Bandits & Lax

Posts covering the Buffalo Bandits and the great sport of lacrosse.

Bandits Shootaround: Bandits look to stop skid against potent Mammoth

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The long layoff for the Bandits practically has the team beginning a new season. The last home game was one month ago and Buffalo February 17 road loss was the last game action the team saw.

A one-week bye, plus the All Star Game, has kept the Bandits away from regular season action for some time. They’re mired in a four-game losing streak and the sledding remains tough. Buffalo will host the NLL’s best team and most potent scorer tonight with John Grant Jr. and the Colorado Mammoth in town.

This will be the first chance Bandits fans have a chance to see new goaltender Anthony Cosmo in action. He was activated earlier in the week, along with Daryl Gibson, after Frank Resetarits and Jimmy Purves were released. There is a chance that Cosmo serves as a backup to Mike Thompson, but considering the time he has had to shake off some rust, I’d expect him in the crease tonight.

Buffalo’s additional decision to move Travis Irving Gibson to the active roster was likely motivated by the earlier trade of Jeff Cornwall and the fact that Purves just wasn’t an effective piece for the Bandits this season. The same can be said for Resetarits. He is a solid player, but is well down the depth chart with the team. Between Luke Wiles, Kevin Buchanan and the rest of last year’s incumbents, there was little time for Resetarits to play. Not to mention, he was taking floor time for more potent weapons on a team that hasn’t yet lit things up offensively.

Crease Crashing

Anthony Cosmo should get the nod for the Bandits. He has had a ton of time to practice and adjust to the system. Cosmo was acquired to shore up some questionable goaltending. The season is too fragile at this point to wait on him any longer.

Chris Levis was selected to the West Division All Star team. Need I say more? Levis is playing behind a potent offense led by one of the most talented offensive stars to play in the NLL. Regardless, the Mammoth are the NLL’s best team and Levis has been a big part of that.

Stopping Grant

If John Tavares is the Gretzky of lacrosse, John Grant Jr. is Mario Lemieux. I maintain that Tavares will go down as the best to ever play the game, but Grant is a supreme talent that has the gamebreaker ability few have. Grant will not likely break any of Tavares’ records, but he could probably be considered a more dangerous scorer when compared to the Bandits great. Buffalo will have a hell of a time trying to contain him and I doubt that they will be able to hold him to anything less than seven or eight points. Grant has 59 points on the season, just shy of 10 points per game.

Depth Charge

The Bandits made strides to strengthen their depth scoring this season. All they accomplished was making a change to who their leading scorers are. The depth scoring remains absent while Tavares, Wiles, Mat Giles and Chad Culp pace the offense. Mark Steenhuis, Roger Vyse, Kevin Buchanan and others need to start chipping in. Creating and finishing has nearly been as big of an issue as the goaltending this season.

Bandits spend a pair of picks to acquire Cosmo

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Mired in a four-game losing streak and a two-week layoff prior to a home game against the NLL’s most potent offense, the Buffalo Bandits made a major move. The Bandits sent two first-round picks to Minnesota for goaltender Anthony Cosmo.

This was a major step for the team to take. Cosmo is a proven talent and wasn’t seeing time in Minnesota due to a logjam of talent and his own holdout. Cosmo wanted to play somewhere in the East and he now has his wish. The Swarm were able to hold him for a high return for two reasons; his overall talent and the fact that they didn’t need to unload him.

Buffalo was in dire need of a change. Whether a change in net or in the form of a runner was what was needed, is up for debate. Mike Thompson has struggled mightily after getting two wins to start the year. He has had a number of rough goals against, particularly squeakers that probably shouldn’t be going in. Cosmo is capable of being one of the league’s best and should give some spark to the team.

There were a few rumors swirling around the Bandits earlier in the week. Some mentioned Cosmo, others whispered at the option for an even bigger trade to go down. Looking at the four-game skid, there are a few issues that the team has. I don’t know if goaltending would be at the top of the list in that regard, but Cosmo should provide the necessary stability in net.

Giving up two first-round picks probably wasn’t much of an issue for Darris Kilgour either. He has never been one to build through the draft. He already parted with one recent draft pick (2nd round pick Jeff Cornwall) and made a few moves that allowed Jay Thorimbert back in the lineup. Thorimbert’s presence has forced Jeremy Thompson (1st round pick) to the press box for the time being.  Considering these two moves and the team’s relative draft history, I’m fairly certain Kilgour isn’t going to lose sleep over not having those picks.

What also should be remembered is that the Bandits had a bonus pick thanks to the Chris Corbiel trade. So they’re really only losing one pick of their own to this trade. As it stands now, the Corbiel trade will be a win for the Bandits – especially if Cosmo provides an immediate impact. The Bandits are essentially acquring Cosmo for Corbiel and a first-round pick, I’ll leave it to Cosmo’s performance to determine the value of the trade.

I still expect to see another trade come down the pipe for the Bandits. They’re getting contributions from different players on offense, but the attack has stagnated in certain areas, namely from the likes of Kevin Buchanan, Mark Steenhuis and Roger Vyse. If Kilgour is able to poach another major offensive weapon on the trade market there is no reason to think the Bandits would be able to string together a big run to secure a playoff berth.

Fourth-straight loss puts Bandits in a deep hole

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Forgive me for delaying my recap of the Bandits most recent loss. This game comes one week prior to a bye and the NLL All-Star game. The 14-13 decision in Philly was Buffalo’s fourth-straight loss and it would appear something needs to be done in order to right the ship.

The Twitter jerseys that Philly rolled out are a really cool special edition uniform.

Mike Thompson was chased and Angus Goodleaf didn’t provide much additional support for Buffalo, who have given up at least 13 goals in three of their four losses. The rumor mill began to swirl yesterday that the Bandits were seeking some outside help, some say Anthony Cosmo – who is Minnesota’s property after the dispersal draft – may be the player the Bandits are targeting.

Acquiring Cosmo would be an interesting development for a team that has not received timely goaltending this season. A common thread in this losing streak has been questionable, untimely goals against. If Cosmo was able to step in and be a dominant force in net, he could be a big part of a turnaround for the Bandits. Continue reading →

Bandits postgame: Skid continues with overtime loss

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It took only 14 days for the Bandits to go from first to worst in the NLL East Division. Technically the Bandits are ahead of the Rochester Knighthawks by virtue of a tiebreaker, but they are still 2-3 and a full game behind the Toronto Rock for the division lead.

photo courtesy of Bandits.com

The Bandits recent slide is more of a testament to the parity in the NLL rather than Buffalo’s shortcomings. From top to bottom, every team has a handful of gamebreaking players which makes winning on a consistent basis a chore.

Last nights loss was the third different way the Bandits have managed to lose this season. After losing composure against Minnesota last Saturday and leaving goals on the table against Philly, the Bandits failed to capitalize on their second half momentum last night. They also let one of the league’s most dangerous goal scorers loose for the overtime game winner.

There was only one guy who we didn’t want to have the ball in the end. But for a young guy, Rhys Duch keeps doing it again and again. ~ Luke Wiles

Continue reading →

Bandits Shootaround: Rebound needed against Stealth

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Two-straight losses are staring the Bandits in the face. After two strong outings to open the season, the Bandits have dropped two in a row and have shown some different weaknesses during the stretch.

Buffalo gets a chance at redemption against a West Division rival at First Niagara Center this evening. The Bandits host the 2011 NLL runner-up, Washington Stealth. The Stealth are going through their own struggles, they are 0-3 and have averaged just eight goals per game this season.

The East Division standings are far tighter than the West, where Colorado has jumped to a commanding lead. With a Philadelphia loss and a Buffalo win this evening, the Bandits would be tied for the Division lead. Of course, the Wings would be just a half game back of the Bandits and Toronto Rock – who would be tied for first. Continue reading →

Bandits Postgame: Winless weekend erases hot start

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After a pair of wins against division foes, the Buffalo Bandits dropped a back-to-back set this weekend, bringing them back to the pack in the East Division standings.

Friday’s loss was a disappointing one, but resulted from sloppy play that could easily have been remedied. Yesterday was a different experience. Undisciplined play and a slow start doomed the Bandits. A 10-5 deficit grew to a 19-11 loss, the second-straight for Buffalo.

After entering the weekend first in the East at 2-0, the Bandits had the opportunity to strengthen their hold on the top spot in the division. Now they sit at 2-2 (.5 game back from first), right in the thick of what will become a dogfight for playoff position.

The bench-clearing brawl that erupted at the end of the second half cleared a handful of players from both rosters. However, Buffalo lost Mark Steenhuis, Billy Dee Smith and Steve Priolo – three major players on the defensive side of the ball. In addition, Mike Thompson – who came in relief of Angus Goodleaf – was in the box for five minutes to begin the second half. The penalty trouble that Buffalo got in cost them, giving up nine power play goals to the Swarm.

Buffalo returns home to face Washington next Saturday. Washington will be hungry for a victory, last year’s finalist has yet to win this season. Given Buffalo’s slide, they will need to turn around their effort next week. Continue reading →

Bandits shootaround: Swarm home opener pivotal for Buffalo

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Last night’s loss to Philadelphia was the first of the season for Buffalo. The loss also dropped the Bandits into a tie for first in the East Division. The tie in the standings makes tonight’s game in Minnesota that much more important.

The Swarm opened their season on the road on January 14 in Colorado. Minnesota has not played since their 20-14 loss on opening weekend. So, the Bandits face a rested opponent this evening in their home opener – albeit a rested opponent who has not seen game action in nearly two weeks.

Buffalo fell victim to sloppy passing and poor ball control last night at home. A handful of questionable goals against dug the hole deeper in the eventual loss. Last night’s game was also the first in which Darris Kilgour made changes to his lineup. Tom Montour and Frank Resetarits each saw their first action of the year while Jimmy Purves and Mat Giles watched from the press box. Given when Giles brought to the table in the first two games, I would have to think he will be back in the lineup for Resetarits this evening. The only other anticipated lineup change would likely come in goal; but with the need to keep their grasp on first, I think you will see Mike Thompson again.

Crease Crashing

Mike Thompson had a tough outing last night. He had a few tough goals beat him, but he owned that fact. He is a gamer and will certainly come to play tonight. There is a chance you see Angus Goodleaf rather than Thompson, depending on the schedule Kilgour put together. Taking last night’s loss into account, I go with Thompson in what looks a little like a must-win situation.

Nick Patterson was in a shooting gallery during his first contest this season. He faced 50 shots that night, turning aside 30. He is a fairly active goalie who has similar strengths to Brandon Miller – who shutdown the Bandits shooters last night. Last year the Bandits beat him with movement and rotation. They didn’t have much of that last night, hopefully that changes this evening.

Rested or Rusty

The Swarm haven’t played since January 14. That is a full two-week for those scoring at home. They certainly saw time together in practice since, but have not had game action. If the Swarm can get out to a good start, their legs will likely carry them to a win. There is also the chance that the layoff will take some time to shake loose. It could certainly go either way. The fact that Buffalo is coming off a game should only help Minnesota, however.

Spread the Scoring

Only two Bandits had four points yesterday – Mark Steenhuis and Chad Culp (2+2). In the first two wins there were multiple scorers with four or more points, namely John Tavares (16 points in two games). Buffalo’s offense was somewhat stagnant last night, with many shots coming from outside angles. Not only do the Bandits need to exploit the motion their offense can create to capitalize on chances.

Bandits postgame: Fourth quarter meltdown dooms result

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What should have stood out as the stat of the night ended up being nothing more than an afterthought for the Buffalo Bandits. A stingy third quarter effort was wasted as the Bandits gave up six fourth quarter goals in a 13-10 loss to Philadelphia.

After a see-saw first half, the Bandits defense clamped down in the third quarter. Buffalo shut out the Wings for the duration of the third and scored two of their own to take a 9-7 lead into the fourth. The Bandits actually held Philadelphia scoreless for 26:04 between the second and fourth quarters.

We didn’t play our best game, that’s disappointing. We had our chances, we could have gone up by three or four goals and it might have been a different game.  ~ Darris Kilgour

The fourth quarter was a different story. Pat Heim scored 2:59 seconds into the stanza and Drew Westervelt added the game-tying goal just 18 seconds later. Westervelt finished with seven points (3+4). Buffalo did not recover from the turnaround, getting outscored 6-1 in the final quarter. Continue reading →

Bandits Shootaround: Talented Wings fly into Banditland

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Of the teams to benefit from the summer’s expansion draft, the Philadelphia Wings would be in the conversation of the most fortunate. Dan Dawson was their most prized acquisition in a very busy offseason.

The Wings had an ugly first week, but dispatched the 2011 finalists last week in an impressive bounce-back effort. Philadelphia made a strong statement in beating Washington last week and have been fueled by their big names, as to be expected.

Dan Dawson is a truly unique talent who makes every player around him better. Darris Kilgour’s approach against Dawson in recent years hasn’t been to isolate and lock down on him, but rather to eliminate his weapons. Dawson is certainly a shooting threat, but is a pass-first player. Forcing him to play alone is likely the approach Kilgour will try and take.

The Wings also boast a few other impressive threats. Brodie Merrill is among the league’s best in the transition game. His defensive skill set is certainly the hallmark to his game, but his two-way skills are second to none. In my eyes, Mark Steenhuis is likely the most offensively talented transition player in the league and Merrill is the best defensive transition player. Continue reading →

Bandits postgame: Tavares, defense shine as Bandits overpower Knighthawks

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Just another day at the office for John Tavares. In two games the ageless wonder has sixteen points (6+10) for the 2-0 Bandits.

Tavares’ latest show came at Blue Cross Arena where he put up a four-goal, four-assist clinic against Buffalo’s I-90 rivals. Buffalo won the contest 12-9 after pulling away thanks to a late 7-1 run. It was a well-executed win for the Bandits who were able to keep the Knighthawks from running wild. Avoiding a run-and-gun game was key for the Bandits.

Just like in week one, the offense made the plays, but defensively, the Bandits were stellar. Mike Thompson made 31 saves on 40 shots, backing up a stellar performance from the week before. Buffalo’s defense held the young Rochester scorers in check. Only Cody Jamieson (three) and Stephen Keogh (two) scored more than once and the offense that produced 22 goals the week before didn’t break double digits against the stingy Buffalo defense.

Darris Kilgour’s deep bench flexed their muscles again this week. Roger Vyse – who was a healthy scratch last week – had a pair of goals and an assist while Mark Steehuis and Chad Clup each scored a pair too. Luke Wiles looks more and more like a brilliant acquisition. He added six more points (2+4) to his efforts from week one (3+1 vs. Toronto). Continue reading →