Minnesota Swarm Season Ends With 14-8 Loss To Buffalo Bandits In Eastern Division Semifinals

Published on April 22, 2007 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Minnesota Swarm News Release


Buffalo, NY - The Buffalo Bandits outscored the Minnesota Swarm 7-0 in the second half to run away with a 14-8 victory in a National Lacrosse League (NLL) Eastern Division semifinal contest with 9,003 in attendance at HSBC Arena. The loss marked the second straight time the Swarm's season has ended in Buffalo as the Bandits defeated Minnesota 11-10 in last year's first round playoff match-up. Buffalo advances to the Eastern Division Finals and will play in Rochester Friday night.

Minnesota was led in scoring by Ryan Sharp who tallied three points (one goal, two assists) and team captain Ryan Cousins added two goals. Nick Patterson stopped 41 of 55 shots on net and tallied two assists in his second ever playoff appearance. The Swarm went 0-for-2 on the power play and the Bandits went 2-for-4 with the man advantage.

Buffalo's leading scorer John Tavares and Kevin Dostie led the Bandit's each tallying five points (three goals, two assists) and Chad Hill contributed four points (one goal, three assists) and picked up a team high ten loose balls. Rookie goaltender Mike Thompson earned the win blocking 38 of 45 shots on goal and assisted on Tavares' game-winning goal at the 8:24 mark of the third quarter.

Minnesota started fast by netting the first four goals of the game. Minnesota relinquished the 4-0 lead by allowing Buffalo four unanswered goals of their own. Chad Culp, Ryan Ward, Cousins and Dean Hill tallied the Swarm's four markers to start the contest. The Bandits followed up with goals from Pat McCready, Delby Powless and a pair by Dostie, including a power-play marker, to tie the game at 4-4 heading into the second quarter.

Cousins netted his second of the afternoon to start the second quarter scoring at 3:31 in. Minnesota's Kyle Ross scored 36 late to give the Swarm a 6-4 lead at 4:07 in the second. The Bandits answered back with three goals, one by Jason Crosbie and two from Dan Teat to give the Bandits its first lead of the game at 7-6. Teat's second goal put the Bandits two-for-two on the power-play in the half. The Swarm's Sharp tied the game at 7-7 with under a minute to play and Jon Sullivan put in an goal with an extra attacker on the field for Minnesota with only three seconds left to give Minnesota an 8-7 halftime lead.

Buffalo controlled the entire second half as the home team scored all three goals in the third quarter to take a 10-8 lead into the final quarter. The Bandits' goals came from Brett Bucktooth, Buffalo's Tavares and Dostie, his third of the contest. The Bandits continued the scoring streak marking all four goals in the fourth quarter, two by Tavares, one by Crosbie and Clay Hill netted the final goal of the game completing the 7-0 second half run in the 14-8 victory.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from April 22, 2007


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