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Bandits cook Wings in playoff tilt By Richard W. Kozak, Jr.  |
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It is almost ironic that one of the bitterest rivals in Buffalo indoor lacrosse history bears the name of one of the City’s most well known delicacies.
After a slow start, the Buffalo Bandits “ate up” the visiting Philadelphia Wings to advance to the East Division Finals of the National Lacrosse League playoffs. A half-full HSBC Arena was treated to a heart wrenching 14-12 victory by the Bandits.
The Wings opened the scoring three minutes and twenty seconds into the first quarter. It’s a scene that the Bandits have endured most of the season. Fortunately, the Bandits have shown a penchant for comeback victories and Friday night would be no different.
Just over a minute later, Buffalo’s Brett Bucktooth tied the game for Buffalo on assists from Kyle Laverty and Pat McCready. Only a minute and a half later, the Wings would regain the lead on Jamie Rooney’s power play goal.
Only 35 seconds later Rob Van Beek scored to increase the Philadelphia lead, but the Wings were not ready to be smothered in blue cheese just yet. Once again, the Wings continued the onslaught and in a minute and a quarter upped the score to 4-1.
Athan Iannucci and Taylor Wray hooked up with Rooney to find the back of the twine of the Buffalo net. Mike Accursi scored his first goal of the game for Buffalo from Cory Bomberry and Bucktooth. With the score at 4-2 in favor of the Wings, would they Bandits be able to overcome yet another early game deficit.
The Wings quickly made the score 5-2 when Iannucci struck again but this time of the shorthanded variety. Most of the HSBC crowd was hushed as it seemed that the Bandits push for another championship might be falling on the scrap heap of broken dreams.
Fear not, because no matter what the score it is almost as if the Bandits can will themselves from almost any deficit, and this playoff game would be no different.
Kevin Dostie was the catalyst for a five goal outburst starting at 3:36. Accursi assisted on the goal along with Roger Vyse.
Accursi would score again soon to be followed by John Tavares and Billy Dee “Colt 45” Smith. Bomberry would score of the power play at the 11:28 mark of the second quarter for a 7-5 Buffalo advantage.
Iannucci scored once again but was matched by another Dostie goal with one minute in the quarter. Dostie’s goal made the score 8-6 in Buffalo’s favor at the half.
Fortunes would change quickly for the Bandits as Delby Powless would score the team’s only third quarter goal. The Wings notched four consecutive goals to close out the third quarter and tensions were high in the HSBC Arena.
Entering the fourth quarter trailing 10-9, Buffalo’s playoff hopes hung in the balance. Powless, Dostie, and Smith each scored again and Accursi notched two more goals as the Bandits pulled away with a five goal outburst to win the game 14-12.
The Bandits next hit the field on Saturday, May 10.
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