The Vancouver Warriors (8-7) traveled east to face the league leading Buffalo Bandits (11-4) in NLL action Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 19, 070 at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo NY.
Vancouver has looked very strong since the acquisition of Christian Del Bianco at the trade deadline. Keegan Bal, Adam Charalambides, Kevin Crowley, Ryan Martel, and Riley Loewen have been firing on all cylinders recently.
The Bandits made a couple of huge moves at the trade deadline acquiring Kiel Matisz and Ron John to add to an already explosive unit. Josh Byrne and Dhane Smith lead the way of this all-star laden team. With Chase Fraser, Chris Cloutier, Tehoka Nanticoke, Ian MacKay, and Kyle Buchanan all healthy, this squad is looking more and more at a three-peat.
The goalie match-up had Christian Del Bianco in net for the Warriors facing Matt Vinc in goal for the Bandits.
What was touted a goalie showdown didn’t start that way. A torrid pace to start the game had Vancouver up 4-3 not even half way through the first quarter. The D and goalies then stepped up and there wasn’t any more scoring for the next nine minutes.
Enter our goalie story. Matt Vinc and Christian Del Bianco put on a clinic from that point with each save even more spectacular than the last one.
The difference in the half was a five minute boarding penalty to Nick Weiss which yielded two Vancouver goals. At the half the Warriors led 7-4.
Buffalo came out on a mission in the third bringing the game within one goal. Again both goalies were spectacular in the quarter, setting the stage for a heart-stopping fourth.
Nick Weiss tied the game early in the fourth. The teams then matched each other goal for goal for the majority of the quarter. With the Warriors up by one late in the quarter, Buffalo went on the power-play. The Bandita threw everything at Del Bianco, but he was up to the challenge. Vancouver comes away with the 13-12 victory.
To The Game:
The Warriors got on the board quickly in transition when Jeff Cornwall converted a Marcus Klarich feed from in front at 1:04.
Buffalo answered with a howitzer from Kyle Buchanan from the outside at 1:29, followed by Dhane Smith with a beauty from in close off a Chris Cloutier pass 0:25 seconds later.
Vancouver evened the game with a blast from Kevin Crowley finishing an Adam Charalambides pass at 2:20, followed by Keegan Bal with a sidearm snipe to the far corner also off a Charalambides pass at 4:27. Ryan Martel got into the action with a twister that fooled Matt Vinc to the shortside at 4:55 for a two goal lead.
Tehoka Nanticoke brought the Bandits within one with a screenshot to the farside off a Dhane Smith pass 6:53.
After one quarter, Vancouver 4 Buffalo 3.
Second Quarter:
Chase Fraser tied the game with a laser from the outside off a Josh Byrne pass at 1:47.
On a Nick Weiss five minute penalty for boarding, the Warriors broke the tie with a pair of goals. Keegan Bal fired a shot from in close off a Kevin Crowley pass at 8:29, followed by a quick stick from Riley Loewen off a Keegan Bal feed at 10:37.
Bal added one more before the half with a blast from the top of the crease off a Riley Loewen pass at 13:15.
At the half, Vancouver 7 Buffalo 4.
Third Quarter:
Ian MacKay opened the second half scoring on the power-play converting a Dhane Smith pass from in close at 1:19, but a great individual effort from Marcus Klarich gave the Warriors a three goal cushion once again at 4:49.
The Bandits kept pressing with Dylan Robinson scoring in transition off a Nick Weiss pass at 6:28, followed by Ian MacKay with his second goal of the game picking the far corner from in close off a Josh Byrne pass at 7:11.
Vancouver stopped the Buffalo momentum with a shorthanded goal on a Riley Loewen quick stick off a Keegan Bal pass at 12:04, but a Kyle Buchanan sidearm laser brought the game within one once again at 13:58.
After three quarters, Vancouver 9 Buffalo 8.
Fourth Quarter:
Nick Weiss tied the game with a great individual effort diving across the crease at 1:42. Josh Byrne then gave the Bandits the lead with a pair of goals back to back. The first was blast off the crossbar, followed by a laser to the corner just 0:31 seconds apart at 5:58.
Kevin Crowley got one back converting an Owen Grant pass at 7:05, followed by Ryan Martel dancing across the crease to tie the game at 8:25.
After the goal Dylan Robinson of the Bandits was assessed a five minute penalty for a crosscheck on a sprawled Martel.
On the power-play, Adam Charalambides scored from in close off a Keegan Bal feed at 10:40, followed by an outside blast by Bal off a Charalambides pass at 11:21.
The Bandits again brought the game within one when Ian MacKay scored all alone in front off a Chris Cloutier pass at 11:23.
The Bandits pressed hard with the goalie on the bench but Christian Del Bianco was up to the task, preserving the victory.
Final score, Vancouver 13 Buffalo 12.
The Three Stars:
1. Christian Del Bianco
2. Keegan Bal
3. Ian MacKay
Game Stats:
- Shots on goal favored Buffalo 52-45.
- The faceoff battle was won by the Bandits 18-11.
- The loose ball battle went to Buffalo 89-58
- The Warriors went 3 for 5 on the power-play, also -‘ scoring a shorthanded goal.
- The Bandits went 2 for 5 on the power-play.
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