Portland's championship run ends just short, 14-13

Published on May 17, 2008 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Portland Lumberjax News Release


BUFFALO, NY - The unbelievable and improbable playoff run the Portland LumberJax put together came to a close Saturday night as they fell to the Buffalo Bandits 14-13 in the Edge National Lacrosse League Championship Game. Playing in front of 18,690 at the HSBC Arena, forwards Dan Dawson (3 goals, 6 assists) and Ryan Powell (2 goals, 6 assists) led the way as the Jax rallied all game, constantly trimming the Buffalo lead. Portland, which one its first two playoff games on the road, fell to the league's hottest home team over the last three regular seasons seasons.

Bandits (10-6) transition player Mark Steenhuis was named Most Valuable Player as he scored five goals and added one assist in addition to scoring the game winning goal with 5:37 left in the game.

Portland became only the third team to ever reach the championship game after finishing the regular season with a sub .500 record. The 1987 Baltimore Thunder were the first team to do so and were followed by the 1992 Philadelphia Wings.

It took only 22-seconds for the Bandits to get on the board as John Tavares scored to make it 1-0 Buffalo. Portland quickly tied the game with 13:19 left in the first quarter as defenseman Bruce Alexander scored. Both teams traded goals again as Buffalo scored and then rookie forward Peter Jacobs (2 goals, 1 assist) scored off passes from Dawson and forward Cory Conway.

Buffalo would go on a 2-0 run before the Jax could counter. With 4:45 left in the first, Jacobs again scored to trim the Buffalo lead to one. However, the Bandits would close the first quarter with another 2-0 run to take a 6-3 lead into the second quarter.

Opening up the second, Portland went on its own 2-0 run to cut the Buffalo lead to 6-5. With 12:30 left in the half, defenseman Brodie Merrill (2 assists, 19 loose balls) scored and then Dawson scored with 7:14 left.

The Bandits would extend the lead to 7-5 before Portland trimmed the lead to one. With 3:52 left in the half, Dawson scored his second of three goals. Once again, whenever Portland closed the Buffalo lead to one, the Bandits responded with a 2-0 run to make it 9-6 at the half.

Down by three at the half, the Jax began the third by scoring the first two goals. Transition player Scott Stapleford, who had not scored a goal since Feb. 7, put one past Bandit goalie Mike Thompson off assists from Powell and defenseman Richard Morgan. Then, forward Peter Morgan (2 goals, 1 assist) scored with 10:32 left in the third.

As redundant as it sounds, the Bandits again responded with a 2-0 run to take an 11-8 lead before Powell responded with 5:17 left in the third to make it 11-9.

Buffalo would score two more goals in the third and Portland would add another goal from P. Morgan to make it 13-11 in favor of Buffalo after three quarters of play. With 47-seconds left in the quarter, P. Morgan scored off passes from Dawson and forward Derek Malawsky (1 goal, 3 assists).

Dawson, playing in his third championship games since 2005, opened the scoring in the fourth quarter as he scored with 13:52 left in the fourth to trim the Buffalo lead to 13-12.

Like a great heavyweight fight, these two teams traded punches for the next eight minutes before Steenhuis scored the game winning goal with 5:37 to go.

Pulling out all the stops, the Jax constantly pulled goalie Matt Disher (27 saves) to gain an extra attacker. The move paid huge dividends as Malawsky scored with 48-seconds left to make it 14-13.

Scratching and crawling for every loose ball, the Bandits were able to hold off the final Portland push and win their first championship since Bill Clinton was in office in 1996. Overall, this is the fourth championship for the Buffalo Bandits franchise.

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