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Calgary membership cannot match Bandits effort when it issues most
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Say a prayer Sunday when you’re a fan of the Calgary Roughnecks.
They’ll want the assistance — any assist they’ll get — forward of the Nationwide Lacrosse League matinee that includes the Albany FireWolves and the host Panther Metropolis Lacrosse Membership.
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After getting destroyed Saturday evening in Upstate New York, one of the best hope for the Roughnecks now to succeed in the NLL playoffs begins with a Panther Metropolis loss Sunday.
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“We want some assist, so to talk,” mentioned Roughnecks GM Mike Board, after his staff’s ugly 14-7 loss to the host Buffalo Bandits.
“We wanted a win in Buffalo to regulate our personal future.”
Certainly, with only one sport remaining within the common season, the Roughnecks (7-10) are on the skin trying in on the high eight spots — the playoff positions — of the NLL standings.
Happily, that lone contest is towards Panther Metropolis (8-8) subsequent Saturday on WestJet Area at Scotiabank Saddledome (7 p.m., TSN+).
Each Panther Metropolis and the New York Riptide (8-9) went into Saturday’s motion occupying the final two playoff spots, however the Riptide didn’t safe one after a 16-10 loss to the host Vancouver Warriors (8-9), who’re additionally nonetheless alive, late Saturday.
The opposite pivotal affair affecting the Roughnecks within the post-season race noticed the San Diego Seals (12-5) lose 13-9 in Saskatoon to the host Saskatchewan Rush (8-9), one other staff within the playoff combine, late Saturday.
5 groups went into the evening in a battle to seize the NLL’s remaining two playoff berths. If greater than two groups find yourself tied for one or each of these spots, then a convoluted sequence of tie-breakers kick in to find out the 2 post-season groups.
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However one factor’s sure … if the Roughnecks can survive the weekend, then, mentioned Board, “we want a win subsequent weekend, for positive.”
As for Saturday’s sport in entrance of 19,070 followers at Buffalo’s KeyBank Heart, it was over nearly earlier than it started — a standard chorus for the Roughnecks far too typically on the season.
The Bandits have been on the assault early and by no means wilted regardless of Riggers goaltender Christian Del Bianco thwarting them repeatedly save for a objective by Chase Fraser simply 65 seconds in.
The hosts saved peppering final yr’s league MVP with pictures and eventually obtained to him for 3 targets within the remaining 2:19 of the primary quarter to place up the guests in a 4-0 gap.
One other Bandits tally early within the second stanza made it 5-0, and so they adopted with 4 extra markers earlier than halftime to counter two by the Roughnecks — on an influence play by Tyler Tempo and at even-strength by Tanner Cook dinner.
And the 9-2 halftime lead — which featured two targets by Bandits famous person Josh Byrne for his fiftieth of the season and 2 hundredth in his NLL profession — proved an excessive amount of to beat for Sanderson’s squad.
“I assumed they got here out and performed with extra starvation and extra urgency than we did,” Board mentioned. “That’s disappointing with all that’s on the road in these video games on the finish of the season.”
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The Riggers did battle again to make it respectable within the second half.
Third-quarter targets by Haiden Dickson, Dan Taylor and Tempo — along with his second of the evening — and fourth-frame tallies by Jesse King and Josh Currier noticed the guests get the higher of the hosts within the remaining half-hour, however sufficient solutions by the staff in command finalized the evening.
“Buffalo are the defending champs for a purpose,” Board mentioned. “They’ve numerous depth all through the lineup.”
Del Bianco made 39 saves, whereas Riggers back-up Steve Fryer got here in on two events and stopped one ball.
On the different finish, goalie Matt Vinc turned away 43 balls — and obtained massive assist from his defence, which blocked 14 pictures game-wide — for the Bandits (10-7), who sealed a playoff spot with the victory.
“Plenty of blocked pictures,” Vinc instructed NLL.com post-game. “We did an ideal job staying at dwelling.
“It’s contagious. The checklist goes on and on of fellows sacrificing their our bodies and moving into the lanes. That’s one of the best efficiency we’ve had on the defensive finish all yr.”
However the Riggers?
“Not a lot to say, aside from the Bandits have been good,” added Board. “They blocked pictures, and on the different finish, they shot the ball properly.
“We didn’t match that on our half.”
QUICK STICKS
Defenceman Kieran McKay drew into the Roughnecks lineup for Saturday’s sport … Riggers scratches have been veteran ahead Logan Schuss and rookie defenceman Bennett Smith … Accidents saved transition Justin Inacio (decrease physique), defenceman Robert Hudson (higher physique) and ahead Brett McIntyre (decrease physique) from making the journey with the Roughnecks.
tsaelhof@postmedia.com
http://www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM
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