Bandits Finally Notch First Win; Dump Swarm
by Jonathan McGrath | NLL.com
Neither freezing temperatures nor a cold start to the Bandits'
season kept Buffalo fans from coming out in full force at HSBC
arena on Saturday night as the Buffalo Bandits defeated the
Minnesota Swarm 11-7. Frank Resetarits had a hat-trick and Ken
Montour made 43 saves as the Bandits broke their four-game losing
streak.
Buffalo started the game on a two-goal run as Kevin Dostie got the
scoring started for Buffalo on the power play, followed by a goal
by forward Mark Steenhuis, who also had four assists in the first
half.
Callum Crawford answered the call for Minnesota about a minute
later with a goal of his own to make the game 2-1.
Buffalo kept the pressure on as Steenhuis made a move at the net
and put it through the legs of Swarm goalie Nick Patterson, but the
goal was called off for being in the crease while in the act of
shooting. The Buffalo coaching staff challenged the call, but
Steenhuis was proven to be in the crease.
About twelve minutes into the first quarter, good ball movement and
a great pass by rookie Kyle Clancy - in his first career NLL game -
led to a Frank Resetarits goal and a 3-1 Buffalo lead. Resetarits
scored again less than a minute later on a great setup by
Stienhuis.
Minnesota answered with a goal of their own by Swarm leading scorer
Arron Wilson. The play was set up on a pass from Ryan Benesch, who
finished the game with three assists.
Minnesota changed goalies after the first quarter, going with Kevin
Croswell for the remainder of the game. The Swarm started the
second quarter on the power play but could not convert. After,
Clancy ripped a low shot past the left side of Croswell for his
first career goal.
Later in the second quarter, Clancy made a solid defensive play on
the ball to intercept a pass and create a breakaway, but was foiled
by Croswell. On Minnesota's next possession, Crawford made an
aggressive play to the net to put a goal past Montour with under a
second left in the first half. This tied the contest at five going
into the break.
The second half started with a four-goal Bandit run. Buffalo kept
pressure on the Swarm defense to start the half and Mike Accursi
ripped a shot past Croswell 4:11 into the half to start the run.
Moments later, Frank Resetarits put in his third goal of the night
for the hat-trick. Defenseman Brandon Francis and Accursi
eventually capped the run and Buffalo led 9-5 after three
quarters.
The Swarm finally scored early in the fourth quarter to make the
game 9-6 as Wilson, who finished the game with two goals and two
assists, scored off of a nice fake and pass from Callum
Crawford.
Intensity continued through the fourth quarter as Buffalo's Brandon
Francis and Minnesota's Richard Morgan decided to drop the gloves
and exchange a few punches. The fight led to a Buffalo power play
that the Swarm ultimately killed off.
Minnesota tried pulling their goalie to get some offense going late
into the quarter, but could not gain any ground on the Bandits, who
scored two empty net goals late into the game resulting in an 11-7
final score.
Neither freezing temperatures nor a cold start to the Bandits'
season kept Buffalo fans from coming out in full force at HSBC
arena on Saturday night as the Buffalo Bandits defeated the
Minnesota Swarm 11-7. Frank Resetarits had a hat-trick and Ken
Montour made 43 saves as the Bandits broke their four-game losing
streak.
Buffalo started the game on a two-goal run as Kevin Dostie got the
scoring started for Buffalo on the power play, followed by a goal
by forward Mark Steenhuis, who also had four assists in the first
half.
Callum Crawford answered the call for Minnesota about a minute
later with a goal of his own to make the game 2-1.
Buffalo kept the pressure on as Steenhuis made a move at the net
and put it through the legs of Swarm goalie Nick Patterson, but the
goal was called off for being in the crease while in the act of
shooting. The Buffalo coaching staff challenged the call, but
Steenhuis was proven to be in the crease.
About twelve minutes into the first quarter, good ball movement and
a great pass by rookie Kyle Clancy - in his first career NLL game -
led to a Frank Resetarits goal and a 3-1 Buffalo lead. Resetarits
scored again less than a minute later on a great setup by
Stienhuis.
Minnesota answered with a goal of their own by Swarm leading scorer
Arron Wilson. The play was set up on a pass from Ryan Benesch, who
finished the game with three assists.
Minnesota changed goalies after the first quarter, going with Kevin
Croswell for the remainder of the game. The Swarm started the
second quarter on the power play but could not convert. After,
Clancy ripped a low shot past the left side of Croswell for his
first career goal.
Later in the second quarter, Clancy made a solid defensive play on
the ball to intercept a pass and create a breakaway, but was foiled
by Croswell. On Minnesota's next possession, Crawford made an
aggressive play to the net to put a goal past Montour with under a
second left in the first half. This tied the contest at five going
into the break.
The second half started with a four-goal Bandit run. Buffalo kept
pressure on the Swarm defense to start the half and Mike Accursi
ripped a shot past Croswell 4:11 into the half to start the run.
Moments later, Frank Resetarits put in his third goal of the night
for the hat-trick. Defenseman Brandon Francis and Accursi
eventually capped the run and Buffalo led 9-5 after three
quarters.
The Swarm finally scored early in the fourth quarter to make the
game 9-6 as Wilson, who finished the game with two goals and two
assists, scored off of a nice fake and pass from Callum
Crawford.
Intensity continued through the fourth quarter as Buffalo's Brandon
Francis and Minnesota's Richard Morgan decided to drop the gloves
and exchange a few punches. The fight led to a Buffalo power play
that the Swarm ultimately killed off.
Minnesota tried pulling their goalie to get some offense going late
into the quarter, but could not gain any ground on the Bandits, who
scored two empty net goals late into the game resulting in an 11-7
final score.
