Photo courtesy of the Buffalo Bandits on Instagram
Toronto – The Buffalo Bandits (7-0) traveled to the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ontario to face the Toronto Rock (3-7) in NLL action Friday evening.
The Bandits have been tearing it up this year, firing on all cylinders. The tandem of Josh Byrne and Dhane Smith already have 113 points between the two of them. With a supporting cast of Chase Fraser, Ian MacKay, Chris Cloutier, Tehoka Nanticoke, and Kyle Buchanan, this team can put up a lot of goals. Matt Vinc has looked spectacular this season, trying to three-peat with his second team.
The Rock just can’t stay healthy. Back are Brad Kri, Chris Corbeil, Tom Schreiber, Latrell Harris, and Challen Rogers. Now injured are Mark Matthews, Phil Mazzuca and Josh Jubinville. It’s hard to think about must win games only half way through the season, but this was as close as it could be.
The goaltending match-up had Matt Vinc in net for the Bandits facing Nick Rose in net for the Rock.
The Rock jumped put to a 5-0 lead in the first quarter, on the strength of a pair of goals from Josh Dawick. The Bandits made a game of it in the second scoring three times with Kyle Buchanan getting a pair in the quarter.
The second half saw the Bandits and Rock get more aggressive. The fourth quarter had 66:00 minutes in penalties (47 of which came after the final horn).
The Bandits overcame the deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Down 13-10 the Rock put together a late flurry to get within one goal. In the last minute, Toronto came close a couple of times, but the Bandits held on for the 13-12 victory.
To The Game:
The Rock got things going early when Corey Small fired a laser to the corner off a Brian Cameron pass at 0:28 seconds, followed by Chris Boushy adding another on a great individual effort diving across the crease at 3:32.
Mitch de Snoo made it 3-0 in transition converting a Challen Rogers pass from in front at 6:02, followed by Josh Dawick picking the corner on the power-play off a behind the back pass from Tom Schreiber at 13:13. Dawick added another with a high to high laser to the top corner off a Chris Boushy pass just 0:09 seconds later.
After one quarter, Toronto 5 Buffalo 0.
Second Quarter:
The Bandits finally got on the board when Kyle Buchanan converted a Josh Byrne pass from the side of the net at 0:25 seconds, followed by Chris Cloutier with a sidearm snipe off a Dhane Smith pass at 4:20. Kyle Buchanan then fired a low to low screen shot off a Cam Wyers pass at 8:40.
At the half, Toronto 5 Buffalo 3.
Third Quarter:
The Rock jumped out of the gate quickly with TD Ierlan scoring off the faceoff just 0:07 seconds into the quarter on the power-play, but Kyle Buchanan answered with his third of the night off a Dhane Smith pass at 2:04.
Josh Dawick scored his third of the night with a howitzer to the far corner off a Tom Schreiber pass at 6:03, but Chase Fraser answered with a low to low shot off a Tehoka Nanticoke feed at 7:26.
The Bandits got within one off another sidearm snipe from Chase Fraser at 8:50, followed by a Chris Cloutier blast at 9:27 to tie the game.
After three quarters, Toronto 7 Buffalo 7.
Fourth Quarter:
Chris Boushy got the Rock in front once again with a laser to the corner off a crisp pass from Dan Craig at 0:51 seconds, followed by Tom Schreiber with a sidearm laser to the far corner just 0:08 seconds later.
Chris Cloutier got one back with a low to low shot off a Dhane Smith pass at 2:18, followed by Dhane Smith with a bounced shot off a Josh Byrne pass at 3:05. Tehoka Nanticoke gave the Bandits their first lead of the night scoring off a great individual effort coming from the corner at 3:42.
The Rock tied the game with a Tom Schreiber bounced shot off a Dan Craig pass at 5:31, but Buffalo stormed back with Dhane Smith beating Nick Rose off a Josh Byrne pass at 6:00.
Ian MacKay added to the Bandits lead scooping a rebound out of the crease scoring unassisted at 8:43, followed by Dhane Smith in transition off a Thomas Whitty pass at 10:05.
In the final minutes, Mitch de Snoo got one back with a blast from the outside at 13:53, followed by Dan Craig with a shot to the shortside at 14:10. A flurry from the Rock in the last 0:30 seconds didn’t yield any goals, and the Rock drop yet another close one.
Final score, Buffalo 13 Toronto 12.
The Three Stars:
1. Dhane Smith
2. Mitch de Snoo
3. Kyle Buchanan
Game Stats:
- Shots on goal favored Buffalo 56-42.
- In faceoffs, Connor Farrell of the Bandits out-duelled TD Ierlan 15-14.
- The loose ball battle went to Buffalo 74-71.
- The Bandits went 1 for 6 on the power-play, while the Rock went 2 for 4.
Don’t forget to check us out every Sunday night at 8pm (ET) on StreamPunkEnt.com
