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Calgary Roughnecks

Ranger Leads Roughnecks to 10-9 Win over Bandits

January 8, 2011 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Calgary Roughnecks News Release


CALGARY- Scott Ranger had a hot hand to lead the Calgary Roughnecks (1-0) to a 10-9 win over the Buffalo Bandits to kick off the franchise's 10th anniversary season.

Ranger tied a career high with five goals, all in the first half, much to the delight of the crowd of 9,590 fans at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Rookie forward Curtis Dickson, Calgary's third overall pick in the 2010 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft, scored the first two goals of his professional career and came close to notching a hat trick when he hit the post with a heavy shot in the fourth quarter.

Veteran forward Kaleb Toth had a goal and three helpers, Nolan Heavenor and Geoff Snider also scored, while Dane Dobbie and Jeff Shattler had three assists each.

Roger Vyse paced Buffalo (0-1) with two goals and four assists, while Mark Steenhuis scored twice and set up another.

After being honoured in a pre-game ceremony for his eight years as a Roughneck, former Calgary captain Tracey Kelusky had a goal and three assists for the Bandits. Scott Self scored once and had a helper, while Frank Resetarits, Chris Corbeil and Kyle Clancy added singles.

Calgary goalie Mike Poulin, who compiled a 5-1 record for the Riggers last season, made 38 saves to record the win. Meanwhile his Buffalo counterpart Mike Thompson turned aside the 27 shots he faced in a losing cause.

Just 16 seconds in, Dickson took a pass from Toth and drove to the net before going airborne to tuck a shot over Thompson's shoulder.

At the 1:14 mark of the first quarter, Kelusky scored on a behind-the-back shot that fooled Poulin to tie the game 1-1.

Heavenor then put the Riggers up 2-1 when he scored on a partial breakaway while being hauled down from behind by a Buffalo defender.

The Riggers then built up a two-goal lead on a shorthanded goal by Ranger before the Bandits cut the deficit to just one with a power-play goal by Frank Resetarits.

Toth scored at 1:01 of the second quarter before drawing an assist on Ranger's second goal of the game to give Calgary a 5-2 lead.

Self and Vyse replied with goals for Buffalo, before Ranger counted his hat-trick goal during a Calgary man advantage at 8:33 of the second to put the home side up 6-4.

Ranger was assessed a roughing penalty on the same play, and after serving his two-minute penalty, he stepped out of the box and took a breakaway pass from Jeff Shattler. Ranger then faked a shot before firing his fourth goal of the game behind Thompson.

Late in the first half Steenhuis scored for Buffalo before Ranger continued his offensive outburst when he bounced a shot past Thompson with four seconds left on the clock to put Calgary up 8-5 after two quarters.

As he did in the first half, Dickson started things off for the Riggers early in the second half as he scored a shorthanded goal at 2:17 of the third quarter to build Calgary's lead up to 9-5.

Steenhuis then counted his second of the contest for Buffalo before Vyse scored an odd goal to pull the Bandits within a pair. A pass by Vyse bounced off the glass behind Poulin and then off of the Calgary goalie's shin pad and into the net.

The Bandits continued their comeback effort when Chris Corbeil scored on a breakaway late in the third quarter. Corbeil also had a breakaway early in the final frame, but this time Poulin stood his ground to make the save.

On the ensuing rush, Snider counted his first goal as a Roughneck and then promptly got into a spirited fight with Buffalo's Steve Priolo.

Clancy scored with 17.7 seconds left in regulation to pull the visitors within a goal, but Buffalo couldn't get any closer.

The Roughnecks will now travel to Everett, Wash., to face the Washington Stealth tomorrow night (6 p.m.).

Calgary Roughnecks season tickets and group tickets are on sale now. Call the Calgary Roughnecks office at (403) 294-9244 to find out more information or to purchase your tickets.

Check out the Calgary Roughnecks Statistics

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National Lacrosse League Stories from January 8, 2011


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