Watch Bandits vs. Knighthawks: Lineup Insights and Key Storylines

Mo. Basuony

Published: April 11, 2026 7:57 PM ET

Watch Bandits vs. Knighthawks: Lineup Insights and Key Storylines

The Buffalo Bandits tightened their playoff grip after a dominant 15-5 victory over the Vancouver Warriors. The win marked the team’s largest margin this season and secured a sixth straight NLL postseason appearance. Coach John Tavares urged caution despite the result.

Game highlights and individual performances

Josh Byrne produced a 10-point effort with four goals and six assists. It was the 10th 10-point game of his career. Dhane Smith added nine points, and Joe Resetarits recorded a hat trick after returning to the lineup.

The Bandits defense held Vancouver to a season-low five goals. The Warriors managed only one goal in the second half and one in the final 42:44 of the contest.

Defensive identity

Buffalo leads the NLL with 139 blocked shots. That total is 29 more than the next team. The Bandits swatted 13 shots in the Vancouver game alone.

Paul Dawson leads the club with 33 blocked shots. Mitch de Snoo has 28, Steve Priolo 18, and Cam Wyers 15. Dawson is the all-time leader with 137 career blocked shots.

De Snoo has been particularly impactful. Buffalo is 10-2 with him in the lineup and 0-4 without him. He averages 2.3 blocked shots, 10.6 loose-ball recoveries, and 1.3 caused turnovers per game.

Offensive form and chemistry

Dhane Smith sits at 105 points with a 35+70 split. It is his ninth 100-point season and fifth straight year over 100 points. No NLL player has exceeded five seasons of 100 points, according to Adam Levi.

Byrne has 101 points this year. It is his third straight 100-point campaign. He has posted at least seven points in each of his last six games, tallying 48 points in that span.

Coaches and players say a consistent seven-man unit has started to click. Resetarits and Scanlan have helped establish lineup continuity.

Standings and playoff implications

Buffalo is 10-6 and sits fifth in the NLL. The Bandits hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Toronto Rock. Colorado, Saskatchewan, and Vancouver are tied atop the standings at 11-5.

Team	Record
Colorado Mammoth	11-5
Saskatchewan Rush	11-5
Vancouver Warriors	11-5
Georgia Swarm	10-5
Buffalo Bandits	10-6
Toronto Rock	10-6
Ottawa Black Bears	8-8
Las Vegas Desert Dogs	7-8
Halifax Thunderbirds	7-9
Rochester Knighthawks	6-9
San Diego Seals	6-9
Oshawa FireWolves	5-11
Calgary Roughnecks	4-12
Philadelphia Wings	4-12

The Bandits are a half-game out of a first-round host spot. Georgia holds that position but has a game in hand. Buffalo controls tiebreakers over Georgia and Saskatchewan.

Buffalo could still finish first under certain outcomes. Winning out and a slip from Saskatchewan or Georgia would secure a top seed.

Knighthawks preview

Rochester enters KeyBank Center fighting for a playoff spot. The Knighthawks sit one game behind the final berth. They beat Buffalo 12-9 in Rochester on Jan. 10.

Rochester began 4-1 but went 2-8 since. Coaches Mike Hasen and Pat O’Toole were fired on March 9. Randy Mearns was named interim coach the next day.

The Knighthawks have scored 181 goals, fourth-most in the league. They have allowed 197 goals, the most in the NLL. Their team save percentage sits at 75 percent, the lowest in the league.

Connor Fields leads Rochester’s attack. He ranks fourth in the league with 104 points and has 39 goals. Ryan Lanchbury has 71 assists and 93 points, ranking second and seventh respectively.

Rylan Hartley recorded 42 saves in the first matchup. He has played only two full games since, sharing time with Riley Hutchcraft.

Key matchup angles

Buffalo’s shot-blocking versus Rochester’s high shot volume.
Bandits’ veteran offense against Knighthawks’ top scorers.
Goalie rotations and save percentages affecting game flow.

For readers who want lineup insights and key storylines, Filmogaz.com will provide updates. Expect final roster confirmations before faceoff at KeyBank Center.