BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — All good things must come to an end and for the Buffalo Bandits, their season is officially over.
On Saturday evening, the Bandits fell to the Calgary Roughnecks 14-13 in overtime in game two of the National Lacrosse League Championship series. The Roughnecks also won game one, giving them their first championship since 2009.
It was a much more offense-driven game than the first with the two teams combining for 15 goals in the first half alone. It was a back and forth game for the most part over the first quarter and a half until Calgary scored four unanswered to take an 8-5 lead with minutes to go. They led it 9-6 at the break.
The Bandits came out in the second half with a bang and scored three unanswered goals, the last by Matt Spanger, as they tied it up 9-9 in the third quarter. From there it was another back and forth game as the Bandits, down by one with less than a minute to go, evened it up again with less than thirty seconds in regulation off a Corey Small goal to force overtime. Rhys Duch scored the game-winner.
Jordan Durston and Chase Fraser led the Bandits with three goals each while Shawn Evans added two in the loss. Goalie Matt Vinc stopped 38 of 51 shots.
The Bandits finish the season with a 16-6 record and made their first NLL Championship game appearance since 2016.
