Stop, Drop, and Roll
I am on complete tenterhooks going into the first round of the 2025 NLL playoffs, which starts Friday night inside KeyBank Center against the San Diego Seals.
“It will be a dogfight, but we feel confident going into that first game,” said Bandits defenseman Justin Martin, who has 21 games of playoff experience.
Throw the Bandits’ 13-5 record out the door and all the great things the team has done this season – and there have been plenty.
It’s the postseason.
“We are as deep as we ever have been, and we just have to keep this train rolling,” said Steve Dietrich, Bandits GM and defensive coordinator. “We’ll be well prepared to be able to answer anything thrown at us Friday night.”
The three-time General Manager of the Year and NLL Hall of Famer is recuperating from major surgery on his neck and has been watching the games on television at home and from the coaches’ booth in the press box. He might try the bench Friday night.
It’s like game seven in a best-of-seven series, with the winner moving on and the loser done for the season. That’s single elimination, nary a second chance.
Not so fast, meter reader.
“Our defense and goaltending have led us the past four seasons. We need to stick with the systems, make in-game adjustments, have the intensity, stay focused, and come out on top,” said Bandits assistant coach Anthony Cosmo on the Bandits approach to the playoffs.
It was good that they lost to a desperate Georgia team last Saturday night. Despite the Bandits’ 6-3 and 10-6 leads, the club got whatever was out of their system and realized that any team in the NLL could win on a given night.
Even with the bumps and bruises sustained from the last game, this is a good team, and they will be prepared against the Seals.
“We need to get tighter defensively. We give up way too many quality shots. I think we are successful when we are proactive instead of reactive and forcing teams into things we want them to do,” Dietrich said.
“I know the guys keep working and trying to get better. The good thing is that we finished 13-5, and I could pick holes at a lot of things that we are doing, but hopefully, we can clean things up because Friday is for all the marbles.”
The Bandits finished the regular season with the NLL’s most potent offense, producing 242 goals for a 13.4 average per game and third-best defensively in goals against for a league-high +47 regular season standing.
Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne finished one-two in the league, scoring 135 and 134 points, respectively.
“Offensively, I think sometimes we are a little too unselfish, where we are making an extra pass instead of taking a really good shot, even with 20 seconds left on the shot clock. But these are problems that I’m trying to pick at here because we want to improve. But I think we are as good as we have been defensively and goaltending, and our offense is as good as it gets in the NLL,” said Dietrich.
San Diego finished 9-9 on the season, but do not pay attention to those figures; instead, focus on the top five offensive players: Rob Hellyer, Wes Berg, Ryan Benesch, Ben McIntosh, and Zach Currier.
Defensively, the Seals are solid and backstopped by Chris Origlieri, who finished the regular season 9-8 and with a .770 save percentage.
The Bandits and Seals split the regular season meetings each by one goal, and this is the first postseason match-up.
“We have to clean some things up, have a good practice, and be ready for Friday. If we bring our A-game and play to our potential, we will be a tough match. I like our chances against anybody, but it’s the one game that scares the bejesus out of me,” Dietrich said.
Keep your hands away from your face, and breathe.
Broadcast Information
Friday night’s playoff game will be broadcast at 7:30 pm on TSN, CW23, ESPN+, TSN+, and NLL+.
Steve Bermel will join me in the booth, while Dave Buchanan will be between the benches, sharing stories and interviews.
Radio coverage will be on 1520 The Bet and audacy.com, with the pregame show starting at 7 pm.