The final game of the Buffalo Bandits’ season was a crucial one. With a win Saturday night in Las Vegas, the Bandits could clinch a home playoff game. We all know that Banditland is built different, so that absolutely was something the boys in orange and black were shooting for. Also, it was a special night as it was Tucker Out Lymphoma night in Las Vegas. Tucker’s dad, Shawn Williams, is their head coach and former Buffalo Bandit.
Dhane Smith has made a name for himself over the years as one of the best all-around lacrosse players in the world. For a humble guy that isn’t overly concerned about records, boy does he break a lot of them. Smith had himself quite the night (2+10) eclipsing 700 assists in his career, he broke his own single season assist record, and became the first player in NLL history to reach 100 assists in a season. Whew. Oh, and his team clinched that home playoff game with a very convincing 14-5 win on the road. Got all that? Let’s get to the action.
The first quarter was unbelievably mild considering what the final score ended up being. There definitely was a feeling-out process as this was the first time the Desert Dogs and Bandits have ever met. Each side buried one goal, specifically Connor Kirst and Josh Byrne, and we were deadlocked after one.
Two straight power play goals kicked off the second quarter, one from Casey Jackon and the other from Chase Fraser. Brandon Robinson and Byrne followed up Fraser, but Jack Hannah responded. Byrne got the early hat trick to close out the second. 5-3 Bandits at the break.
Both goaltenders were as stout as could be in the first half, obviously one out dueling the other by a long shot when the clock hit zero. Matt Vinc stopped 20 of 23, while Landon Kells stopped 26 of 31.
“I think we’re squeezing our sticks a little bit,” said Byrne at halftime. “It’s a very special night and there’s a lot on our minds right now, just taking a deep breath, resetting, and coming back for the second half.”
The Bandits must have stopped squeezing their sticks because their third quarter performance was the difference in the game. Not only did they bury five goals in the frame, they held Las Vegas to zero. Scorers for Buffalo were Tehoka Nanticoke three times, Brandon Robinson, and Kyle Buchanan. Nanticoke’s third was a sick one-handed dunk from behind the net, and Bucky’s was courtesy of Smith’s 100th assist on the season. 10-3 Bandits after three.
The Desert Dogs made the score look a little better with the first two goals of the fourth quarter, one from Rob Hellyer on the power play and the other from Sean Westley. Special stuff for Westley, as he wears #51 and that’s the Tucker and Shawn Williams number. Buffalo scored the game’s final four goals and rode this one out. Scorers were Dhane Smith twice, Nick Weiss, and Adam Bomberry. That gave us our final from Sin City, 14-5 Bandits.
Players of the game for Buffalo were Smith (2+10), Byrne (3+6), and Nanticoke (three goals). Vinc was silly all game long, stopping 42 of 47. Byrne also locked up the league’s lead for points with 135 on the season. For Las Vegas, Hellyer (1+2), Hannah (1+2), and Westley (one goal) led the way. Kells had the tale of two halves, stopping 40 of 54.
“I’m not here to break records, I’m here to win championships,” said Smith. “We beared down, we played a lot better in the second half. They’re the best fans in the league, it felt like a home game for us tonight. It’s awesome to get a home playoff game, we’re not done yet.”
Buffalo’s title defense starts now. Clinching that home playoff game in a one-and-done situation is pivotal. They welcome in the five-seed Georgia Swarm this Saturday at 7 p.m.
