(Photo courtesy of the Buffalo Bandits Instagram)
The Halifax Thunderbirds (10-7) visited the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY to face the Bandits (13-4) in NLL action Saturday night in front of another sellout crowd of 19,000+.
The Thunderbirds have been playing well on the strength of Randy Staats (26g,60a), Clarke Petterson (27g,59a), and Cody Jamieson (18g,19a) who is only four points away from 1000 career points. Thomas Hoggarth (28g, 25a), Dawson Theede (26g, 15a), and Mike Robinson (18g, 27a) have all been strong contributors as well for Halifax.
While Buffalo has had a few struggles recently, they still sit at the top of the standings. Dhane Smith (29g, 89a) and Josh Byrne (39g, 79a) have dictated the flow of the Bandits’ offence. Kyle Buchanan (30g, 17a), Ian MacKay (33g, 14a), Tehoka Nanticoke (18G, 14A), Chris Cloutier (17g, 18a), and Chase Fraser (22g, 24a) show just how deep the Bandits are.
The goaltending match-up had Drew Hutchison in net for the Thunderbirds facing Matt Vinc in net for the Bandits.
While the Bandits didn’t start off as crisp as usual, undisciplined play from the Thunderbirds got Buffalo on track. On a two man advantage the Bandits took a 2-0 lead. While Halifax got one back, a pair of goals to start the second quarter put the Bandits in control. Halifax put together a late run of three goals to tie the game late in the quarter. However, the teams traded goals a couple of times more in the last few minutes, heading to the break tied 6-6.
The Bandits transition game was on the money in this game scoring six times on the night, which was the difference in the game. Dhane Smith had another memorable game as well with one goal and ten assists.
The Bandits put together a late run with Ian MacKay, Kyle Buchanan and Cam Wyers breaking the tie game, to come away with the 15-12 win, clinching first place overall in the league.
To The Game:
After almost twelve scoreless minutes, on a two man advantage Ian MacKay scored from in front off a Josh Byrne pass at 11:52, Sweden by Byrne himself with a high to high shot off a Dhane Smith pass on the power-play at 13:25.
The Thunderbirds replied quickly when Mike Robinson fired a laser to the far corner off a Randy Staats pass 0:14 seconds later.
After one quarter, Buffalo 2 Halifax 1.
Second Quarter:
Josh Byrne got the Bandits rolling early in the second quarter firing a shortside laser off a Steve Priolo pass in transition at 0:34 seconds, followed by Clay Scanlon with an absolute howitzer from the outside off a Dhane Smith feed at 3:25.
After a Buffalo no goal call on one end, Clarke Petterson scored twice back to back. The first was a sidearm snipe over Matt Vinc’s shoulder off a Mike Robinson pass at 7:41, followed by a another quick shot from in close off a Randy Staats pass at 8:10 to make it a one goal game.
Dawson Theede tied the game with a low to high laser off a Staats pass at 11:13, but Kyle Buchanan answered from in close off a Dhane Smith pass in transition at 11:41.
Randy Staats fired a shot to the far corner off a Clarke Petterson pass at 12:19, but a high to low bounced shot by Josh Byrne gave the Bandits the lead once again at 13:08.
Randy Staats scored once again on a screen shot with just over a minute left in the half for the Thunderbirds to head to the break tied.
At the half, Buffalo 6 Halifax 6.
Third Quarter:
After a Bandits flurry to open the second half, Josh Byrne finally found the back of the net. A low to low shot off a Dhane Smith pass at 2:35 opened the scoring, followed by a tic-tac-toe play that saw Byrne finding Dhane Smith, who found Kyle Buchanan in close at 3:21.
Dawson Theede got one back scoring his third of the game on the power-play off a Cody Jamieson feed at 5:48, but a Chase Fraser quick stick to the shortside off a Kyle Buchanan pass at 9:07 restored the two goal lead.
Halifax stormed back with Randy Staats scoring twice. The first while dancing across the crease off a Thomas Hoggarth pass at 9:41, followed by his fourth of the night driving to the goal on a beautiful individual effort at 11:20.
Dhane Smith got in on the scoring converting a Steve Priolo pass in transition at 12:22, but Cody Jamieson answered with a bounced screen shot off a Staats pass at 13:01.
After three quarters, Halifax 10 Buffalo 10.
Fourth Quarter:
The Thunderbirds took the lead on the power-play with a high to high shot from Clarke Petterson off a bounced pass from Cody Jamieson at 3:24, but Steve Priolo converted a Ron John pass with a crease dive in transition 0:39 seconds later.
Kyle Buchanan then finished a Dhane Smith feed from in front at 4:50, but Cody Jamieson tied the game again from the top of the crease 0:25 seconds later.
Ian MacKay wired a sidearm snipe off a behind the back flip pass from Josh Byrne at 8:43, followed by Kyle Buchanan finding the top corner of great work from Dhane Smith at 9:47. Cam Wyers picked up a loose ball going coast to coast to score yet another Bandits transition goal at 11:18.
Final score, Buffalo 15 Halifax 12.
The Three Stars:
1. Dhane Smith
2. Josh Byrne
3. Randy Staats
Game Stats:
- Shots on goal favored the Halifax Thunderbirds 62-48.
- The faceoff battle went to Halifax 22-9.
- The loose ball battle went to the Thunderbirds 79-65.
- Halifax was 2 for 3 on the power-play, while Buffalo was 2 for 2 on the power-play.
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