The Buffalo Bandits will have to wait another week for a chance to capture a fifth NLL championship for the franchise, as the Colorado Mammoth stayed alive with a 16-10 win in Game 2 of the NLL Finals at Ball Arena on Monday.

The best-of-three series is tied, 1-1. Game 3 will be played at KeyBank Center on Saturday, June at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.

The game will air live on The CW 23 in Buffalo.

Dhane Smith led the Bandits with six points (2+4) while Tehoka Nanticoke scored four goals. Goaltender Matt Vinc made 42 saves on 57 shots.

Ryan Lee (4+3) and Eli McLaughlin (3+4) led Colorado with seven points each. Zed Williams had six (2+4), while Connor Robinson scored a hat trick as part of a five-point outing. Reigning Finals MVP Dillon Ward stood tall in net with 38 saves on 48 shots.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST QUARTER

Ian MacKay opened the scoring for the Bandits with 11:00 left to play in the first quarter. Kyle Buchanan followed with a goal of his own to make it 2-0.

The Bandits’ early lead was stunted by Chris Wardle, who put the first tally on the board for Colorado.

Smith returned the two-goal advantage to Buffalo with 2:37 on the clock after a double-clutch move, but Josh Sullivan and Connor Robinson scored to the game at 3-3 as the first quarter ended.

SECOND QUARTER

Lee opened the quarter with a pair of goals, granting Colorado its first lead of the game. Smith answered for the Bandits, but Lee capped off his three-goal quarter just over a minute later.

Robinson’s tally on the power play gave the Mammoth a three-goal edge, but Chris Cloutier flew down the left wing with 3:17 remaining to lessen the home team’s momentum. With 45.9 seconds left in the half, Williams snuck one in the net to restore the three-goal lead heading into halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

McLaughlin scored for Colorado to open the quarter. Nanticoke answered for Buffalo 29 seconds later after a silky dish from Smith.

Lee, McLaughlin, and Williams strung together the next three goals for the Mammoth. Nanticoke’s second goal of the quarter cut the deficit to 13-7 heading into the final fourth.

FOURTH QUARTER

Tyson Gibson added his name to the score sheet for Colorado early in the period. The Bandits scored three times in the quarter – two from Nanticoke and another from Chase Fraser – but the Mammoth held off their comeback attempt. Dylan Kinnear capped the scoring for Colorado.