It's been 12 years since they last won a championship back in 1996, but the Buffalo Bandits won their fourth this past weekend against the Portland LumberJax. The Bandits took home the championship winning the game 14-13.
In a packed house of 18,690 fans at HSBC Arena, the Bandits maintained their lead over the LumberJax, though for the entirety of the game, they never led by more than 3 goals. When goalie Mike Thompson of the Bandits stopped the last shot on goal before the buzzer, he managed to hold fast to the Bandits' lead, ending the game and securing the win.
The Bandits have been a part of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) for 17 years. The NLL itself is only 22 years old and had the LumberJax won the game, they would have been the first team to do so in the history of the NLL with a losing record. They had the worst record among the eight remaining teams in the post-season. The Bandits had maintained a top record and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.