDhane Smith 18 41 94 135 93 10Josh Byrne 18 37 62 99 74 12Connor Fields 18 32 35 67 97 2Chris Cloutier 18 25 34 59 65 8Kyle Buchanan 17 19 38 57 81 0Chase Fraser 18 32 24 56 62 14Tehoka Nanticoke 18 32 19 51 53 47Ian MacKay 17 11 12 23 104 16Steve Priolo 16 3 15 18 116 20Kevin Brownell 16 2 13 15 86 6 Totals 247 389 636 1,259 259
Goaltenders Player GP MIN W L GA Sv% GAAMatt Vinc 18 1,063:55 14 4 179 .807 10.10Doug Buchan 13 17:58 0 0 6 .625 20.04 Totals 1,081:33 14 4 185 .804 10.26
References
External links 2022 Buffalo Bandits at nllstats.com