INDOOR LACROSSE
Bandits fail to clinch division
East still unsettled after loss to Titans
NEWARK, N. J.—The Buffalo Bandits have placed their division- clinching party on hold for at least one week.
The New York Titans delayed any celebration by beating the Bandits, 12-9, before 6,222 Saturday night.
The win completed a two-game sweep by the Titans over Buffalo this season, and scrambled the standings in the National Lacrosse League’s East Division.
With one week left on the schedule, the Bandits have a 10-5 record. That’s good for a one-game lead over both the Titans and Boston Blazers, with one game to play. The Blazers defeated the Rochester Knighthawks, 10-5, Saturday night.
Buffalo still would wrap up the division with a win over the Blazers Saturday night in HSBC Arena. The Bandits won the division on a tiebreaker last year and captured the championship in the playoffs.
However, a Bandits loss next week would scramble matters considerably. Buffalo and Boston would finish in a tie for the top of the division, and New York could join those two with a win in Minnesota. Buffalo has clinched second place at least, and would win a tiebreaker for the division with Boston. If all three teams finish 10-6, the Titans would take the division.
In Saturday’s game, Casey Powell led the Titans with four goals and five assists, while former Canisius goalie Matt Vinc had 41 saves.
John Tavares and Mike Accursi had three goals each for Buffalo.
The Bandits were playing the second of back-to-back games for the first time this season. Buffalo had a few lineup changes for the game, including the return of Sean Greenhalgh after he missed Friday night’s game against Rochester with the flu.
The Bandits started this game almost the same way they did in Boston last week — by falling behind quickly. New York jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one quarter. Powell had a goal and two assists for the Titans in that span.
But just like in Boston, the Bandits came charging back to take the lead before the end of the first half. Buffalo’s three big offensive guns — Mark Steenhuis, Tavares and Accursi — had two goals each in the second quarter. Mike Thompson stopped all but one of New York’s shots, and the Bandits took a 6-5 lead into halftime.
Pat McCready and Tavares lengthened the lead with goals early in the third period. But in a game of streaks, it was New York’s turn to go on a run. The Titans scored the next five goals to go ahead, 10-8, with 13 minutes left to play.
That prompted coach Darris Kilgour to switch goalies, as Ken Montour replaced Thompson. Montour was solid in the nets, and Accursi’s goal got Buffalo to within 10-9.
Both teams had plenty of opportunities from there — including some power plays — but Powell finally broke through with about four minutes left. Brendan Mundorf scored an insurance goal with 1:11 left to wrap up the win.
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