rush head into a weekend rematch with the Buffalo Bandits in what is billed as a 2025 NLL Finals rematch, with faceoff set for 9 p. m. EDT at SaskTel Centre. The still-undefeated-at-home Saskatchewan Rush sit atop the league with an 11-4 record and a six-game home winning streak. The Bandits arrive on a four-game win streak, and the last meeting between these teams in Saskatchewan ended in an 11-10 overtime thriller.
What Happens When the Rush Host the Bandits?
This pairing is defined by recent momentum and narrow margins. The Rush lead the league in power-play goals with 35, and Ryan Keenan paces Saskatchewan with 33 goals, 49 assists and 82 points. Goaltender Frank Scigliano has climbed into 10th place all-time in saves made on the season, with 5, 536 on his career, underpinning the Rush’s fortress at home.
Buffalo’s turnaround has been driven by Dhane Smith, who has 32 goals and 94 points this season. John Tavares, after holding a team meeting when the Bandits were 4-6, leaned into a message of winning close games: “be comfortable winning the close ones. ” That approach has helped fuel a four-game streak, including an overtime comeback win where the Bandits erased a four-goal fourth-quarter deficit to beat the San Diego Seals 9-8 in overtime. In that comeback Dhane Smith scored the game-tying goal with 44 seconds left and the overtime winner.
Matchups to watch are clear from recent results: Buffalo’s defense tightened late in the comeback, with defenseman Mitch de Snoo hauling in 20 loose balls in that game—one shy of matching the Bandits’ single-game record—and the veteran leadership that Tavares described proved pivotal. Earlier in the season at KeyBank Center the Bandits built a large first-half lead, while the Rush rallied late to force overtime before Josh Byrne scored the winner. Special teams will be a decisive factor; the Bandits must contend with a Rush power play that has been a seasonal strength.
What If the Result Mirrors the Finals? Three Scenarios to Watch
- Best case for Saskatchewan: The Rush extend their home winning streak, control possession and leverage the power play to win comfortably, preserving their top-of-standings position.
- Most likely: A tight, low-scoring game decided by one goal or overtime. Both clubs have shown the ability to grind out narrow wins—Buffalo under Tavares’ conservative plan and Saskatchewan by leaning on veteran scoring and goaltending.
- Most challenging for the Rush: Buffalo completes a sweep of the season series on the road by replicating the comeback and late-goal execution seen in recent games, handing Saskatchewan a home defeat in a rematch of the 2025 Finals encounter.
Who benefits depends on which elements hold up. The Rush’s special teams and Frank Scigliano’s goaltending are advantages at home; Ryan Keenan’s scoring adds a clear offensive edge. The Bandits’ current identity is tighter defense, veteran composure and the scoring punch of Dhane Smith—qualities that have produced multiple one-goal wins and the ability to stage late comebacks.
For fans and observers the game’s framing is simple: a continuation of a rivalry settled by thin margins and recent streaks. Expect intensity, special-teams chess, and the kind of late-game swings both clubs have demonstrated. Faceoff at SaskTel Centre at 9 p. m. EDT will provide the next chapter in this matchup, and the outcome will pivot on whether home ice keeps the momentum with the rush
