The Buffalo Bandits picked up a 9-7 win to take the battle for first place against the Saskatchewan Rush on Saturday night.
It was really a tale of two halves. Saskatchewan’s offense came alive in the first half to take a 5-3 lead. However, Buffalo’s defense and Matt Vinc in goal tightened up in the second half as they outscored the Rush 6-2.
Just before game time, the Rush announced that Robert Church would be going on the short-term holdout list. With Church out, the Rush took Josh Zawada off the practice roster for his second game of the season.
What was expected to be an offensive battle turned into a defensive struggle. Special teams really didn’t come into play. Buffalo was 0-for-1 on the power play, while Saskatchewan’s power play continued to struggle, going 1-for-5.
Tight Battle in the First
Saskatchewan opened up the scoring at 6:42 with Austin Shanks finding Josh Zawada in front.
The Bandits came right back at 8:27 with Josh Byrne diving across the crease to make it 1-1.
Buffalo would then take the lead at 9:40 as Chase Fraser, with a defender all over him, beat Frank Scigliano.
Off a TV timeout, Zach Manns found a hole in the defense and went coast to coast at 10:25 to tie it up 2-2.
The Rush would finish the quarter with goals from Manns and Triolo, as Saskatchewan held a 4-2 lead.
Buffalo Finds Penalty Troubles
Saskatchewan started the second quarter on a four-minute power play, and with a two-man advantage, Manns went bar down at 2:59 to put the Rush up 5-2.
Fraser would get one back with a high-to-low shot with 2:36 left on the clock, as the Rush led 5-3 at the half.
Cue the Comeback
Buffalo’s defense tightened up, and Matt Vinc played like the future Hall of Famer that he is.
Tehoka Nanticoke opened the scoring with a shot while in traffic. The goal didn’t come until the 7:06 mark, but it narrowed the Rush’s lead to 5-4.
Byrne would strike again with a shot that just trickled over the line with 3:54 remaining to tie it up 5-5.
Nanticoke rounded out the scoring, going top corner with 1:28 left, as the Bandits led 6-5 after the third quarter.
Bandits Claim First Place
Manns would get Saskatchewan back in the ballgame with a shot that snuck by Vinc at 3:38 to tie it up.
Kyle Buchanan, with the quick stick at 7:31, would put the Bandits in the lead for good.
At the 11:19 mark, Justin Martin appeared to have scored on a two-on-one in transition. The goal was challenged, and the replay showed the ball just crossed the line to make it 8-6 for the Bandits.
Nick Weiss would make it a three-goal game with Thomas Kiazyk diving to get back into the net with 2:02 remaining.
The Rush rounded out the scoring with 52.2 seconds left. Holden Garlent took a shot, and Matt Hossack buried the rebound. However, the Bandits took the 9-7 win and first place in the standings.
Rush co-head coach and general manager Derek Keenan and Rush forward Zach Manns commented after the game:
Top Scorers
Buffalo Bandits
Josh Byrne, 2g 4a
Dhane Smith, 5a
Chase Fraser, 2g 1a
Saskatchewan Rush
Zach Manns, 4g
Brock Haley, 3a
Mike Triolo, 1g 1a
Austin Shanks, 2a
Josh Zawada, 1g 1a
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