Week 14 was set to be a busy one, as there were 10 games scheduled to be played from Friday to Sunday. One of the contests under the biggest spotlight was a rematch of last season’s NLL Finals as the Saskatchewan Rush shipped up to Buffalo to take on the Bandits. During those Finals, both teams were in very similar positions. This year, not so much. The Rush were the top team in the league and had been for quite a few weeks. The Bandits were sputtering in tenth place and at risk of their season being a total loss and not making the playoffs. This matchup was even more interesting as both clubs were playing on back-to-back nights, so strategy and staying healthy was going to play a huge part in it.
The game itself didn’t disappoint, as both teams picked up right where they left off in last year’s Finals. Buffalo saw themselves ahead in the fourth quarter, but the Rush came roaring back to tie it up and take it to overtime. Speaking as someone who was at the game, the overtime period felt like an eternity with there being chance after chance and big save after big save from both sides. Finally, after over six minutes of game play, Josh Byrne buried the dagger to keep the Bandits’ season alive. Buffalo took it 11-10.
Starting hot hasn’t been an issue for Buffalo, and this one was no different. The Bandits jumped out to a very quick lead as they buried the first three goals of the game. Those were scored by Tehoka Nanticoke, Ian MacKay on the power play, and Kyle Buchanan. The rest of the first was a teeter-totter as Josh Zawada and Matt Hossack scored for Saskatchewan and Clay Scanlan and Buchanan netted two more for Buffalo. 5-2 Bandits after one.
Buffalo continued to roll in the second quarter, as once again, they outscored the Rush. MacKay scored two more times, along with Nanticoke, while Ryan Keenan and Zach Manns did the scoring for the Rush. 8-4 Buffalo at the break.
You could feel a bit of a momentum shift right out of the gates to begin the third quarter, as Robert Church scored just 32 seconds in. Keenan followed that up shortly thereafter, but MacKay had the answer for Buffalo. Austin Shanks and Steve Priolo each got their first for their respective clubs and that’s how the frame would end. 10-7 Buffalo after three.
Remember that comment about momentum? Here we go. Priolo’s goal was the last goal Buffalo would score until the game-winner in OT. Saskatchewan came out guns blazing in the fourth, holding Buffalo scoreless, all while scoring three of their own to tie the game up. Keenan notched the first two and Church tied it up with under a minute to go. Stunned silence in Banditland, however we were stoked about some free lacrosse between two stout teams.
As we said at the beginning, it took quite a while in overtime to decide a winner. Make no mistakes, it wasn’t for a lack of action or chances from either side. Back-and-forth they went, each goaltender keeping their club in the game. Byrne found himself with the ball, made his patented move towards the middle and fired a laser that went in. Pure elation inside KeyBank Center with a massive exhale.
Players of the game for Buffalo were MacKay (4+1), Nanticoke (2+2), and Byrne (1+7). Matt Vinc was otherworldly in the overtime period, stopping 43 of 53 in total. For Saskatchewan, Keenan (4+1), Church (2+4), and Manns (1+4) led the way. Frank Scigliano would love to have the last one back but played one heck of a game. He stopped 37 of 48.
No rest for the wicked as both clubs had another game the following night. Buffalo shipped right out to Hamilton to take on the Toronto Rock, while Saskatchewan went off to play Rochester. Saskatchewan ended up losing that game to Rochester 13-12 in another overtime thriller. Stay tuned for my recap of Buffalo and Toronto.
Even before the Saskatchewan game, Buffalo’s season was hanging by a thread. Now, after beating the Rush, the game against the Rock became that much more important. In recent history, Buffalo has dominated Toronto, winning 12 out of the last 13 meetings. Well, now you can make that 13 of the last 14. Buffalo walked into TD Coliseum and took care of business, beating Toronto 14-9. Don’t let the score fool you, this game was tightly contested until the start of the fourth quarter when Buffalo really opened it up. Don’t count the three-time defending champs out just yet.
There was a bit of a feeling out process to begin this game, as the first goal wasn’t scored until about six minutes in when Owen Hiltz lit the lamp on the power play. Buffalo answered right back with two-straight, one from Nanticoke and the other from Mitch de Snoo. Toronto, nope, Mark Matthews punched back with two of his own, but Ryan Benesch had the answer to keep it deadlocked. 3-3 after one.
Both teams jockeyed for position in the second quarter as the back-and-forth continued. Chris Boushy got the scoring started for Toronto, but here came the Bandits. This time, they answered in the form of three-straight. Well, by them, I mean Dhane Smith. Challen Rogers buried his first in the waning seconds to cut the deficit to one at the break. 6-5 Bandits.
Boushy started the third the same way he did the second, tallying his second goal of the game, however Buchanan had the answer. Matthews completed the hat trick, but that’d be it for Toronto’s scoring for the rest of the frame. Buffalo finished the third off with two-straight, one from Benesch on the power play and the other from Byrne. 9-7 Bandits after three.
The fourth was when the game took a turn. Buffalo really opened it up in transition and limited any and all Rock scoring chances. Byrne kicked it off with his second but was quickly answered by Matthews’ fourth. The next three goals belonged to Buffalo, two of which were transition markers. The first was from Matt Spanger who came streaking down the middle, and the other was from Nick Weiss, whose goal was almost an exact replica of Spanger’s. The third Buffalo goal was scored by Byrne, giving him the hat trick. In the last two minutes, Hiltz tallied his second on the power play and Weiss also registered his second with an empty netter. The dust settled and the Bandits successfully went 2-0 in Week 14.
Players of the game for Buffalo were Smith (3+5), Byrne (3+4), and Weiss (2+1). Vinc did Vinc things for the second game in a row, stonewalling Toronto in the second half. He stopped 46 of 55. For Toronto, Matthews (4+3), Hiltz (2+2), and Boushy (2+1) led the way. Troy Holowchuk has nothing to hang his head about, as he kept the Rock in it for three quarters. He made 30 saves on 43 shots.
“I think the whole season, we haven’t played 60 minutes”, said Vinc. “I think last night we made it a bit tougher on ourselves, we said we can’t get two without one. We’re a veteran group, we knew what it took to come in here and hopefully get a solid performance, and that was one from top to bottom.”
“I think the whole second half, we weren’t able to sustain our play”, said Rock head coach Matt Sawyer. “I feel like in the first half we generated good quality opportunities. They’re a tough team to beat, good goalie, and we didn’t do that in the second half.”
Don’t look now, but Buffalo has catapulted themselves into a playoff spot. They have a bye week before they look to continue their win streak. Their next game is at home when they welcome the red-hot Colorado Mammoth. That game is on Friday March 13th at 7:30pm. Toronto is still in good shape. Their next contest is on the road as they travel to Vancouver. That game is on Friday March 6th at 10pm.
