Joe Resetarits scored in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter to lift the Buffalo Bandits to an 8-7 win over the Saskatchewan Rush on Saturday night.
It is Saskatchewan’s first loss on home floor and the fourth loss in the last five games. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bandits have won five straight and are getting hot at the right time.
The Rush drop to 11-5 as they continue to battle with the Vancouver Warriors (11-4) for first place. The Bandits improve to 9-6 and sit in sixth place behind Toronto (9-5).
Saskatchewan controlled most of the game. However, the Bandits outscored them 5-2 in the second half, including four goals in the fourth quarter.
Buffalo was missing Connor Farrell at the faceoff dot, and it showed. Jake Naso won 16 of 19 draws for the Rush.
First Quarter
Buffalo got on the board first at the 3:58 mark as Ian MacKay took a shot in transition. Steve Priolo picked up the rebound and buried it.
The Rush tied it up at 4:35 as Zach Manns found Robert Church, who picked the corner.
Saskatchewan then took the lead at 7:37 in transition. Ryan Barnable found Connor McClelland, who dropped a pass back to a trailing Manns to make it 2-1 at the end of the first quarter.
Second Quarter
The Rush extended their lead at the 2:30 mark. Mike Messenger found Josh Zawada down the middle for a shot that just got by Matt Vinc.
Then, 24 seconds later, Clark Walter scored on a quick stick at the side of the net to make it 4-1 for the Rush.
Buffalo got back on the board at the 5:31 mark, with Clay Scanlan flying through the air and beating Frank Scigliano.
Saskatchewan responded with 3:52 left on the clock, as Ryan Keenan streaked off the bench and beat Vinc to make it 5-2.
Josh Byrne got one back for the Bandits with 2:13 left, slipping a shot through Scigliano’s five-hole to make it 5-3 at the half.
Third Quarter and Fourth Quarter
The third quarter was scoreless until 1:23 remained, when Ian MacKay used a couple of fakes through the defence to make it 5-4 at the end of the frame.
Saskatchewan opened the fourth quarter with a power-play marker, with Manns finding Austin Shanks at the side of the net at 2:29 to make it 6-4.
The Rush extended their lead when Keenan found Church in the middle at 4:09 on the power play.
Buffalo replied at 6:17, with Kyle Buchanan diving from behind the net on a delayed penalty to make it 7-5.
Dhane Smith then beat Scigliano at the 7:04 mark with a swim move to get the Bandits within one.
The run continued with 2:41 left in regulation, when Byrne rifled a shot into the back of the net to tie the game 7-7.
With time running out, Smith found a falling Joe Resetarits with 45.3 seconds left for the game-winner to make the final 8-7.
Rush co-head coaches Jimmy Quinlan and Derek Keenan commented after the game:
Top Scorers
Buffalo Bandits
- Josh Byrne – 2g 5a
- Ian MacKay – 1g 2a
Saskatchewan Rush
- Zach Manns – 1g 3a
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