Tonight at HSBC Arena the Buffalo Bandits defeated the Philadelphia Wings 14-12 in the first round of Champions Cup action, before a happy and boisterous crowd of 9344 orange and black clad fans.

I didn’t need to be in my seat at HSBC Arena in time for the 7:35 faceoff. I started the evening at Dunn Tire Park at the Bisons game, caught an inning there, and as soon as I headed out the door and down Washington Street, I could hear Annoying P.A. Guy being piped out on the streets of downtown. “What’s he Got!!???”…. “Steenhuis!…… Ohhhh…. No goal…crease violation”. This silly screeching circus… only in Buffalo!

By the time I got settled, meeting up with Pete, who was already at the game, it was 4-1 Philadelphia, thanks to three straight Philly goals midway through the first quarter, as the Bandits sleptwalked through most of the opening frame. Said Mike Accursi “I think our sticks were a little too tight and it took and it’s an important game for us and we realized that after a bit.”

Buffalo came storming back in the second quarter, scoring five straight of their own, none prettier than John Tavares’ goal which tied it at 5, wide open in front of the goal receiving a lead pass from Roger Vyse. Seconds later, Billy Dee Smith gave the Bandits their first lead of the night, and one could feel the momentum shift in the building. Buffalo added two more before the half, taking an 8-6 lead into the locker room at halftime.

While Buffalo’s Delby Powless got the third quarter’s first goal to give the Bandits a three goal cushion, the Wings stepped up the physical aspect of their game and made this one interesting. With Wings leading scorer Athan Iannucci leading the way, Philadelphia rattled off the last four goals of the quarter, which ended 10-9 Philadelphia after three.

The season being on the line, it was the Bandits who came out smoking in the fourth, taking control of the game by confounding the Philly attackers as they tried to transition out of the defensive zone, and getting key blocks and intercepting passes to keep the Wings hemmed in deep. After going scoreless for over a quarter, Delby Powless finally got the the equalizer at the 4:58 mark, then it was the Mike Accursi show, scoring Buffalo’s 11th and 12th goals. Kevin Dostie gave Buffalo a two goal cushion with a huge goal, his third of the night with a little over three minutes left, then Buffalo wisely used the clock on their possessions to kill off precious time. Dostie said there was no sense of panic. “I think our team is used to it” said Dostie. “That’s when we battle our hardest and it’s tough being in close games like that. Hopefully next week we can walk away with one and not worry about it.”

Billy Dee Smith was also a huge factor in tonight’s game, scoring two goals, including an empty netter in the final minute. Philly added one more late and the game ended 14-12.

This game could be broken down into a tale of quarters, with Philadelphia controlling play in the 1st and 3rd, while the Bandits were in command in the 2nd and 4th. Said Coach Darris Kilgour “It hit us as we headed into the 4th… This is it. This could be our season. Let’s just quit complaining and put our heads down and get to work.”

Kilgour explained that his strategy of conceding faceoffs and concentrating on the transition game worked to his team’s advantage. “I think it frustrated them a lot more than the last game.” Kilgour also admitted that the uncharacteristic lack of penalty trouble was also not a factor. “You know what? We don’t talk about that anymore. We don’t care as long as in the course of the game we don’t do anything stupid after the whistle. We’re an aggressive team, and that’s the way we play and it’s worked out pretty well for us.” Accursi added “It makes every possession that much more important. It adds pressure to the defense but to the offense too. We know they are going to get 26 more possessions so every progression is important.”

The Bandits await the winner of Saturday night’s game between the New York Saints and the Minnesota Swarm. Whoever wins that game will come to HSBC Arena to play the Bandits in round two of the Champions Cup playoffs. Said Kevin Dostie, “Of course the home floor is an advantage and we have the best fans in the league. Us knowing they wanted another game gave a lift to the entire bench. Hopefully they will be there to cheer us on next game.”

Faceoff next Saturday is 7:30PM at HSBC Arena. Bandits Media Director Ashley Scanlon reports that should the Bandits win that game, the NLL Champions Cup game will be played on Saturday, May 17 at HSBC Arena. That game will be televised nationally across the USA and Canada.

-Best sign of the night: “Bandits ticket $25, Prom tux $40, Limo $140…Skipping out on date to go to Bandits game, Priceless!”

-Props to Annoying P.A. Guy for one good laugh…he asked for a cheer from the folks in the 300s. The upper deck was empty!

-And speaking of Annoying P.A. guy, there was one point the 4th quarter, about midway. Buffalo had taken an 11-10 lead at the time and looked like they were clearly taking control of the game. During a media timeout, the crowd started a spontaneous cheer which grew and grew into a standing ovation. It was an absolutely electric moment. Thankfully, he kept his yap shut and let the crowd take over.

-Most hilarious moment down in the locker room after the game came courtesy of goalie Mike Thompson. With a portly build and not exactly a qualifier for a model in an underwear catalog, Thompson stepped out in the hall to address the media bare chested, wearing only his goalie pants held up by suspenders. The second he spotted the TV camera from Channel 7 waiting with the writers, he exclaimed “Omigosh A TV camera, I’ve got to get a shirt!” He high tailed it back to the locker room, emerging 30 seconds later wearing a t-shirt and his hair quickly combed.

RSS 2.0 Respond Trackback