The semifinal round of the 2025 NLL playoffs continues this weekend, with the Saskatchewan Rush and Halifax Thunderbirds vying to face the Buffalo Bandits in the NLL Finals.
The Bandits proved it will be tough to pry the championship reins away from them, sweeping the Warriors out of the postseason last weekend. Meanwhile, the Rush struck first in their all-Canadian series, with Game 2 coming up on Saturday.
No. 2 Saskatchewan Rush vs. No. 3 Halifax Thunderbirds
Game 1: Rush 16, Thunderbirds 7
At times this season, the Rush looked like the NLL's most dominant team; on this night, that looked to be the case again. Although the Thunderbirds got on the scoreboard first thanks to Clarke Petterson, the Rush scored five straight thereafter and finished the first quarter leading 6-3. They'd extend that lead to 7-4 at the half, and never look back en route to the 16-7 win.
Former Thunderbird Austin Shanks led the way for Saskatchewan with a sock trick. Zach Manns added two goals and seven assists for the Rush. Randy Staats finished with a goal and five assists for the Thunderbirds, who will hope to strike back in Game 2.
Game 2: Saturday, May 10, 9:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 11, 8 p.m. | ESPN+
The Rush will host both Game 2 and Game 3 after the Thunderbirds were the home team in Game 1.
Austin Shanks -- who scored a sock trick in Game 1 of the series -- joined the NLL Box Out with Maki & Coop podcast this week to discuss all things Rush-Thunderbirds.
Looking ahead to the Finals
Whichever team wins this semifinal will have a tough task ahead in defeating the two-time defending champion Bandits. The last team to three-peat in major North American pro sports was the NLL's own Rochester Knighthawks (now the Halifax Thunderbirds, coincidentally) from 2012-2014. The Finals will begin on Friday, May 16 in Buffalo.
Buffalo won back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993, only to lose in 1994 to the Philadelphia Wings. Will this season be different?
On the individual front, Buffalo's Dhane Smith enters the Finals with 198 career postseason points, two shy of tying his head coach, John Tavares, for the most in NLL playoff history. Smith is one of three finalists for NLL MVP, along with Rochester's Connor Fields and San Diego's Wesley Berg.