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[ Photo: Sara Schmidle] The Calgary defense made life miserable for any Buffalo Bandit that ventured into the middle.  From start to finish, the 2019 National Lacrosse League finals were a humdinger. Heading into the championship series, both teams brimmed with talent at every position, which asked the question where would one might falter. Initially, I looked for Buffalo’s transition to make or break its chances of getting a leg up on the competition. This group had the green light all year and was lethal.  In Game 1, except for a five-minute stretch late in the first half, transition was...

[ Photo: Bill Wippert] Both Buffalo and Calgary have built strong rosters through trades and Mitch de Snoo (12) is one of a few examples of trades that have worked for Buffalo.  There is no doubt that the two teams in this year's NLL final were constructed with thought and patience. As a former general manager, I closely watch all teams and the patterns they seek to build out their on-floor product. Many teams are attracted to high stakes trades for expensive veteran players to deliver in the now. Other teams bide their time while developing draft picks and building...

[ Photo: Bill Wippert] There wasn't much real estate during Game 1 of the NLL finals, which is pretty much what was expected given the way Calgary and Buffalo match up.  The regular season was kind to Buffalo's Bandits as they cruised along in high gear from beginning to end. The Bandits have sandwiched two trips to the championship around a couple of seasons were they didn't even qualify for the playoffs. Credit has to go to the front office that drafted wisely and went with a young group for the last three years to build what we have in...

[ Photo: T. Jensen] The play of Dillon Ward in goal for Colorado didn't just hold the Saskatchewan offense in check, it increased the pressure and was a key part of Colorado's upset.  The 2019 NLL playoffs have been an adventure thus far. Last Friday's showing between the defending-champion Saskatchewan Rush and their seemingly undermatched rivals turned into an uphill grind for the home team. The Colorado Mammoth stuck to the game plan and never wavered for one moment. In typical playoff fashion, the underdog turned the tables with tenacious play. The Mammoth responded to Saskatchewan's first-half comeback by taking...

[ Photo: Colorado Mammoth] The Colorado Mammoth liked what they saw on the floor as they swept Vancouver in Week 15.   Week 15 of the National Lacrosse League schedule provided some insight into what the first round of the playoffs will look like barring any miracles. Philadelphia, Rochester and Vancouver look destined for spots on the sideline.  The Georgia Swarm started the weekend out by throttling the Toronto Rock in a game that was never close. The Swarm had dominant performances from goaltender Mike Poulin, Shane Jackson, Lyle Thompson, every member of the defence. Randy Staats posted a 10-point night. ...