By: Chris Crane, Beat Writer Rochester Knighthawks
Last night in Buffalo, Rochester would end there 4 game road trip. In front of a crowd of 18,751 at the First Niagara Center the Buffalo Bandits (7-4) would hand the Knighthawks (4-5) an unfortunate loss in a very close defensive game. Final Score: Buffalo 13—Rochester 10.
Scoring would get started in the first by Dhane Smith (Jones, Brock) at 5:39. Ryan Benesch would then put the Bandits up 2-0 at 7:13. The Knighthawks would then answer right back with two goals of their own on the power play from Jamieson and Keogh. However, the Bandits would get one more on the board from Mark Steenhuis at 14:12 to give the Bandits a 3-2 lead at the end of the first.
Like the first quarter the second started off much the same way with Buffalo striking first at the 3:20 mark from Anthony Malcom (Steenhuis, Smith). It would be almost five minutes of play before either side would get on the board again. But it would be Buffalo for the second goal of the quarter at 8:51 from Tyler Ferreira (Veltman, Steenhuis). Rochester would then get the last two goals of the quarter in defensive quarter of play. Dan Dawson would get a power play goal at 10:14 and Cody Jamieson would get his second of the night at 12:50. The Bandits would head into halftime with a one goal lead 5-4.
Again like the first two quarters, the third would be more of the same with Buffalo getting the scoring started first. At the 3:08 Mark Smith would score on a power play goal now giving the Bandits a 6-4 lead. It would be much of defensive stand still for nearly seven minutes of play before Rochester would then begin a three goal run. Keogh would get his second of the night at 10:03, which would then be followed up with Cory Vitarelli scoring 30 seconds later following up with his second goal of the night at the 12:09 mark on the power play. Rochester would now have their first lead of the night 7-6. However, the Bandits would answer right back with two goals of their own to end the quarter with Dhane Smith getting the hat trick at 12:31 making it a 7-7 game; then Alexander Hill would add one more at 14:01 giving the Bandits the lead back 8-7 to end the third quarter.
The scoring would get started early in the fourth, but this time at the hands of the Knighthawks. Only 31 seconds into the quarter, Keogh would make it an 8-8 game. Buffalo would then go on four goal run starting with Benesch on the power play, Steenhuis (2g) and Smith netting his fourth of the night giving the Bandits a 12-8 lead. Rochester would then answer with two goals of their own the first coming from Vitarelli giving him a hat trick on the night at the 11:37 mark which was then followed up with Dan Dawson at 12:08 cutting the Bandits lead to two. Buffalo would then put the nail in the coffin for the Knighthawks as Steve Priolo would get an empty net goal 13:42 giving the Bandits a 13-10 victory. With the win, Buffalo now takes over first place in the Division putting them a half game ahead of New England.
The Rochester Knighthawks are back in action tonight at home where they will take on the high powered New England team at the Blue Cross Arena at 7:30pm.
Chris Crane, Beat Writer Rochester Knighthawks
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