Rock and Roll Night is back at Rogers Arena with the Vancouver Warriors facing the Buffalo Bandits at home on Friday, February 20, for the first time this season. The two teams last met in the semifinals of the NLL Playoffs last season, where the Bandits took the best-of-three series 2-0.
The Warriors are coming off a 9-8 overtime loss against the Saskatchewan Rush, where either team could have come away with the victory. The Rush proved to be a good measuring stick for the Warriors as they hope to continue pushing through the second half of the season. Both the offence and the defence stayed on par with a Rush team that has been able to take over games and protect but also increase a lead against most opponents so far this season. With the loss, the Warriors now hold a 6-3 record and are fourth in league standings.
The Buffalo Bandits are 4-5 on the year and sit in tenth. In their final playoff game against the Warriors last year, the Bandits showcased their depth, with multiple players across the lineup making it onto the score sheet. The Warriors will also be on watch for forward and current Bandit point leader Dhane Smith, who also had a strong performance.
In their previous game, the Bandits had beaten the Halifax Thunderbirds in a close contest, eventually edging out the Thunderbirds 11-10. The Bandits have been averaging 55% in the faceoff circle, and faceoff specialist Connor Farrell won 11 of 25 draws taken throughout the night. Netminder Matt Vinc was consistent in the crease, stopping 41 of 51 shots faced and has a 76.2% save percentage so far this season.
The ball will drop at Rogers Arena at 7:00 p.m. PT, and you can watch the game live on TSN, TSN+ and NLL+.
With NLL+, you can re-watch highlights and full games throughout the season, and you can sign up for the NLL+ here.