“Muffler” Mike Kostiuk – Senior Correspondent, All Lacrosse All The Time
The Buffalo Bandits kicked off their 2024-2025 season on the road against the 1-0 Rochester Knighthawks. The Bandits are looking to become the second team in NLL history to win three straight championships, having won the NLL Cup in 2023 and 2024. Rochester is coming off a 14-12 win in Week 1 against Las Vegas, hoping to stay in the win column against the defending champs. Dhane Smith led five multi-goal scorers as the Bandits turned a defensive battle through three quarters into a runaway 15-7 victory. The Bandits (1-0) travel to Ottawa to face the Black Bears in Week 3. The Knighthawks fall to 1-1; they travel to Vancouver in Week 3.
Bandits Defense Keeps Scoring To A Minimum In First Half
Nearly five minutes went by in the first quarter before Tehoka Nanticoke (4:40) got Buffalo on the board. The tight defensive play on both sides continued through the quarter, with the Bandits leading 1-0 going into the second. Thomas McConvey (1:05) tied the game for Rochester, but a goal from Josh Byrne (6:54) and a pair from Dhane Smith (7:41; 11:37) capped off a three-goal run to give the Bandits a 4-1 lead going into halftime.
https://twitter.com/NLLBandits/status/1865551036166861233
Bandits Pull Away In Fourth Quarter For First Win
The Knighthawks opened the second half with a four-goal run to take the lead. Turner Evans (3:23), Ryland Rees (5:33), Ryan Lanchbury (5:50), and Connor Fields (8:11 shorthanded) put Rochester up 5-4. The Bandits quickly retook the lead on goals from Byrne (9:44) and Chris Cloutier (10:13). Another shorthanded goal from Fields (12:36) tied the game 6-6, before Ian MacKay (14:28) gave Buffalo a 7-6 lead going into the final frame.
That lead fast became 10-6 in the fourth quarter on goals from Kyle Buchanan (3:05), Nanticoke (5:08), and Dhane Smith (5:48). Lanchbury’s second goal of the game (6:39) broke the run and put Rochester within three. But the Bandits caught fire again, scoring five unanswered to put the game out of reach. Cloutier’s second (7:05) was followed by two more from Buchanan (9:19; 12:11). Dylan Robinson (13:39) and Paul Dawson (14:47) added empty-net goals to close the scoring.
https://twitter.com/NLLBandits/status/1865574473719582902
Other Stats of Note
Bandits: Smith (3g, 8a); Buchanan (3g); Byrne (2g, 3a); Nanticoke (2g, 1a); Cloutier (2g)
Knighthawks: Lanchbury (2g, 2a); Fields (2g); McConvey (1g, 2a); Evans (1g, 2a); Rees (1g)
Power Play: BUF 0 for 5; ROC 0 for 4
Matt Vinc (BUF): 54 saves, 1 assist; Riley Hutchcraft (ROC): 47 saves