By: Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome
On a double-header weekend for the Buffalo Bandits (11-5) and the Toronto Rock (5-11) the Bandits would eliminate the Rock from the play-offs and avenging their loss on Friday April 15 in Toronto. The Bandits would be back at home at the First Niagara Center in front of huge crowd (17,270) Buffalo fans. Already having clinched a play-off spot, the Bandits were not going to show any mercy to the Rock after losing 12-9 at the Air Canada Centre; they would come back and win the second contest by the final score of 14-8.
Starting off the first, the Bandits would come out quickly only 51 seconds in with a burner from Nick Weiss (unassisted). But Toronto would strike back twice with goals from Stephan Leblanc at 2:29 (assist Josh Sanderson and Kasey Beirnes); followed by Dan Lintner at 5:10 (assist to Rob Hellyer and Beirnes). Buffalo would fire back quickly from the league’s leading scorer Dhane Smith with back-to-back goals at 6:49 and 13:26 (unassisted) to close out the quarter. Score at the end of the first: Buffalo 3—Toronto 2.
The second would start off even quicker with Ryan Benesch scoring for the Bandits only 30 seconds in (assist Mark Steenhuis). Toronto would answer back with a shot from Sanderson at 1:51 (assist Hellyer). But then at the 3:40 mark in the period, the Bandits would go on a five goal run with Benesch getting his second and third of the game (3:40 and 7:46) giving him the hat-trick. Smith would show the fans why he’s the league leading scorer with back-to-back goals at 8:08 then only 28 seconds later giving him the hat-trick (assist on both goals to Alexander Kedoh-Hill). Steenhuis would finish out the first half at 12:28 (assist Benesch). Buffalo would go up 9-4.
Heading into the third, Toronto could not stop Smith from scoring again for his fifth on the night at 2:23.
Toronto would fire back as Leblanc would put another point on the board for the Rock at 8:28. But it would be the Bandits who would fire back with two goals in the third coming from Hill at 9:40; and Steenhuis at 10:34. Toronto would find the net with only 31 seconds remaining with a goal from Turner Evans. Score Buffalo 12—Toronto 6.
With the final 15 minutes of regulation upon them and the Rock facing elimination from the play-offs, they would go with an extra attacker and Leblanc would find a way to put one between the pipes at 4:56. The Rock would put back-to-back points on the board from Evans (5:15) and second of the night; and Leblanc with the hat-trick at 10:08. Unfortunately for the Rock three goals would not be enough to overcome the six goal deficit they had going into the fourth. The Bandits would hit net twice more in the final five minutes of the game, Weiss (10:35) and to close it out and end the game Benesch would get his fourth of the night at 11:47. Final Score: Buffalo 14—Toronto 8.
Game Stats:
Buffalo Bandits: 59 SOG; 22 SOFF; 96 LB; 15-26 Face-offs; .577 FO%; 50-58 Saves; .862 SV%; 4-6 PP
Toronto Rock: 58 SOG; 16 SOFF; 62 LB; 11-26 Face-offs; .423 FO%; 45-59 Saves; .763 SV%; 1-4 PP
Next weekend, both teams will play Saturday April 23. The Bandits (11-5) will head to Rochester to face the Knighthawks (6-9) at the Blue Cross Arena; and the Toronto Rock (5-11) head to the Pepsi Center in Denver to face the Colorado Mammoth (10-6)
Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome