Buffalo Bandits celebrate 7th NLL championship at Alumni Plaza

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- After the Buffalo Bandits clinched their seventh National Lacrosse League title, the back-to-back-to-back champions celebrated this year's win in style at Alumni Plaza on Friday.

For the third straight year, the team got to celebrate with fans who have stood by them every step of the way.

"It's amazing for them to keep doing this," said Bandits fan Matt Wyzykowski. "For Coach John Tavares, having seven titles between being a player and a coach is amazing."

Orange and black took over outside KeyBank Center for the rally, with fans of all ages showing up loud and proud.

Bandits players like Ian MacKay say they notice the energy fans bring each and every time they take the field.

"The support of this community, Banditland, has been unbelievable," said MacKay. "We can always count on you to be there for us no matter what goes on and we always appreciate you."

Fans reflected on the moment they knew the Bandits pulled off a win against the Saskatchewan Rush during Game 3 of the finals.

"It was the most amazing feeling on the entire planet," said Bandits fan Bee Gore. "Absolutely incredible."

"It was even electric before that when you're coming down to the last few minutes," said Monica, a lifelong Bandits fan. "We realized we were going to win, and it was such an exhilarating feeling."

Last Saturday's game wasn't just a small victory -- it was a big win. The final score was 15-6, with the Saskatchewan Rush not scoring a single goal in the second half of the game. Fans said that speaks volumes about how good the Bandits truly are.

"They kept saying we were lucky winning close games," said Bandits fan Dennis Gore. "We punched the other team in the face. We blew them out of the sky, proving we are the best team in the league -- not the luckiest."

Fans said they plan to enjoy the win for quite some time, but the focus will soon turn to next season. There is confidence that another national title is in Buffalo's future despite the team potentially losing key players.

"We're going to stay the Buffalo Bandits regardless," said Bee Gore. "We're going to get that fourth championship in a row and make history."

Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here.