Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: M. Hetzel
The Buffalo Bandits hosted the Halifax Thunderbirds on Friday night in what turned out to be a back-and-forth high scoring game. In front of the 13,070 fans, Buffalo eventually took over in the second half outscoring the Thunderbirds 10 – 5. The final score of Buffalo-18, Halifax-13 ended the Thunderbirds two game winning streak.
Halifax opened the scoring on a power play just under three minutes into the game. While on the Power play Halifax with two behind the back passes and the recipient of these passes Chris Boushy (2G) beat Matt Vinc (65 saves) between the legs after two behind the back passes. Buffalo answered back on the next possession. As the shot clock was winding down, Josh Byrne (7G, 4A) beat Warren Hill (28 saves) through the legs with a low side arm bounce shot to tie the game at one. Halifax responded a few minutes later when Randy Staats (3G, 5A) faked outside and went inside on his defender. His overhand shot beat Vinc to the far side and restored the one goal lead at 2 – 1. Buffalo answered again, but this time shorthanded. Byrne got underneath his defender and his over hand shot beats Hill to the top corner to tie the game 2 – 2. Byrne’s score was the final of the first quarter. Halifax led Buffalo in shots at the end fo the first quarter, 15-14 and the game was tied 2 – 2.
Halifax again scored first to start the second quarter. Just over a minute into the second quarter, Wakeriat Bowhunter (1G, 1A) fired a high to low shot that beat Vinc through the legs for his first NLL goal and once again gave Halifax the lead. Cody Jamieson (3G, 2A) extended the lead with the shot clock ticking down. He fired a high-to-high shot that beat Vinc over the shoulder, doubling the Thunderbirds lead to 4 – 2. Buffalo found themselves shorthanded for four minutes, but the Bandits Byrne took a high to low shot from outside that beat Hill over the shoulder. His second shorthanded goal of the night gave him a hat trick and cut the deficit to one yet again. On the same penalty kill Tehoka Nanticoke (2G, 2A) ran between two defenders and as he was falling, took a side arm shot to beat Hill to the top corner and suddenly the game was tied 4 – 4. Halifax finally capitalized on the power play when Ryan Benesch (1G, 1A) scored with a laser beating Vinc to the short side and restoring the one goal Halifax lead at 5 – 4. While on transition Dylan Robinson (1G) engaged in a give and go with Matt Spanger (1G, 1A). Robinson finished it off with a quick stick through the legs of Hill for his first NLL goal, tying the game back up less than thirty seconds later. Buffalo finally got their first lead of the game as Byrne shot high to low through Hill’s legs with 6:35 remaining in the half. The lead didn’t last long as Clarke Petterson (2G, 4A) picked up a loose ball in front of the Buffalo net and took a bounce shot that beat Vinc through the legs to tie it back up. Dhane Smith (3G, 7A) took control and cut to the net, feeding Brandon Robinson (1G) who beat Hill to the far side giving Buffalo the lead back with less than three minutes remaining in the half. Byrne then cut to the net from the boards and his twister shot beat Hill to the short side for this fifth goal of the game and Buffalo had their largest lead of the game at 8 – 6. Staats came right back on the next possession and scored with a side arm shot that beat Vinc through his five hole. 22 seconds later, Staats passed to Jamieson from behind the net who finished with a bounce shot to tie the game again. At the end of the first half, Halifax led Buffalo in shots 36-30 and the score was tied 8-8.
Buffalo came out of the locker room on a mission. The defense stood tall, and the offense strung together a run of five goals while Halifax couldn’t find the net for most of the quarter. To start, Kyle Buchanan (1G, 4A) found Smith off the bench in transition and his low shot beat Hill to the bottom glove hand corner to give Buffalo the lead back at 9 – 8. Ian Mackay (1G, 1A) then found Nanticoke at the side of the crease. He dove across the crease and beat Hill to the far side. Next, With Vinc pulled for an extra attacker because of a delayed penalty, the ball went behind the net to Buchanan who faked to his left and dove to his right to beat Hill in the top corner. Mackay was next to score. He stayed on the offense after his defensive shift and fired from the top to beat Hill short side. Now down 12 – 8, Halifax pulled Hill and replaced him with Drew Hutchison (14 saves). It didn’t matter as Buffalo added to their lead. Byrne took a low-to-low shot that beats Hutchison to the far bottom corner for his sixth goal of the game and the score was now 13 – 8 with just over three minutes left in the quarter. Halifax finally stopped the Bandits run and scored their first goal in the second half when Austin Shanks (1G, 1A) took an over hand shot that beats Vinc to the short side cutting the Buffalo lead to 13 – 9. Less than a minute later, Hutchison fed Eric Fannel () for a breakaway, but Vinc stopped him. The juicy rebound laid in the crease where Boushy picked it up and dove from behind the net, depositing it into the open side. At the end of the third quarter, Halifax led Buffalo in shots 59-48, but Buffalo led Halifax 13-10 on the scoreboard.
Buffalo’s Byrne opened the scoring in the fourth quarter. He moved in and fired a twister to the far post past Hutchinson 50 seconds into play extending the Buffalo lead to 14-10. Halifax got it back less than thirty seconds later. Staats found himself wide open in front and he faked short side to beat Vinc far side. After a missed shot by Staats on the next possession that went off the glass, Jamieson picked up the rebound and beat Vinc to the far side to cut the Buffalo lead to two goals. Buffalo again scoed while shorthanded. Spanger received a breakaway pass from Nick Weiss () and beat Hutchison high-to-low to restore the three goal lead at 15 – 12 with just over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Smith ran right by his defender and went one on one with Hutchison, beating him to the stick side to make it 16 – 12. On a Halifax powerplay, Petterson received a pass from Jamieson and his bounce shot beat Vinc to the top corner to make it 16 – 13 with under five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Smith answered, spinning on his defender to beat him inside. After throwing two fakes, he beat Hutchison to the short side. With the Halifax goalie pulled for an extra attacker in desperation, Vinc fired a ball the length of the floor to Nick Weiss (1G, 2A) who deposited it into the empty net, bringin us to our final with under two minutes left in the game. After a fight between the two faceoff specialists, Jake Withers (28/34 faceoffs) and Max Adler (6/34 faceoffs) the Bandits held on. Halifax led Buffalo in shots, 78-60, but Buffalo would beat Halifax 18-13.
Three Stars of The Game:
Josh Byrne (BUF) – 7G, 4A
Dhane Smith (BUF) – 3G, 7A
Matt Vinc (BUF) – 65 saves
Up Next:
The Buffalo Bandits (2-1) will visit the Georgia Swarm (0-2) on Saturday, January 7 at 7:00 PM EST.
The Halifax Thunderbirds (2-1) will visit the Albany Firewolves (1-1) on Saturday, January 7 at 7:00 PM EST.