BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Josh Byrne scored four minutes into overtime to lift the reigning NLL Cup champions to the next stage of their title defense and ensure another playoff game back in Banditland.
Beating the Georgia Swarm 10-9 in Saturday night’s quarterfinal playoff game at KeyBank Center, the Bandits move on to the league semifinals for the 22nd time in 31 seasons. Buffalo will meet rival Toronto for the third consecutive postseason, opening the best of three series Friday night in Hamilton, Ontario, and returning home Sunday for Game 2.
The fifth overtime playoff game in Bandits history was the first Buffalo has won since 1992, when current coach John Tavares scored to win the first championship for the franchise.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.