Bandits' Margin of Result by Year

I received a note on X.com from a fan who said all of the close games early in 2023-24 were killing him. 

I went to work. And he was on to something. 

Here's a list of the average margin of victory in a Bandits' regular-season game by year. The Bandits were headed to a record in terms of smallest average margin in their games. But then, things went "wrong." Buffalo won games by six, seven and nine goals down the stretch. Still, the average margin was the smallest since 2010, and that was by a margin of less than a tenth of a goal (2.944 to 2.938).

The 2025-26 season was almost a copy of the 2022-23 season. The leaders are in bold; some other years are on the same line to save printing space. 

Year - Total/Games - Avg. Margin - Top Blowout - OT Games

2025-26 - 64/18 - 3.55 - 11 goals - 3 OTG

2024-25 - 71/18 - 3.94 - 11 goals - 2 OTG

2023-24 - 53/18 - 2.94 - 9 goals - 2 OTG

2022-23 - 64/18 - 3.55 - 11 goals - 4 OTG

2021-22 - 80/18 - 4.44 - 12 goals - 2 OTG

2019-20 - 36/11 - 3.27 - 7 goals - 2 OTG

2018-19 - 90/18 - 5.00 - 11 goals - 3 OTG

2017-18 - 92/18 - 5.11 - 13 goals - 2 OTG

2016-17 - 71/18 - 3.94 - 13 goals - 2 OTG

2016 - 67/18 - 3.72 - 7 goals - 2 OTG

2014-15 - 68/18 - 3.77 - 9 goals - 3 OTG

2013-14 - 60/18 - 3.33 - 11 goals- 2 OTG

2013 -  68/16 - 4.25 - 14 goals - 1 OTG; 2012 - 72/16 - 4.50 - 11 goals - 2 OTG 

2011 - 48/16 - 3.00 - 9 goals - 2 OTG ;2010 - 47/16 - 2.94 - 7 goals - 3 OTG

2009 - 73/16 - 4.56 - 17 goals - 3 OTG; 2008 - 63/16 - 3.94 - 9 goals - 2 OTG

2007 - 61/16 - 3.81 - 10 goals - 2 OTG; 2006 - 46/16 - 2.88 - 10 goals - 2 OTG

2005 - 66/16 - 4.13 - 11 goals - 1 OTG; 2004 - 45/16 - 2.81 - 8 goals - 3 OTG

2003 - 79/16 - 4.94 - 14 goals - 0 OTG; 2002 - 46/16 - 2.88 - 11 goals - 2 OTG

2001 - 76/14 - 5.43 - 13 goals - 1 OTG; 2000 - 48/12 - 4.00 - 11 goals - 1 OTG

1999 - 27/12 - 2.25 - 7 goals - 2 OTG

1998 - 47/12 - 3.91 - 9 goals - 1 OTG; 1997 - 31/10 - 3.10 - 8 goals - 1 OTG

1996 - 55/10 - 5.50 - 22 goals - 0 OTG; 1995 - 35/8 - 4.38 - 11 goals - 1 OTG

1994 - 38/8 - 4.75 - 8 goals- 0 OTG; 1993 - 35/8 - 4.38 - 10 goals - 1 OTG;

1992 - 62/8 - 7.75 - 13 goals - 0 OTG

Updated on April 26, 2026

Bandits' Blown Leads and Comebacks (2015 to 2025-26)

The Bandits had an 8-2 lead in Halifax on February 16, 2024, but still lost by a score of 14-12.

Ouch.

This begs the question ... have the Bandits ever had a six-goal lead and lost the regular-season game before? It's going to take a little research to go back to the start of records, but at least I've started it. In case of multiple leads of the same margin, I've taken the last one.

Lead (Score) - Opponent - Date - Final

6 (8-2) - @Halifax - 12/16/24 - 14-12

5 (11-6) @Rochester - 2/21/15 - 13-12o

4 (5-1) - Toronto - 4/30/22 - 10-7 

4 (5-1) - Toronto - 12/21/18 - 17-12

4 (8-4) - Georgia - 2/20/16 - 19-15 

3 (8-5) - @Rochester - 1/20/23 - 15-12

3 (4-1) - Colorado - 3/18/23 - 13-8 

3 (6-3) - @Colorado - 6/11/22 - 11-9

3 (3-0) - Vancouver - 1/13/18 - 11-10o

3 (7-4) - Halifax - 12/13/25 - 9-8

3 (7-4) - @Saskatchewan - 3/28/26 - 8-7 

3 (8-5) - Rochester - 2/14/15 - 15-10 

Looking at the team's best comebacks might be more gratifying for its fans:

Lead - Opponent - Date - Final

7 (12-5) - @Saskatchewan - 1/19/18 - 16-15o

5 (5-0) - @Toronto - 2-14-25 - 13-12

5 (6-1) - @Toronto - 4/14/17  - 13-8

4 (5-1) - Rochester - 2/4/23 - 13-10

4 (6-2) - @Philadelphia - 1/27/23 - 13-9

4 (8-4) - Philadelphia - 2/18/23 - 13-12o

4 (6-2) - @Philadelphia - 3/8/19 - 12-11o 

4 (4-0) - Toronto - 3/23/19 - 8-6

4 (8-4) - @San Diego - 3/21/26 - 9-8

4 (11-7) - Toronto - 3/13/15 - 15-12 

o - Indicates overtime game

Updated through April 28, 2026

Biggest Difference in Goals Scored by Halves (2006 to 2025-26)

On January 13, 2024, the Bandits and Knighthawks piled up 20 goals in the first half. Then, in the second half, they only combined for eight. It was sort of like watching a different sport. 

Is that a big difference as these things go? I needed to find out. Let's go back a ways and see how it compares (overtime does not count in the second half), and it turns out you have to go back to 2016 to find a bigger difference:

No. (1st - 2nd) - Opponent - Date

13 (7-20) - Vancouver - 3/25/16

12 (17-5) - @Rochester - 12/7/24

12 (20- 8) - @Rochester - 1/13/24

12 (18-6) - Philadelphia - 4/7/12

11 (20-9) - @ New England - 4/26/15 

11 (22-11) - Philadelphia - 3/1/08

11 (21-10) - @Minnesota - 3/4/07 

10 (10-20) - Rochester - 1/31/20 

10 (10-20) - @New England - 2/19/17

10 (8-18) - @Calgary - 2/8/08 

10 (5-15) - @Rochester - 1/28/06 

Updated on April 26, 2026

Longest Wait for First Goal in Bandits' game (2005 to 2025-26)

When a team doesn't score in the first few minutes of a game, its fans can get anxious. After all, the average total of goals in an NLL game is probably around 22. Besides, no team wants to be the first to be shut out - as unlikely as that is.The thought to check the history came up during the Colorado game on 1/6/24. Sure enough, it was an impressive time.

But it was passed on May 3, 2024, as the Bandits didn't give up a goal to Toronto until the third quarter ... of a playoff game, no less.

Let's see how long the wait for the first goal can be. Here is the Bandits' list; both include playoff games:

Time - Opponent - Date - Goalie

38:39 - @Rochester - 2/8/14 - Vinc

25:17 - @Oshawa - 4/18/26 - Vinc

24:19 - @Calgary - 418/17 - Scigliano

23:59 - @New York - 5/9/09 - Vinc - (Playoff game)

22:17 - Toronto - 1/10/14 - Rose

20:51 - @Rochester - 3/4/17 - Vinc

20:36 - @Colorado - 1/31/26 - Ward

20:12 - Rochester - 2/24/18 - Vinc

19:52 - Albany - 2/18/22 - Jamieson

18:56 - @Saskatchewan - 1/19/18 - Kirk

 And here's how long opponents had to wait:

Time - Opponent - Date - Goalie

39:04 - Toronto - 5/3/24 - Vinc - (Playoff game)

24:41 - Colorado - 1/6/24 - Vinc

24:40 - Colorado - 3/15/14 - Cosmo

23:16 - Rochester - 1/25/14 - Cosmo

23:00 - Calgary - 4/13/24 - Vinc

22:32 - Rochester - 4/29/06 - Dietrich

22:24 - Colorado - 3/9/13 - Cosmo

22:08 - Rochester - 12/28/24 - Vinc

20:52 - @San Diego - 3/25/23 - Vinc

20:43 - @Toronto - 5/1/10 - Thompson (Playoff game) 

Updated on April 28, 2026

Longest Wait for a Two-Goal Lead in a Bandits Game (from 2005)

Admittedly, this is a silly record. But, it was a slightly silly game in the mathematical sense.

On December 29, 2023, the Georgia Swarm scored a goal to take the lead. The Buffalo Bandits eventually answered. Buffalo took a 2-1 lead and lost it. Georgia had the lead at 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4.

No team in that Swarm-Bandits game had a two-goal lead until the fourth quarter. Is that very long? Let's check by time. I've gone back to 2006, and that game was second only to a 2006 matchup in terms of time elapsed. Then, the 3/8/24 game with Saskatchewan never did have a two-goal lead, including more than five minutes of overtime. Remarkable. 

Nothing new in 2025-26, although we did come within a couple of minutes of cracking the top 10 once. 

Time - Opponents - Date

65:22 - Saskatchewan at Buffalo - 3/8/24

50:47 - Toronto at Buffalo - 3/11/06

47:50 - Georgia at Buffalo - 12/29/23

45:37 - Buffalo at Albany - 5/17/24 (playoffs)

44:51 - Philadelphia at Buffalo - 1/27/12

44:50 - Calgary at Buffalo - 5/18/19 (playoffs) 

39:17 - Minnesota at Buffalo - 3/8/08 

35:42 - Georgia at Buffalo - 2/27/24 (playoffs)

32:57 - Toronto at Buffalo - 3/26/05

31:32 - Albany at Buffalo - 5/7/22 (playoffs) 

Updated through April 28, 2026