If you’re going to swing at Banditland, you better not miss. And you better be prepared for a counterpunch from the two-time defending champions.
Despite the Halifax Thunderbirds’ back-and-forth scoring efforts, the Buffalo Bandits scored three consecutive fourth-quarter goals to secure a 15-12 win Saturday, a fitting result on Fan Appreciation Night at KeyBank Center.
The Bandits clinched the NLL’s regular-season title with the victory.
Dhane Smith dished out a season-high 10 assists in an 11-point effort, owning the primary assist on each of Kyle Buchanan’s season-high four goals. Five defensive Bandits players recorded a point and helped Matt Vinc, who stood on his head in net with 51 saves.
“I talked to (the media) after Game 1 or 2 about our goals this year, and it was to go game-by-game, and then make playoffs, and then our second goal was to clinch playoff games throughout here in Buffalo,” Smith said. “Our next goal is to win a championship, but we can’t overlook our next game, so we’re excited about it.”
It was a defensive lockdown for the Bandits to start the game. While the offense looked to get a shot on goal, the defense made sure the Thunderbirds had a hard time getting quality shots of their own.
Vinc, named pregame as the team’s co-MVP alongside Smith, starred early with 15 first-quarter saves.
“It’s a game of swings, and we were able to control the momentum,” Smith said. “Obviously, when you have Matt Vinc in the back of the net making saves like that, it helps our offense to get going.”
The game opened up thanks to Thomas Whitty’s taking one for the team. Two simultaneous Halifax penalties, both drawn by Whitty, gave the Bandits a 5-on-3 power play, an opportunity they made quick work of.
Ian MacKay, sixteen seconds into the penalties, got a Josh Byrne pass right on the doorstep and potted it for the first goal of the game, nearly 12 minutes in. Then, on the 5-on-4, Byrne netted his first of four goals in the game to make it it 2-0.
