The first installment in 2024 of the I-90 rivalry between the Buffalo Bandits and Rochester Knighthawks was a banger. These games always tend to be high intensity and a split crowd as Buffalo fans travel well. A snowstorm in the Buffalo area did affect some of the travellers, but there still was a sea of orange and black at Blue Cross Arena. This contest was as back-and-forth as it gets and there was a bit of playoff intensity in the air. After 12 goals in the first quarter and 20 total for the first half, the game was deadlocked. Rochester shut out Buffalo in the third, before Buffalo went on a four-goal run in the fourth to ice it. Buffalo snuck out on Saturday night with a 15-13 win. Let’s get to it.
As we said, the first quarter was a scoring parade. It didn’t take long as Ryan Smith got Rochester on the board first, but he was quickly answered by Dylan Robinson as he dove through the crease. Smith got his second on the power play, but Buffalo responded with three-straight, scored by Chris Cloutier, Kyle Buchanan, and Josh Byrne on the power play. Clooch and Bucky’s were only 10 seconds apart. Kyle Waters and Tehoka Nanticoke traded goals before Rochester went on a four-goal run of their own. Scorers in that span were Matt Gilray, Waters, his second, Connor Fields, and Thomas McConvey. 7-5 Knighthawks after one.
Side note: if you’re a fan of physicality, there was plenty in the first. With quite a few penalties, some specifically for goalie interference, tempers boiled over at the 10:35 mark as Emerson Clark and Tyler Biles dropped the mitts to talk about dinner plans with their fists.
The track meet continued in the second. Buffalo looked to regain the avantage, however Rochester was right there every step of the way. Smith scored his third to give him the hat trick, but was answered by three-straight from Buffalo. Those were scored by Brandon Robinson (unfortunately we didn’t get the Robinson trifecta in this one), Nick Weiss, a beauty in transition, and Chase Fraser. The rest of the goals in the frame were “every other,” not shocking considering how this game was going. Smith netted his fourth on the power play, Cloutier got his second, also on the power play, Waters got his third, and Nanticoke got his second. With all of that craziness being said, we were tied up at 10 going into the half.
“We’re going in 10-10 at half, it’s a high scoring affair,” said Waters at the break. “These are the guys that put us out last year, there’s a little bit more emotion in this one. They’re the reigning NLL Champs, so we want to knock them off their throne.”
The goaltenders definitely had their work cut out for them, and both did their part to keep their respective clubs in the game. Matt Vinc made 29 saves on 39 shots, and Riley Hutchcraft stopped 27 of 37.
The third quarter started and the Buffalo scoring stopped. Rochester really put the game to sleep and Hutchcraft was phenomenal in the frame. Only two goals were scored, both by Rochester, and the energy was sucked out of the Bandits bench. Goals were by Waters, his fourth, and Fields, his second. 12-10 Rochester going into the fourth.
We’re not entirely sure where Buffalo finds the gall late in games when trailing, but here we are once again. After being blanked in the third quarter and being held scoreless for 19:18 of game play, Buffalo proceeded to go on a five-goal run, which ended up being the story in the end. Scorers in that span were Ian MacKay; Fraser, his second; Byrne twice, giving him the hat trick; and Cloutier, his third as well. Byrne’s two goals – the tying and winning tallies – were just 24 seconds apart.
Just as Hutchcraft was, Vinc was outstanding in the fourth, limiting Rochester’s scoring and not giving up very many second-chance opportunities. McConvey finally broke the 15:23 scoring drought for Rochester with his second of the game, but that’d be all she wrote. Your final from the 585, 15-13 Bandits.
Players of the game for Buffalo were Byrne (3+3), Cloutier (3+2), and Fraser (2+1). Vinc’s night had a little bit of everything, but in the end he stood tall, stopping 52 of 65 in total. For Rochester, Smith (4+5), Waters (4+1), and Fields (2+5) led the way. Hutchcraft was solid, but slipped up during that run in the fourth. He made 48 saves on 63 shots for the game.
The main story of the game was at the very end. With the win in this one, Vinc recorded his 150th career win in his career, the first in NLL history to accomplish the feat. A man of few words, spoke about this after the game.
“It means a lot, just pretty fortunate to play on some really good teams, some of them here in Rochester, and now with Buffalo. It’s a big accomplishment for not only my teammates but for my family. With our type of offense, we never feel like we’re out of a game.”
Buffalo (3-2) looks to continue their winning streak. They have a “short” week as they travel back home down the snowy I-90 and welcome the New York Riptide (1-4) to town this Friday at 7:30pm for Tucker Out Lymphoma Night. Rochester (3-2) still sits in playoff position (too early Dan) and has a week off to recoup. They go on the road to Halifax (2-3) next Saturday at 6pm.
