Chris Vale, Beat Writer Buffalo Bandits
Lacrosse is Awesome
Featured Image Photo Credit: Bill Wippert
On Saturday January 13, 2018 the Buffalo Bandits (2-2) would host the Vancouver Stealth (0-4) at the Key Bank Center in Buffalo, NY also known as Bandit Land. As always the Bandits bring in a crowd and Saturday night was no different as 12,16o fans would brave the cold to see their team in action. The game was exciting and penalty wrought, but in overtime the Bandits would lose to the winless Stealth. Final Score OT: Stealth 11—Bandits 10.
Two players would face their former teams for the first time in 2018. Former Bandits and now Stealth player Tony Malcom would make his return to Buffalo; and Jordan Durston would face his former Stealth team after a Draft Day trade. Some other key notes, Buffalo defender Ryan Wagner a free agent pick-up from the Stealth was hurt and unable to play against his former team.
The game started off with the Bandits leading 3-0 after back-to-back goals by Dhane Smith (2G, 2A) only 43 seconds in and again at 2:03. Callum Crawford (1G, 3A) would find twine on a power-play off an illegal substitution on the Stealth at the 7:20 mark. That would be it for the scoring in the first. Penalties in the first started with matching slashing calls on Bandits defenseman Mitch deSnoo and Stealth forward Joel McCready at 5:24; Ethan Schott of Buffalo was nailed with a slashing call at 9:57; and Cody Teichroeb Vancouver forward for roughing with 52 seconds remaining. Score at the end of one: Buffalo 3—Vancouver 0.
To start off the second the Stealth veterans came out firing with Corey Small (4G, 4A) notching a hat-trick, his first of the season. The first two would come on man-up situations at 4:58 and 5:18; and the third at 6:03. This would start the five-goal run for Vancouver. Rhys Duch (2G, 2A) and Logan Schuss (3G, 4A) would score, with the assist to Malcom on the Schuss goal. The Bandits would halt the run Kevin Brownell (2G) with back-to-back goals, the first an unassisted power-play off the Duch goalie interference call and only 12 seconds on the penalty to tie the game for the Bandits. Score at the end of two: Bandits 5—Stealth 5.
After the Stealth scored twice to start the third, Vaughn Harris (2G, 1A) would score his first NLL goal on the power-play; and his second two minutes later finishing the night with three points. Vaughn also won four of the six face offs he took. Score at the end of three: Vancouver 8—Buffalo 7.
It would take over four minutes into the fourth to put the ball in between the pipes. After a back and forth period Buffalo would see Mitch Jones (2G, 1A) hit net twice in the frame; and Josh Byrne (1G, 2A) also scoring for Bandits. The Stealth would go up by one off goals from Schuss, followed by Duch at 10:10. Buffalo had to make the most of the last four and a half minutes of game time. With 22 seconds remaining in regulation, Jones would get his second on the night for Buffalo tying the game at 10 apiece. Score at the end of regulation: Buffalo 10—Vancouver 10.
After four quarters of hard fought lacrosse, the Stealth wanted that first “W” of the season. It took only two minutes and 12 seconds and McCready would get his second on the night (assist Small) and the most important one of all, the game winner. As the buzzer sounded Vancouver would walk away with their first victory of the 2018 season. Final Score OT: Stealth 11—Bandits 10.
Corey Small led the way with four goals for the Stealth; and the Bandits also had multiple players’ with two goals.
Next up, the Bandits (2-3) will head to the Sasktel Centre in Saskatchewan on Friday January 19, to face the undefeated Rush (4-0), game time 8:30 p.m. EST. The Stealth (1-4) have the bye week and will return home to Langley Events Centre on Saturday January 27 to host the Georgia Swarm (2-3).
Chris Vale, Beat Writer Buffalo Bandits
Lacrosse is Awesome