The Buffalo Bandits fell to the Minnesota Swarm 10-9 this weekend to cap off their fifth straight loss. With one more win the Bandits can still clinch the second seed in the playoffs, but the Rochester Knighthawks have already clinched the top seed in the eastern division.
Buffalo went up 1-0 in the game against the Swarm but after the Swarm scored soon after and then the Bandits tied it, they only held one other lead. In his first game with the Bandits, Mitch Jones put up three points, two of them assists, in the loss. Dhane Smith, Jamie Rooney, Mitch Wilde and Ryan Benesch each also put up three.
The Bandits are on a five game losing streak, having lost their games to Minnesota (twice), Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Only one of those games was at home, and that was Calgary. The Bandits road record is now is 2-5, which is bad news for a team who will not have home field throughout the playoffs.
John Tavares and Billy Dee Smith missed the Minnesota game this weekend. After the game, head coach troy Cordingley told us that Tavares is just resting for the playoffs, but said of Smith, ”