Fresh off a last-minute 11-10 win over the Toronto Rock that put a halt to a three-game losing streak, the San Diego Seals (4-5) will face perhaps their toughest test of the season when they head to Buffalo’s KeyBank Center to take on the undefeated and twice reigning NLL Champion Buffalo Bandits (6-0) this Saturday night (Feb. 15). Faceoff is 4:30 p.m. PT.
The Seals needed a big win last Saturday night in Toronto and they got one with the help of forward and team captain Wes Berg and fellow forward Rob Hellyer. It was Hellyer’s goal with 1:16 left in the fourth that tied the game, 10-10, and ended a 5-0 Toronto run, and Berg’s goal with just 49 seconds left proved to be the game winner. For Berg, the game-winner was the 250th goal of his career and for Hellyer, his game-tying goal came in his 150th career regular season game. It capped a two-goal night for Hellyer and a four-goal evening for Berg. And goaltender Chirs Origlieri was solid in net when his team needed him most. After giving up five straight goals early in the fourth, “Rigsy” settled down and held the Rock scoreless over the final 7:01 as part of a 39-save night.
Now the Seals will have to contend with the red hot Bandits, who’ve won their first six to start this season and 15 straight (including playoffs) dating back to last season. The Bandits, who will play at Toronto on Friday night before facing the Seals, haven’t lost in nearly a year with their last defeat (12-11 in overtime) coming at the hands of the now defunct Panther City Lacrosse Club on March 22, 2024.
The Bandits have done it with defense as their 57 goals allowed this season are the fewest in the NLL by a wide margin though second-best team in terms of goals allowed (Ottawa) has played two more games. Goalie Matt Vinc is allowing just 9.6 goals per game for Buffalo while touting a save percentage of 81%, and defenseman Paul Dawson is third in the NLL with 16 blocked shots.
Offensively, the Seals will look to slow forwards Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne. Smith is fifth in the NLL with 58 points on the season (13 goals and 45 assists) while Byrne is tied for seventh with 55 on a team-leading 21 goals and 34 assists.
Broadcast Information: Saturday night’s game will be televised locally in San Diego on KUSI-TV and streamed to a global audience on ESPN+.
Seals-Bandits Head-to-Head: The all-time series between the Seals and Bandits has been particularly one-sided with Buffalo holding a 4-0 series edge and a 2-0 mark in games played at the KeyBank Center.
A Look Back at Last Season’s Meeting: The Seals fell to the then reigning NLL Champion Bandits, 12-9, in Week 2 of the 2023-24 NLL season at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo. The game was tight early on with the teams separated by no more than two goals until Buffalo went on a five-goal run in the third period to turn a 7-5 deficit into a 10-7 advantage that included a pair of power play goals. The Seals closed to within 10-8 late in the third-period, but the Bandits outscored the Seals 3 to 2 over the final 15 minutes to secure the win. Wes Berg led the Seals with three goals. Faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste came away with a game-high 19 loose balls and goalkeeper Chris Origlieri made 34 saves.
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