Christopher Crane, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Hannah Synder
In the first of two games for the Buffalo Bandits (10-2) this weekend, the first being on the road versus the Philadelphia Wings (2-9) at the Wells Fargo Center in front of a crowd of 10,805. Those who were in attendance or watched the game in a different form surely wouldn’t be disappointed as it would be back and forth battle for both teams and would take the Bandits to shutout the Wings in the fourth period to force overtime where Chase Fraser would hit the game winner to give Buffalo a 12-11 win.
First period action would see the Wings get on the board with a score from Kiel Matisz (1G, 2A) to put Philadelphia up 1-0. The Bandits would answer back as they would tally the next two scores of the contest coming at the hands of Thomas Hoggarth (1G, 4A) and Chase Fraser (4G) netting his first of four on the night to give Buffalo a 2-1 lead at 8:07. Philadelphia would tie things back up at the 10:15 mark on a goal from Kevin Crowley (2G, 4A) to make it 2-2 and stay that way heading into the second period.
The action would turn in the favor of the Wings in the second as they would start off with a four goal run. Getting things rolling for Philadelphia would be Blaze Riorden (1G,1A) just 36 seconds into the period, which would be followed up by teammates Anthony Joaquim (1G); Justin Guterding (1G, 2A) netting his first career NLL goal; and Matt Rambo (1G, 2A) netting the fourth goal of the run to put the Wings up 6-2 at 8:31. The Bandits would eventually find the back of the net on two scores late in the period coming from the likes of Fraser and Ethan O’Connor to make it a 6-4 game heading into the half.
Heading into the third quarter, the action would see a pick-up of back and forth action from both teams as Buffalo would manage to make ground on the Wings but lost the goal count 4-5 in the period. Philadelphia would find the back of the net first on a score from Jordan Hall (1G, 3G) go up 7-4. The Bandits would manage to tally off the next two scores one coming from newly acquired Chris Cloutier (2G, 1A) from the Wings which would be followed up by teammate Corey Small (2G, 1A) to make it 7-6. Both teams would exchange the next four scores; with Wings player Frank Brown (2G) netting two scores for Philadelphia and the Bandits getting scores from Dhane Smith (1G, 4A) and Shawn Evans (1G, 1A) to make it a 9-8 game. The Wings would tally two more late in the period to go up 11-8 at the end of the third with scores coming from Josh Currier and Kevin Crowley. Score at the end of three: Philadelphia 11—Buffalo 8.
The fourth was all Bandits as their defense and net minder Matt Vinc stood on their heads and shutting down the Philadelphia Wings offense, which the Buffalo offense took full advantage of netting three scores to make it a 11-11 game at the end of the regulation to force sudden death overtime. Netting the scores for the Bandits would be Cloutier, Fraser and Small.
Overtime would have fans and on lookers on the edge of their seats as both teams would go back and forth once again not giving in to the other. But it would be Buffalo’s Fraser receiving a beautiful pass up top with a clear lane and let it go finding the back of the net at 5:18 to give the Bandits the exciting 12-11 game.
NEXT UP:
The Buffalo Bandits (9-3) will now travel back home to play host to the Georgia Swarm (8-4) on Saturday March 9, game time 7:30 p.m. EST.
Philadelphia (2-9) will head to San Diego to face the Seals (6-4) on Sunday March 16, game time 10:00 p.m. EST.
Christopher Crane, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©