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Bandits slip past Jax in regular season finale, 14-10

April 26, 2008 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Portland Lumberjax News Release


BUFFALO, NY - The Portland LumberJax closed out the 2008 regular season by falling to the Buffalo Bandits 14-10 Saturday night at the HSBC Arena in front of 18,325. Playing in front of a large contingent of family and friends from his hometown of nearby Akwesasne, Ontario, rookie forward Peter Jacobs (4 goals) scored a career-high four goals and defenseman Brodie Merrill (14 loose balls, 4 assists) added four assists. The loss clinched fourth place for the Jax (6-10) and sets up a first round playoff game in San Jose on Sunday, May 4 against the first place Stealth at 3 p.m. at the HP Pavilion.

San Jose won the West by beating the Colorado Mammoth 11-6 Saturday afternoon. Colorado finished second in the West, setting up a home playoff game against the third place Calgary Roughnecks on Saturday, May 3 at 6 p.m. at the Pepsi Center.

With the win, the Bandits (10-6) won the East Division and clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Bandits will host the Philadelphia Wings on Friday, May 2 at 4:30 p.m. at the HSBC Arena in the opening round of the postseason.

John Tavares led the Bandits with eight points (4 goals, 4 assists) and scored three straight goals during a 4-0 run that broke a 9-9 tie in the third quarter.

As the game began, fans had barely sat down before defenseman Richard Morgan (1 goal, 1 assist) scored 22-seconds in off a series of passes from Merrill and forward Ryan Powell (1 goal, 2 assists) to make it 1-0. The Bandits reeled off the next four goals before Portland could respond. With 2:42 left in the first quarter, Jacobs buried his first goal of the game. He scored after forwards Dan Dawson (1 goal, 2 assists) and Spencer Martin (2 assists) rotated the ball around the perimeter and found Jacobs open in the corner.

Buffalo would add a late goal to take a 5-2 lead into the second quarter.

Like the first quarter, Portland wasted little time scoring to begin the second. 26-seconds into the second, forward Derek Malawsky scored off pick-and-roll passes from Martin and forward Scott Stewart (1 goal, 1 assist) to trim the Buffalo lead to 5-3. Another Buffalo goal made it 6-3, but the Jax continued to keep the game close. With 13:41 left in the half, Jacobs scored again, this time off a pass from forward Cory Conway (1 goal, 1 assist) to cut the Bandit lead to 6-4. The Bandits would make it 7-4 with 9:48 left in the second quarter before the Jax would go on a 2-0 run to close the half.

With 6:15 left in the half, Conway scored off passes from Merrill and rookie transition player Tyler Codron. Then, forward Stewart scored with 4:19 left to cut the Buffalo lead to 7-6 at the half.

Portland evened the game at seven with 14:19 left in the third quarter as Powell scored off an assist from goalie Dallas Eliuk (2 assists). However, the Bandits responded with 11:31 left in the third, taking the 8-7 lead.

Buffalo would add another goal to make it 9-7 before Portland tied the game with a 2-0 run behind consecutive goals from Jacobs. With 2:14 left in the quarter, Powell and Dawson setup Jacobs. Then, with 1:45 left, Merrill and defenseman Pat Jones (2 assists) assisted on Jacobs' fourth goal of the game.

Tied at nine, the Bandits would go on the 4-0 game-clinching run behind the three straight goals from Tavares. The 4-0 run extended late into the fourth quarter, leaving Portland time to only add a Dawson goal with 1:09 left in the fourth quarter before falling 14-10.

Playing for the first time since March 20th, Eliuk stopped 36 of the 49 shots he faced. In relief, rookie goalie Joel Weber made his National Lacrosse League debut, playing the final three-minutes 25-seconds in the crease for Portland.

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