Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Christian Bender
The Toronto Rock (6-1) welcomed back Tom Schreiber to their lineup on Saturday night January 27, 2024, for the first time this year. They went up against the Buffalo Bandits (4-3) in hopes of continuing their undefeated start to the NLL season. This was definitely a game of runs as Buffalo held a four-goal lead at the half, Toronto came back and took a one goal lead into the fourth quarter, but Buffalo would close out their scoring with a seven-goal run to hang on for the 16 – 14 win.
The Bandits opened the scoring in the first quarter just over tw0 minutes in while shorthanded. Ian MacKay (2G) picked up a loose ball and went in all alone on Nick Rose (39 saves, 1A) and his shot beat Rose to the far side for the 1 – 0 Bandits lead. Even though there were plenty of chances in the first quarter both goaltenders stood their ground and shut the door on the offense for the rest of the quarter. The shots on goal in the first quarter were Toronto 15 and Buffalo 11.
Buffalo would extend their lead two minutes into the second quarter while on the power play. They had a lot of good ball movement and Josh Byrne (1G, 6A) would pass to Chase Fraser (4G, 1A) and his shot went short side and it was 2 – 0 for the Bandits. They’d go on another power play, this time with Byrne being the recipient. Chris Cloutier (6A) passed across the floor to Byrne and his quick stick also went short side and it was 3 – 0 for the Bandits. Toronto would finally get on the board 45 seconds later. Dan Craig (2G, 2A) beat his defender to the inside, cut to the net and his shot beat Matt Vinc (38 saves) to the far side to make it 3 – 1 Bandits. Buffalo would get that one back 20 seconds later. Brandon Robinson (2G) received a pass from Dhane Smith (2G, 4A) and his one-handed floater shot went over the shoulder and it was 4 – 1 Buffalo. It took only 30 seconds while in transition, Toronto’s Justin Martin (1G) received a pass from Billy Hostrawser (1A), he went in on a breakaway and beat Vince to the top corner cutting the Bandits lead to 4 – 2. Less than a minute later Steve Priolo (2G, 1A) picked up a rebound in front of the net and his reach around shot beat Rose to the far side extending the Bandit lead to 5 – 2. The minute-by-minute scoring slowed a bit and a little over four minutes later, Cloutier passed to Tehoka Nanticoke (2G, 2A) and his bounce shot went five-hole and it was 6 – 2 for Buffalo. With less than three minutes left in the second, the Rock would hit back. Dan Lintner (2G, 1A) picked up his own rebound and put it over Vinc’s shoulder cutting the Bandits lead to 6 – 3. Forty seconds later Priolo picked up his second goal of the game off a pass from behind the net from Kyle Buchanan (1G, 1A) and his shot went to the top corner over the shoulder and it was 7 – 3 for Buffalo. The Bandits continued to pour it on with 34 seconds in the half. Fraser ‘s low to low shot went through the legs and the Buffalo lead was 8 – 3. With the goalie pulled for an extra attacker Tom Schreiber (2G, 4A) passed to Craig, his shot hit the post and then off Vinc’s back and into the net with 1/10 of a second left in the first half. The score at the end of the first half was Buffalo 8—Toronto 4 and the shots on goal were 28 apiece.
The Toronto fans would see their team make a huge comeback in the third. Right off the opening face-off Phil Mazzuca (1G) went in alone and beat Vinc over the shoulder just eight seconds in and it was 8 – 5 Buffalo. Just over a minute later Challen Rogers (1A) passed across the floor to Mark Matthews (1G, 2A) and his side arm went top corner on the short side and the Rock were within two at 8 – 6. They’d keep on the heat two minutes later while on the power play. Matthews passed cross crease to Chris Boushy (4G, 1A) and his quick stick beat Vinc through the legs and the Rock had cut the lead to one at 8 – 7. The Bandits would tally their only score in the third just over halfway through. Smith faked his defender one way, went the other and his high to low shot beat Rose to the short side and it was 9 – 7 Buffalo. Nothing made it to the back of the net for the next three and when it did, the Rock controlled the remainder of the frame. With five minutes left in the quarter Lintner cut around his defender, dove across the crease and his shot beat Vinc to the short side and it was 9 – 8 for Buffalo. Seventeen seconds later Schreiber, who was on the outside, passed to Boushy behind the net, he dove forward and beat Vinc to the open side to tie the game at nine. With less than two minutes to go in the third, Corey Small (1G, 2A) fired a high to low shot from the top as the shot clock was expiring, went five-hole and the Rock had their first lead of the game 10-9. The shots on goal at the end of the third quarter were Toronto 42—Buffalo 37.
The fans would see another scoring blitz in the fourth with the teams combining for 11. Buffalo would start off the frame on a five-minute power play and this started a seven-goal run for the visitors. Buchanan picked up a rebound in front and put it into the empty side behind Rose at the very end of the man up for Buffalo and the game was tied at ten. A minute later Fraser, from the middle threw a behind the back shot that beat Rose to the short side restoring the lead 11 – 10 for Buffalo. Twenty-five seconds later after some great ball movement Smith passed to Robinson and he beat Rose with a shot to the glove side extending Bandits’ lead to 12 – 10. Three minutes later Nanticoke received a pass from Fraser and his twister went through the legs and the lead was now 13 – 10 for Buffalo. The Bandits continued to pull ahead. Fraser fired a sidearm shot that Rose got a piece of, but it fell behind and into the net extending the Buffalo lead by four 14 – 10. A couple of minutes later with Rose on the bench for an extra attacker and 3:56 left in the contest, MacKay ran the floor and put the ball into the empty net to make it 15 – 10. Even with the failed attempt on the EA, the Rock would keep Rose on the bench, and it backfired again. Smith picked up the ball, went in and he also scored on the empty net and the lead was now six and it was 16 – 10 for Buffalo. Toronto was not about to give up and Schreiber would complete a BTB pass to Boushy who beat Vinc with a high to low shot to the far side for his hat trick goal and it was 16 – 11 Bandits. Forty five seconds later Boushy would get the around the world pass from Schreiber and his backhand twister shot went through the legs to cut the Buffalo lead to 16 – 12 with one minute left in the game. Seventeen seconds later off of the faceoff Schreiber took a low-to-low shot that went through the legs, and it was 16 – 13 Buffalo. With 17 seconds left in the contest, Schreiber fired another low-to-low shot that beat Vinc to the stick side to end the scoring 16 – 14. The shots on goal were Buffalo 55 and Toronto 52.
The Three Stars of the game were:
Josh Byrne – Buffalo Bandits: 1G, 6A
Tom Schreiber – Toronto Rock: 2G, 4A
Dhane Smith – Buffalo Bandits: 2G, 4A
NEXT UP:
The Toronto Rock (5-1) will travel west to Alberta to face the Calgary Roughnecks (2-3) at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday February 3, 2024, game time 9:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. This is the Game of the Week for fans in Canada and they can see the action on TSN and TSN+.
The Buffalo Bandits (4-3) will host the Rochester Knighthawks (3-2) at KeyBank Center also on Saturday February 3, 2024, game time 7:30 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada get to catch the action on TSN+.
Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©