The Halifax Thunderbirds hosted the Buffalo Bandits in their second meeting this season. Both teams are reeling with 3-5 records that currently place them below the cutoff for postseason play. Halifax has gone 1-5 in the six games played since beating the Bandits in their first meeting this season, while Buffalo came into the matchup on a four-game losing streak, something that hasn’t happened to them since 2018. Despite squandering a 7-2 lead, the Bandits would triumph 11-10 on the strength of their special teams play to split the season series. Buffalo improves to 4-5, but has arguably the toughest second-half schedule of any team in the NLL. Meanwhile, Halifax falls to 3-6 amid looming questions regarding whether they will be buyers or sellers at the March 9 trade deadline.
Bandits take first half lead with five-goal run
The Bandits quickly quieted the Halifax crowd with goals from Kyle Buchanan (0:38) and Clay Scanlan (4:44) for a 2-0 lead. Randy Staats scored back-to-back (6:57; 8:12) to breathe life into the Thunderbirds and the home crowd. But back-to-back goals from Tehoka Nanticoke (12:11; 14:16), including a pick and put-back from the Halifax crease that stood after official review, gave Buffalo a 4-2 lead after 15 minutes of play.
The Bandits continued their run in the second quarter. Ryan Benesch (0:26), Josh Byrne (1:50), and Matt Spanger in transition (2:04) extended the lead to 7-2. Thunderbirds goaltender Warren Hill was then lifted in favor of Drew Hutchison. Clarke Petterson (5:59) broke the five-goal run, but a power play goal from Ian MacKay (9:51) pushed Buffalo’s lead to 8-3. Two late goals from Cody Jamieson (13:33) and Petterson (14:15) narrowed the margin at halftime to 8-5.
Bandits withstand late Halifax charge to split series
Halifax continued to score to open the second half, as Jason Knox (0:52) and Petterson’s hat trick goal (5:45 power play) closed the gap to 8-7. Byrne’s second goal (10:24) gave the Bandits a 9-7 lead going into the fourth quarter, and Cam Wyers (4:37 fourth quarter) added another transition goal off a penalty kill to push the lead back to three.
But the Thunderbirds clawed their way back into the game with a three-goal run. Stephen Keogh scored at 5:33 to make it a two-goal game. Wake:Riat Bowhunter (7:51), who played a majority of the game on the defensive end, pulled Halifax within one. Then, facing a 3-on-4 situation after a series of penalties, Knox put a rebound from a Keogh shot past Bandits goaltender Matt Vinc at 11:17 for his second goal of the game and a 10-10 tie. The Thunderbirds appeared primed to take their first lead of the game when Buffalo committed a penalty late in the quarter. However, Dhane Smith scored shorthanded (12:35) for what eventually was the game-winner for the Bandits.
Other Stats Of Note
Bandits: Byrne (2g, 3a); Nanticoke (2g); Smith (1g, 6a); MacKay (1g, 5a); Scanlan (1g, 1a); Buchanan (1g, 1a); Benesch (1g); Wyers (1g); Spanger (1g)
Thunderbirds: Petterson (3g, 4a); Staats (2g, 5a); Knox (2g, 2a); Jamieson (1g, 2a); Keogh (1g, 1a); Bowhunter (1g, 1a)
Matt Vinc (BUF): 41 saves; Warren Hill (HFX): 14 saves (17 minutes); Drew Hutchison (HFX): 24 saves (43 minutes)
Faceoffs: BUF 11 of 25; HFX 14 of 25
Power Play: BUF 1 for 4; HFX 1 for 5
Maki Jenner made history as the first woman to do the play-by-play call on a broadcast of an NLL game
