BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bandits are back in the National Lacrosse League finals for the third consecutive season after sweeping the Toronto Rock two years in a row, and yet the team is still searching for its first championship title since 2008.
In recent years, the Bandits have built a habit of dominating their opponents during the regular season but still struggling to finish the final task.
However, Bandits' transition star Ian McKay said that the team's focus and energy is definitely aimed in the right direction this time around the bend.
"If you were in our locker room after the game in Toronto, the consensus was that the job's not done," McKay said.
"I think in the past we saw Toronto, and we were really excited to beat them, and obviously excited to get in the finals, but maybe thought that was the harder task at hand."
It's also important to note that this year's NLL finals will be a bit of déjà vu as the Bandits will have to get through a familiar foe in the finals, the Colorado Mammoth, before earning that long-awaited championship title.
"One thing that's stuck with me since I've entered the league is Dhane Smith telling me that he's been to a couple finals in his 10 years, and it's really hard to get there," McKay said.
"I've been fortunate enough to get to three early in my career and unfortunately haven't capitalized on those opportunities. So, I think if you talk to anyone in our locker room, the job's not done and we're looking to win two more games."
The Bandits have another chance to take their first championship title since 2008 in this three-game series against the Mammoth starting up on Saturday at KeyBank Center at 7 p.m.
Game 2 will be played in Colorado on Monday, May 29 at 4 p.m. in a situation where either team could sweep or even out the series. In that case, the third and final game would be sent back to Buffalo to be played in what Bandits' players are hoping to be another sold out Banditland crowd.