The Saskatchewan Rush fell to the Buffalo Bandits 12-10 in Game 1 of the NLL finals in New York on May 16, 2025. (Saskatchewan Rush/X)

By Will Mandzuk - CKOM News

Lacrosse

Rush fall to Bandits 12-10 in Game 1 of NLL Finals

May 17, 2025 | 4:21 PM

It was not the night the Saskatchewan Rush had in mind as they took the court in their first National Lacrosse League (NLL) Finals game since 2018 on Friday night in Buffalo New York.

The game started with Clark Walter and Levi Anderson finding the back of the net in the first quarter to give the Rush an early 2-0 lead but the Bandits answered with goals from Josh Byrne and Kyle Buchanan just 48 seconds apart.

Rush forward Austin Shanks scored to get the lead back, taking Saskatchewan into the second quarter with a 3-2 lead.

Brock Haley got the second quarter started on the right note for the Rush as he quickly made it 4-2, but the Bandits replied with three unanswered goals, two from Ian Mackay and one from Chase Fraser.

Mike Messenger and Shanks would find the back of the net to give the Rush a 6-5 lead but with 35 seconds left in the quarter Mackay would record his hat trick and tie the game at 6-6.

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In the third quarter, Rush forward Zach Manns got off to a quick start scoring two goals to give Saskatchewan an 8-6 lead but the Bandits would get one back as Mackay netted his fourth goal of the night.

Rush forward Ryan Keenan got the lead back to two goals, before Dhane Smith responded for Buffalo.

Shanks made it 10-8 for the Rush as he recorded his hat trick but that’s where the scoring stopped for Saskatchewan.

Smith scored two more goals in the third quarter, and Buchanan also scored twice over the last two quarters, as the Rush would ultimately fall 12-10.

Sunday’s Game 2 at Sasktel Centre in Saskatoon at 6 pm is now do-or-die for the Rush in the best-of-three series.