Bandits drop season opener

BUFFALO — The Buffalo Bandits got behind early and — despite a rally in the third and fourth quarters — couldn’t catch up to the Colorado Mammoth. In the end, Colorado won, 12-8.

Ryan Benesch and ALex Kedoh Hill each tallied three goals for Buffalo. Brad Self and Nick Weiss added the others.

There were 14,268 people in attendance at the KeyBank Center game. The Bandits next play on Jan. 14 when the Georgia Storm visit.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Quarter

• Colorado – Chris Wardle (Eli McLaughlin, Jeremy Noble) 3:54
• Colorado – Zack Greer (Callum Crawford, Chris Wardle) 10:26
• Colorado – Dan Coates (shorthanded) (Ilija Gajic, Robert Hope) 14:14

2nd Quarter

• Buffalo – Ryan Benesch (Mark Steenhuis) 1:05
• Colorado – Zack Greer (powerplay) (Jeremy Noble) 4:35
• Colorado – John Grant (powerplay) (Jeremy Noble) 8:06
• Buffalo – Brad Self (Mark Steenhuis) 8:27
• Colorado – Jeremy Noble (Zack Greer) 10:16

3rd Quarter

• Colorado – Creighton Reid (Jordan Gilles) 2:35
• Colorado – Jacob Ruest (John Grant, Callum Crawford) 5:40
• Colorado – Callum Crawford (Zack Greer, Chris Wardle) 6:28
• Buffalo – Alex Kedoh Hill (shorthanded) (Mark Steenhuis, Steve Priolo) 9:26
• Colorado – Callum Crawford (powerplay) (Jacob Ruest) 10:42
• Buffalo – Ryan Benesch (Dhane Smith, Davide DiRuscio) 14:24

4th Quarter

• Colorado – Zack Greer (John Grant, Callum Crawford) 0:23
• Buffalo – Alex Kedoh Hill (Ryan Benesch, Dhane Smith) 2:30
• Buffalo – Nick Weiss (unassisted) 6:24
• Buffalo – Ryan Benesch (Dhane Smith, Mitch Wilde) 7:17
• Colorado – Jacob Ruest (Chris Wardle, Callum Crawford) 12:05
• Buffalo – Alex Kedoh Hill (Ryan Benesch, Blaze Riorden) 14:08