For the third time this decade, the Buffalo Bandits will play for National Lacrosse League supremacy in the Champions Cup title game. This all comes about thanks to a terrific 19-12 win over the New York Titans tonight at HSBC Arena, played before a paid crowd of 11,012 fans. The Bandits will face the Portland Lumberjax, who advanced in the other semifinal by defeating Calgary tonight at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

With Ken Montour in net for the Bandits, the team got off to its usual sloppy start, falling behind 2-0 early and giving away the ball often, while unable to mount any kind of scoring threat. John Tavares finally got the Bandits on the board with a nifty wraparound goal scored from behind the net. The wild quarter continued with the teams exchanging goals, but Buffalo got three in a row late, including Billy Dee Smith’s wraparound which looked identical to Tavares’ earlier play.
Mark Steenhuis broke in all alone in the first minute of the second quarter to give Buffalo a two goal cushion, and New York immediately answered. Buffalo then took control of the game with three straight tallies - Brent Bucktooth’s second shorthanded goal of the night, then Kevin Dostie and Mike Accursi scored back to back goals late and the teams headed to the locker rooms at halftime with the score 9-5 Bandits. Said Bucktooth “Special teams are an important part of the game, and since coming back off my injury I’m just glad I am able to contribute.”

Buffalo took command of the game in the third, but shaky goaltending at the Buffalo end and former Bandits Pat Maddalena and Casey Powell doing the damage for New York brought this game to within two. Kevin Dostie’s much needed power play goal at the 13:40 mark gave Buffalo a 13-10 lead after three.

Buffalo’s Mark Steenhuis electrified the crowd in the first minute of the 4th with two straight goals to give Buffalo a 15-10 cushion. That was enough to give the hook to New York goalie Matt Vinc in favor of backup Erik Miller.

Then things got ugly. New York’s Rory Smith and Buffalo’s Ian Llord got into a spirited fight right along the Buffalo bench, with Llord delivering the best of the licks. As the two were escorted to their penalty boxes, Llord was raising his arms and leading the fan cheers. Apparently Smith didn’t like what we saw, because he ran over to the Buffalo box and cold cocked Llord. That was enough to earn Smith a game misconduct and the extra two minute penalty.

After that the Saints’ wheels came off. Steenhuis scored his sixth of the night at the 3:41 mark, then his seventh, tying a NLL playoff record, just 40 seconds later. “Mark had a couple of tough games and put a lot of pressure on himself to score some goals” said Coach Darris Kilgour. “Hopefully he got the monkey off his back.” Mike Accursi scored a highlight reel goal all alone in front of the New York net. It was party time at HSBC Arena.

The Titans tried pulling their goaltender, but Buffalo played keepaway for the duration, including during a late four minute penalty on Ian Llord, who got into another needless fight. As the final seconds ticked off, the fans gave their team a lengthy and loud ovation, and the players joined in the celebration.

Almost overlooked in tonight’s game was John Tavares scoring 12 points on 3 goals and 9 assists. “He got the quietest 12 points ever” said Kilgour. “I had no idea he had 10 assists, that’s how quiet he is, that’s how unassuming he is. He’s been through everything there is.” Talking about next week’s game, Tavares said afterwards “Hopefully third time’s a charm” referring to the two championship losses in recent seasons. “We’re just fortunate to be back in this situation.”

Asking Coach Kilgour who the Bandits match up better against in next week’s game, he replied “Definitely Portland. Playing Calgary is almost a mirror image of us, and that game would most likely come down to goaltending. With Portland, we can use our style of play more effectively than against Calgary.”

Is this the Bandits year? Is this the Bandits time? The team is peaking at just the right time, their stars are playoff tested and experienced, and five straight playoff appearances under Kilgour coached teams have resulted in brutal disappointment, a feat no one in the Bandits clubhouse want to repeat. Mark Steenhuis is happy and excited to be playing in another championship game. “I wish we could play every game here (in Buffalo)” said Steenhuis. “Hopefully we get to win a championship for these fans and this city.” But Steenhuis doesn’t want to take anything for granted either. “You don’t want to think this is our time. You just want to stay focused. I’ve been in two since being here and lost both of them. I want to end this streak this year.”

Game time next Saturday is 7:30PM and tickets are on sale at the arena box office and through tickets.com. To a man, every player has saluted the great fans of Buffalo and how much they have helped the team in this exciting playoff run. Let’s fill HSBC Arena to the rafters and help the Bandits bring the Champions Cup to Buffalo next Saturday!

-Add Annoying Game Night Host Guy to the cast of looney tunes in Banditland. During a media timeout late in the second quarter, the mascot did his t-shirt toss and AGNHG was yapping and exhorting the crowd in ear splitting fashion, which continued on endlessly as play resumed and the Bandits were killing a penalty.

-Next Saturday’s Champions Cup game will be nationally televised LIVE, coast to coast across Canada (The Score) and the United States (ESPN2)

.-Best sign? Had to be the seven shirtless teenagers with B-A-N-D-I-T-S painted on their chests. They got three appearances on the video board tonight.

-Kilgour has not decided yet on who he will start in goal next Saturday, but he is leaning towards Mike Thompson. “It’s still up in the air” said Kilgour, and he will also consult with his players to assist him in making the decision.

-Portland squeaked into the playoffs with a 6-10 record in a weak West Division. Buffalo defeated the Lumberjax 14-10 at HSBC Arena in the final regular season game on April 26.

-Buffalo has won three championships in their franchise history - in 1992, 1993 and 1996. They went to the finals twice in recent years, losing in Calgary on the road in 2004 and to Colorado at HSBC Arena in 2006.

Mark Steenhuis addresses the media after the game

Fans were lined up ten deep at the ticket windows to get their seats for next Saturday’s championship game.

-Andrew Kulyk

There will be home playoff lacrosse at HSBC Arena after all.

The Buffalo Bandits concluded their 2008 regular season tonight with a 14-10 win over the Portland Lumberjax before an announced attendance of 18,325.

Thanks to Minnesota’s 12-11 win over the Chicago Shamrox, the Bandits have clinched home field advantage throughout the Champions Cup playoffs.

But even though the Lumberjax came into this game with a weaker 6-9 record and locked into a playoff spot in the anemic West Division, this one was no cakewalk for the Bandits.

Buffalo could have put this one away early. Roger Vyse struck twice for the Bandits, and the team took a 5-2 lead by the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter even Brent Bucktooth got in on the action, scoring his 3rd goal of the season since coming off the injury list. But Portland would get back into it, thanks to some shaky goaltending by goalie Mike Thompson. They scored the last two goals of the second quarter to bring it to within one, then drew even at 7 in the first minute of the third quarter.

The Bandits regained a two goal lead in the third with goals by Kevin Dostie and Bucktooth. Portland came back again to tie the score at 9 all with a pair by Pete Jacobs.

But then it was time for the John Tavares magic to kick in. The Bandits quickly regained control of the game with back to back goals by Tavares, the first one he was left wide open in the slot in front of the net, then 30 seconds later scored again on the power play with an over the shoulder shot. “He’s absolutely the best player I’ve ever coached and played with” commented Coach Darris Kilgour. “John Tavares with all the things he’s done lives for that big moment, excels in that moment.” Mark Steenhuis added “He’s a legend. The ageless wonder is what we like to call him. It’s just amazing for us to see it and be a part of it. To see him pushing 40 years old and see him taking over a game is just outstanding.”

Tavares explained that the go ahead goal was a version of the hidden ball trick. “Yeah that was an awkward play, called the hidden ball play” explained Tavares. “I didn’t even know it was happening. Like you said it kind of parted like the Red Sea and there I was. I though the goalie was baiting me. No way he fell for the hidden ball trick but there I was with the empty net. That was a big goal. We came back to take the quick lead and that was a breakdown on their part.”

With Buffalo up 11-9 heading into the fourth, the Bandit’s Chris White rightfully earned a very stupid 5 minute high sticking penalty and a game misconduct around the 4 minute mark of the period. “That’s part of the rule” explained Kilgour. “Any shot to the head earns an automatic game misconduct.” Kilgour hoped that White would not earn a suspension for his bad behavior and that he would be available for the playoffs.

The Bandits then went on to kill all five minutes, denying Portland any inside chances and using effective clock management. The team got a loud and noisy standing ovation as the final seconds of the penalty ticked away. Goalie Mike Thompson said that penalty kill was the turning point. “The defense played real well and I was able to see the ball the whole time.” said Thompson. “We managed to shut them down.”John Tavares would give Buffalo a 12-9 lead at the 10:50 mark with a laser shot from the right side. Less than a minute later, Mark Steenhuis finally got on the scoreboard with another laser, after receiving a lead pass from goaltender Mike Thompson. Steenhuis got decked following his goal, and that earned Portland player Brodie Merrill a 5 minute penalty and a game misconduct. Portland got one shorthanded, then with Portland pulling the goalie in and out for the extra attacker, Kyle Laverty got himself a (sorta) empty netter… Final score, Buffalo 14, Portland 10.

Kilgour explained his reasoning for starting Mike Thompson in net, despite a still sore groin injury. “I wanted to get him a start before the playoffs. We didn’t want to start him cold in the playoffs. It worked out well. Now we have two healthy goalies and we’re very happy with the situation we’re in going into the playoffs.”

It will be the Bandits and the Philadelphia Wings squaring off next Friday at 7:30PM at HSBC Arena. “I think Philly would be the best matchup for us” said Kilgour. They like an up tempo game and that’s what we want.”

All the players we spoke to tonight gave huge props to the faithful Buffalo fans, who helped will the team to victory there past two weeks. “These are the best fans in the league for sure” said Coach Kilgour. “We look up in the end zones at the top” said Tavares. “When we can’t see blue up there, it just pumps us up a little more, so it’s really nice to see.” And Mark Steenhuis added “Playing in this building is the best place to play in in the league. We have the best fans so anytime you can use them to your advantage gets the adrenaline going to be sure.”

So there you have it - tickets are on sale for next Friday’s first round game. The Bandits need a packed house of loud and boisterous fans to help them along to victory. See YOU there? Hope so!

Extra points —

-Had to suck being the contestant in the “win a Bandits jersey if the team scores in the next 60 seconds” contest. Some guy in a wheelchair got the nod, and before the game even resumed the Bandits get called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. They gave the guy the jersey anyway.

-Spotted in the corridor outside the locker room: a little tyke about three years old, wearing an orange t-shirt with “my dad #11″ hand painted on the back and holding a small lacrosse stick. Obviously John Tavares’ little boy. Cute kid… but dad would be smarter lacing him up with skates and handing him a hockey stick instead. If the kid has skill there’s a much bigger payday in his future.

-Annoying P.A. Guy was back, making up and more for his previous week’s absence. He never shut up all night.

-With the out of town games having huge implications on playoff seedings, several players and trainers repeatedly came out into the hallway after the game to ask for score updates. Thanks to Pete text messaging me updates on the Roc/NY and Minn/Chi games from his couch back home, USRT and WNYMedia were the ones keeping the Bandits locker room in the loop in real time. YaY for us!

-Think the Bandits don’t like The Rochester Knighthawks? Well then you’re right! The Rochester/New York final came first - the Knighthawks lead evaporated and they lost 11-10 late, knocking them out of playoff contention. That news earned a cheer among the Bandits players, even though the Rochester win would have clinched the first seed. Thankfully the Minnesota Swarm took care of business in their game, which ended 30 minutes later.

-No playoffs in Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena? Oh darn! That means a few more suppliers and vendors in Rochester will be seeing their money late, if at all. “Donner must go!”

Oshawa’s General Motors Centre is a great new addition to their gritty but improving downtown

For part 2 of our Sunday roadie, we visited Oshawa for game 3 of the playoff series pitting the Niagara Ice Dogs and homestanding Oshawa Generals.

Oshawa’s got a brand new venue in General Motors Pla….errr..Centre. There was probably a time when Oshawa was a separate city that was kind of “out there” but no more, as Toronto’s white hot growth and sprawl has just about enveloped this community 30 miles or so to the east of Metro. Their downtown is a bit rough around the edges, but clean and things are looking on the upswing as far as renewal and development, with the new hockey venue a centerpiece of it all.

We would call the arena nice digs, your basic prototype, modern OHL venue with about six thou in seating and a single concourse above the seating bowl. A two level restaurant with panoramic views spans one entire side of the sidelines, with a press gondola perched above that. Another “Canadian Thing” is the mammoth signs on each wall of the seating bowl displaying the side of the street you’re on. Kind of cool actually.

The Gennies won 4-1 to take a 2 game to 1 lead in their best of 7 quarterfinals series, and as a result the fans got free fries from Mickey D’s (for four goals).

We have to mention the great Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame in the building, with much of the memorabilia donated by former players and members of the community. Lotsa cool stuff, we spent almost 45 minutes doing the tour.

We got reintroduced to poutine, good stuff but could have been put in the nuker for thirty more seconds to melt the cheese. The rest of the concessions fare offers the typical ballpark dreck, although the Pizza Pizza and the cheese steaks looked pretty decent.

This team is one of the flagship franchises in the OHL, with a long history and plenty of tradition. Lindros and Orr played here, team won seven OHL titles in the WWII years, and the banners for this and the four Memorial Cups that they’ve won all hang proudly.

Three years ago we got to see Sidney Crosby play with the Rimouski Oceanic when we did the roadie to Lewiston, ME, and we knew right then and there watching him play that Crosby was the real deal. The same can be said of future #1 NHL pick John Tavares of Oshawa; he does it all - kill penalties, hit, skate, always two steps ahead of everyone else. Tonight he had two assists in the win.

So that about covers our cool one day USRT to the North - a perfect sundrenched Sunday in Canada; some great baseball and intense hockey; checking out the sights of awesome Toronto. We wrapped up the ride home by stopping into a local Pizza Pizza in Oshawa and redeeming our ticket stubs from earlier in the day for a free slice, thanks to the Jays striking out 7 Bosox hitters.

That’s what we call the Toronto gastronomic trifecta - Shopsy’s dog, Poutine and Pizza Pizza. Ain’t life great!

The Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a MUST visit, located right off the main concourse

For a smaller arena, this place has a real “big league” feel and atmosphere

History was made tonight at HSBC Arena, as the greatest Bandit ever, John Tavares, reached his final statistical hurdle when he scored his fourth goal of the game and the 597th of his career. In doing so, he eclipses the record set by retired player Gary Gait, and takes his spot as the best player to ever have played the game.

The big moment came towards the end of third quarter, and after netting the historic marker, Tavares was mobbed by his teammates, and the game was stopped briefly as Tavares got an opportunity to salute the home crowd of 11,878.

The Bandits went on to win the game over the New York Titans, 17-13, to improve their record to 2-1 on the young season. Next weekend they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Wings at the Wachovia Center.