(4) Buffalo Bandits 10 – (5) Georgia Swarm 9 F/OT

An opening possession goal for Brendan Bomberry set the immediate tone that the 4v5 matchup of the NLL quarterfinals was going to be a war. A trade for shot for shot and save for save progressed on right away with both offenses and both defenses in form, and the Bandits were the receivers of the first break of the game, as a shot from Lyle Thompson drilled off the post and went right to Justin Martin who sent to outlet pass to Ian MacKay who buried the one-on-one in transition to re-tie the game. The Swarm didn’t waste anytime to get the goal back, as Shayne Jackson fed Andrew Kew in front to make it 2-1, with solid goaltending on each end and a Bandits penalty kill helping to keep that low score to end the first.

Déjà vu opened the second quarter scoring. A little less than 5 minutes into the quarter, Miles Thompson hit the crossbar only for Ian MacKay to get the long rebound and send a scoop pass to Nick Weiss who finished off the 2-on-1 to tie the game back up at 2. Lyle Thompson sent the ensuing Swarm shot off the post as well, but this one bounced off of Matt Vinc’s back and went in to give the Swarm the lead back. With a delayed penalty looming, the Bandits wiped it out with Josh Byrne’s first goal of game, and then after Ian MacKay rebounded his own miss in transition minutes later, the Bandits capitalized on another tally from Byrne for the first Bandit lead of the game, and then a transition goal from Jeff Henrick tied the game back up with 3:16 to play. A tripping penalty to Lyle Thompson put the Bandits on the powerplay, where Byrne buried his third straight goal to make it 5-4, but a second goal from Brendan Bomberry with 28.2 seconds left mean that the teams would head to the locker room tied at 5.

Another Swarm penalty led to Tehoka Nanticoke finding Josh Byrne in the middle of the Swarm’s zone to break the tie to start the third quarter 2:29 in. After a faceoff win for the Bandits, Dhane Smith appeared to have beaten Brett Dobson, but he landed in the crease before the ball bounced over the goal line. Minutes later, Bryan Cole was called for a 5 minute boarding penalty, and the Bandits got their two powerplay goals, starting with a goal from Nanticoke 30 seconds into the extended man advantage and then the second from Chris Cloutier with, conveniently, 7:16 to go in the third. An off ball high hit from Justin Martin sent the Bandits to the penalty kill, and Andrew Kew ended the Bandits run at 3 with 2:03 left in the quarter, which would end the quarter out as well.

When these two teams battled in December, the Bandits had a 7-5 early in the fourth off of a 3 goal run before a run from the Swarm erased the deficit and propelled them to a win, and, well, if the rest of the game didn’t feel similar to that first defensive battle enough, it was going to continue. After beating Vinc far side for his first two goals, Brendan Bomberry went short side to score and bring then Swarm back within 1 with 12:18 to play. Lyle Thompson nearly tied the game about three minutes later, but his transition shot back-spun behind Vinc and allowed him to ensure the save. They nearly scored again a couple minutes later, but Justin Martin was in the right place at the right time to block the far post and ensure an Andrew Kew shot stayed out of the net. Josh Byrne took a trip to the box halfway through the fourth quarter on a holding call that got under the nerves of the 17k+ in Banditland, as the call was on Bryne having a grasp of Kason Tarbell’s stick as they both went to the ground. Andrew Kew scored 19 seconds into the powerplay to tie the game, and then after a faceoff win for Jeremy Thompson, a shot from deep from Lyle Thompson gave the Swarm the 9-8, just as they had in December. However this time, the Bandits got it right back with some savvy veteran rebounding from Kyle Buchanan, who scooped a rebound up and in the same motion swiped it into the relatively open net to get it back to 9-9.

About another minute later, things got dicey again in the Banditland vs Rules rivalry. Josh Byrne got an isolation look and drove to the net off a drop step only to hit the cross bar. Play was whistled down on a loose ball push from Nanticoke on Mike Manley as some playoff pushing broke out after Chase Fraser took TJ Comizio to the ground. As the play started the under 5 timeout, an overhead replay showed that Byrne’s shot bounced over the goal line before bouncing back into the air. The Bandits bench immediately erupted upon seeing the replay and John Tavares threw the challenge flag, but it was well after the 35 seconds allotted to throw the challenge flag. After all of that, the frenzy of boos unleashed, but the Bandits were fortunate to avoid a penalty on either of the shoves leading to the TV timeout.

So then they played on. A 2-on-1 with Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne was foiled by a massive save from Brett Dobson with 1:45 to play, and then about a minute later, Byrne wound up for a low-to-low shot only to ring the post. After an automatic review under two minutes confirmed no goal, Dobson stopped a Chris Cloutier shot, but his outlet pass to Jeff Henrick went over the defender’s head and slowed him down over the midline, with the Swarm barely getting a timeout off in time to avoid an 8 second call. Georgia was unable to register a shot when they got the ball back and forced a shot clock violation, leading to the Bandits taking their timeout.

Buffalo would only get 6 seconds to go the length of the floor to attempt to win at the buzzer. It turned out they needed 6.2. Dhane Smith crossed the midline with about 2.5 to Chris Cloutier who passed right back to Smith who found the back of the net on a shot from the KeyBank Center logo just below the restraining line. But…

Both defenses were locked in as overtime commenced, with the initial shots being saved from outside, wide, or blocked, including a block from Jeff Henrick off the cage. Josh Byrne fed a rolling Brandon Robinson but he was denied at point blank by Brett Dobson about three minutes into the extra frame. Back the other way, Lyle Thompson was stopped by Matt Vinc on a five hole attempt. When the Bandits went back the other way, Dhane Smith was stopped by the leg pad of Dobson before the Swarm got the rebound, but after Liam Byrnes flipped the ball to TJ Comizio to cross the timeline, he was stripped at the logo by Chris Cloutier, with Smith picking up the loose ball and giving the Bandits a fresh possession. And with Josh Byrne having most of the left side to work with, a Chris Cloutier screen gave him enough space to wind up sidearm and beat Dobson shot side. There was no chance for this one to come back. No illegal screens, nobody in the crease, and about half a shot clock to work with. The Bandits had themselves their first overtime win in a playoff game since their now head coach clinched the 1992 MILL Championship going behind the back to give the Bandits their first ring.

The two MVP candidates continued their season-long leadership on the offensive end and in the goal column, with Josh Byrne’s 5 goals and an assist matched in points with 6 assists from Dhane Smith. Ian MacKay had a goal and 2 assists out the back door, and Kyle Buchanan and Tehoka Nanticoke each had a goal and an assist. Matt Vinc finished with 46 saves in yet another playoff victory for the all time great.

Brett Dobson finished his first NLL playoff game one save short of 50, making 16 in the fourth quarter to help force the defensive battle get to the extra frame. Andrew Kew had 3 goals and 2 assists, including the game-tying goal in the fourth to continue his season of clutch late goals, but that was the last one he would get on the night. Lyle Thompson also got to 5 points with 2 goals and 3 assists. Brendan Bomberry had 3 goals and an assists, while Shayne Jackson added 4 assists in a heartbreaking ending to the Swarm’s return to postseason lacrosse.

For the fourth straight season, the Bandits are back in the semi-finals, and for the fourth straight season, their most familiar competition of this decade awaits them.

(1) Toronto Rock 9 – (8) Rochester Knighthawks 6

When it’s a win-or-go-home game, a single blink of the eye at the wrong time could be the difference, and 3:07 in, Challen Rogers got specs of dust in the Knighthawks eye. His pick and pop with Tom Schreiber opened the scoring, and then after a TD Ierlan faceoff win, the Rock pushed in partial transition, where Dan Craig found Rogers in the same place he had just scored. Rylan Hartley stopped this one, but the ball bounced right off of Dan Coates and bounced into the net. After another faceoff win, Chris Boushy ensured a money’s worth evening for redtag dot ca, once again shooting from the same spot on the floor as Rogers and once again resulting in a Rock goal. Three goals in 36 seconds were broken up by a faceoff win by Joe Post, but the Knighthawks first possession since it was scoreless ended with Ryan Smith being stripped by Chris Corbeil. Toronto gets another transition opportunity but Dan Craig shoots wide. After an offensive rebound, Craig has a shot blocked by Coates that sailed into the mesh to give the Rock a reset, and from there Mark Matthews fed Corey Small for a midrange shot that once again stung the top right corner of the net to make it 4-0 with 11:15 to go in the first. A quick shift for Riley Hutchcraft before Hartley returned to the net once the Knighthawks took possession back represented the eyes of the Hawk wiped free of the dust. A new game began, only one where that 4-0 deficit for Rochester still loomed very heavily.

Rochester got some chances out of the first media timeout. After a double team of Connor Fields, Turner Evans was wide open alone in front, but Nick Rose made a shoulder save, and then Rochester went to the box for the first penalty of the night on the next possession. Four shots on the opening possession for the Rock on the powerplay later, Dan Craig found the back of the net, but the play was ruled no goal after a challenge revealed the shot clock expired. Another chance for Rochester came after their first shorthanded offensive shift, as Ryan Smith picked off a pass from Mitch de Snoo, but it was Kyle Waters this time being denied alone by Rose. The reward for that killed penalty ended up being a goal for Waters with 3:02 left in the quarter, but Toronto had one more goal up their sleeves before the opening frame with Tom Schreiber beating Hartley from midrange with 1:35 left. This was different than that opening half in Toronto two weeks ago. Shots were 15-12 in favor of Toronto; it wasn’t one sided on the possession side of things, but the score remained heavily in favor of the Rock at 5-1 after the first.

Both defenses took control in the second quarter. The best chance of the initial half of that quarter was a Connor Fields net drive that was a goal except for his foot being in the crease. Another multi shot possession for Rochester resulted in more Rose saves to take the game into the first commercial break of the quarter, but this time, the Knighthawks got the next break with a boarding penalty for Josh Jubenville, and Ryan Smith found the back of the net over the far shoulder of Rose. With under three minutes left, the Knighthawks got a goal on the run from Curtis Knight, and it was back to a 2 goal game. The clock read 59.7 seconds when the Knighthawks went back on the powerplay with the opportunity to get back within one headed into the locker room, but the league’s poster child for switching hands, Tom Schreiber, got Rylan Hartley with a fake as he switched hands on fired a lefty laser to the far corner to make it 6-3 with 20 seconds left.

Toronto killed off the rest of the penalty to open up the third quarter and the game resumed to its back and forth defensive prowess. It was Mark Matthews from outside this time to open scoring in the quarter 4:53 in. Toronto’s top ranked defense continued to will themselves through the game, keeping the Knighthawks offense off the scoreboard in the third, and a dunk from Chris Boushy padded the Rock’s lead a little more at 8-3, with Rochester only managing 9 shots on goal in the frame despite a 38-34 lead in the category headed into the fourth.

Ryland Rees and Tyler Biles took down Corey Small to force a turnover, and Rees sent Connor Fields in for a breakaway, and Rochester’s MVP got on the board with 12:38 to play. A second goal of the game for Dan Craig cancelled out the opportunity to narrow the deficit, but a backdoor play from Fields to Ryan Smith made it 9-5 with 5:20 left. Out of the final timeout of the game, Rochester got another powerplay opportunity, and despite another handful of saves from Nick Rose and a full 30 seconds killed by the Rock’s offense, Smith’s third goal made it 9-6 with 2:23 left. However the comeback effort was frozen as a loose ball on the faceoff headed towards the net let to a desperation penalty to Ryland Rees. Rochester was fortunate to draw a penalty with 1:21 left for the man advantage back with the goalie pull. Turner Evans also draw a penalty to make it 5-on-3 with 38 seconds left, but time became the enemy, and a stop and a stall later, the Rock were able to close the game out and punch their tickets to the semifinals.

The first quarter burst from Challen Rogers pulled him to the team lead in points with 2 goals and 3 assists on the night. Mark Matthews distributed 3 assists to go with a goal, and both Chris Boushy and Tom Schreiber had 2 goals and an assist. With 6 goals allowed on 51 saves, including 16 in the second quarter and 15 in the fourth, Nick Rose continued his goaltender of the year nominee form the regular season to serve as the anchor for the Rock. Of the Rock’s 10 caused turnovers, Mitch de Snoo and Billy Hostrowser each had 3.

The final week march to a playoff berth ended up being sandwiched between two concrete walls in the Rock’s defense from the Knighthawks perspective. Ryan Smith’s 3 goals and a goal and 3 assists from Connor Fields led the Knighthawks offense, but Curtis Knight was the lone other member of the Knighthawks to get more than a single point. After the initial Toronto barrage, Rylan Hartley settled in to finish with 40 saves on 49 shots faced to add another solid stat line to a What If season for the 25 year old netminder. While the team has disappointment with a second straight one-and-done in the playoffs, the team’s youth and the effort to be at the top of the 5 way tie for 8th after all the injuries and other adversity in the year will keep the team’s heads held high moving forward.

(2) San Deigo Seals 9 – (7) Panther City 8 F/OT

Slugfest lacrosse continued into the final game of Saturday night’s triple-header, with neither team leading by more than two for the duration of the 60+ minutes. The teams traded two goals each in the first quarter and four each in the second, with the half being capped off with a goal from Dane Dobbie with less than 3 seconds to go. After Austin Staats and Mathieu Gautier traded tallies in the third, Tony Malcom scored in transition to give Panther City an 8-7 lead before Staats tied the game 1:56 later. The game stayed deadlocked the rest of regulation, with San Diego getting 18 shots on goal and 11 for Panther City. San Diego registered 4 total shots in 2:48 of overtime before Dane Dobbie added to his lengthy playoff resume with the game winning coach to help the Seals overcome last season’s playoff demons and punch their ticket back to the semifinals. Staats led the Seals with 4 goals and an assist, while Dobbie had 3 goals and an assist. Wes Berg added 5 assists. Panther City’s upset attempt was fueled by a 54 save performance from Nick Damude. Callum Crawford led the offense with a goal and 3 assists, while Gautier and both Will and Tony Malcom had a goal and 2 assists. Ryan Sheridan was the lone Panther City forward to register multiple goals.

(3) Albany FireWolves 9 – (6) Halifax Thunderbirds 3

The FireWolves broke the first half open with three unanswered goals in the second quarter and then shut it down on defense the rest of the way with a 9-3 Sunday win, ensuring each of the top 4 seeds would find themselves in the semifinals. 2 goals from Travis Longboat and a goal and 2 assists from Tye Kurtz led the Albany offense while Doug Jamieson shut the door with 52 saves, including 16 in the opening quarter and 17 in the fourth. Despite being stopped on a penalty shot with the score still 0-0 about 5 minutes in, Clarke Petterson registered a point on all 3 Thunderbirds goals with 2 goals and an assist. Warren Hill kept the game to 6-3 with 47 saves until Albany added 3 more goals, 2 on the empty net, in the final two minutes.

And then? There were four…

(Photo Credit: Mike Hetzell)