Don’t Stop
No rest for the wicked as the post-game bus rolled quietly to the Vancouver hotel for a quick sleep before nesting in the jumbo Air Canada jet enroute to Toronto, a four-hour and thirty-minute jaunt across the prairies.
While most of us had time to draw up criticism of the Bandits’ 11-9 loss to the Warriors, and rightfully so – it’s part of sport – I found myself deep in thought, reviewing my radio broadcast of the Bandits/Vancouver game, the flubs, slurs, and mispronunciations.
Welcome Aboard
It wasn’t until I settled into the middle four-seat row with Evan Constantopoulos, Paul Dawson, my flabby frame, and Taylor Dooley (I felt bad for him; given our size, we were crushing for space) that I started thinking about the game.
On the video screen in front of me was a teaser for the Oscar-nominated movie “One Battle After Another,” which prompted my review of the Bandits/Warriors game. In a cliff notes-style summary, it was one battle after another.
No Finger Pointing
To the words of Mitch de Snoo, a guest on the radio pregame show Friday night, on his review from the press box during his four games away due to injury. Some comments held again to the loss.
“We weren’t getting it done in all areas; finding ways to make mistakes that were costing us games we had in hand,” said de Snoo, who had two assists in the game.
“We need to figure out a way to execute for sixty minutes and clean up those little things, and be focused and get the job done.”
Really Good Game
But from the 9,393 fans in attendance, and the thousands watching and listening, it was a very exciting game with massive lead changes, hits, great plays offensively and defensively, and saves from Matt Vinc and Christian Del Bianco in the fourth quarter.
“What we have to do better is limit the runs we give up, which changes the momentum of the game. If we can be more focused and handle those situations better, it’s going to help our long-term success a lot more,” noted de Snoo.
A 10-9 game with thirteen seconds left in regulation, and Buffalo on a mini two-goal run, only to be stopped by Curtis Dickson’s fourth goal of the night to send the Rock-n-Roll Night fans in Rogers Arena into a frenzy.
From a lacrosse enthusiast, it was a great lacrosse game, but a tough loss for Banditland.
From the GM
“I am not happy at 4-6, but that was a tremendous lacrosse game, and yeah, it doesn’t feel good we lost even though their goalie was the first star,” said Bandits GM and defensive coordinator Steve Dietrich on the radio Postgame Show.
“The kid (Christian Del Bianco) played well. I give him a lot of credit, and we got to him in the second quarter, but he came on in the second half and shut the door.”
Review
I decided not to watch the Paul Thomas Anderson feature, instead spending time with a book and continuing to think about the game, which kept my head up from the unread page, waiting to be turned.
There were chances on offense. Vancouver’s goals offset the solid defensive plays. But the six-goal run in over three minutes of the second quarter, which gave the Bandits a 7-5 lead, was fantastic. OK, criticize the third quarter, in which Buffalo was outscored 4-0, but kudos to a strong fourth, which was almost within reach of victory.
A Word from Jumbo
Jake Elliott, headmaster of the popular podcast Lacrosse Classified and the voice of Vancouver and Las Vegas, joined me on the radio broadcast from the Jim Robson gondola and spoke candidly about the Bandits, as my feet have been too close to the fire.
“For this year, it’s been a bit of an adjustment, not only because of the players they lost but also because of the new players who have joined the lineup. It’s also a transition year for players who have played a lot of lacrosse and have gotten a year older,” said Elliott.
“I still think this is a very good Buffalo Bandit team, and they are going to make the playoffs. And I will tell you this: if they get in, I wouldn’t want to face the Bandits in the first round of the playoffs.
“I think that is the mission for JT and company, just to get in the dance, do what you can through the regular season, figure things out as you go, and I think they will be fine when they get to March and early April, when the games matter most.”
Double Dip
A massive test for the Bandits is set for this weekend, with back-to-back games. Friday night at home against 10-1 Saskatchewan, and Saturday night on the road against the 6-4 Toronto Rock.
Live by the sword and die by the sword.
“I won’t be selling the future. If we are going to get it done, it’s going to be the group here. Now, what I have seen in the last two games is that the heart of the champion is starting to come through,” said Dietrich.
“We beat a good Halifax team in their building, then came to Vancouver and battled a tremendously well-coached team. We battled both really hard. It’s making my job more difficult.
“This group has proven a lot, not only in the past five years but definitely in the last two weeks, that there is still a lot of game left.”
No rest for the team as they remain wicked.
What’s Cooking?
This Friday night is Rock-n-Roll night inside KeyBank Center, adding to the warm and wild element of Banditland. Saskatchewan has won nine games in a row and is playing excellent lacrosse. Buffalo is searing from the Vancouver defeat and will be stoked to play last year’s finalist, which went down two games to one to the champs.
Numbers from the Ticker
Dhane Smith leads the way with 22+44=66 points, third in NLL scoring, and 9+20 in his last five games. Well on his way to another 100+ point season, Smith leads the league in effective passes with 934 and averages 96 touches a game, second only to Jeff Teat.
He has been averaging seven points a game, leads the NLL in short-handed goals with four, and is the Iron Man of the NLL with 109 consecutive overall games played.
Josh Byrne is 16+37=53 points, 11th in NLL scoring, and 6+14 in his last five. “For us, it’s not about points; we’re trying to figure out what the winning recipe is.” “I’m not too worried about what kind of points or numbers I have. I worry about how many wins we can stack up. We are going to keep trying to find the right energy here,” Byrne said Friday night on the radio’s halftime report.
Ian MacKay is 15+24=39 and 7+14 in his last five games. Kyle Buchanan is 18+11=29 and 7+5 in his last five. Tehoka Nanticoke is 13+9=22 and 8+3 in his last five. Nick Weiss, who scored a beauty Friday night, leads the team with 71 loose balls and ties Cam Weyers with 12 caused turnovers. Paul Dawson leads the NLL with 23 blocked shots, including four Friday night.
Broadcast Information for Friday and Saturday’s Games
Friday night, the radio Pregame Show will start at 7 p.m. on 1520AM The Bet & Audacy.com. TV coverage will be on CW23, ESPN+, and TSN4. The broadcast will be at 7:30 p.m.
Steve Bermel joins me in the Ted Darling booth. Randy Mearns jumps in for the Halftime Report with “Coach Mearns,” and Dave Buchanan will report remotely from the playing surface and the arena. Matt Cullen, Pat Gregoire, and Ashly Docking have the TV call.
Saturday, Buffalo @ Toronto. Radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. with the Pregame Show on 1520AM The Bet and at Audacy.com. Television coverage will be on CW23, ESPN+, TSN3, and NLL+, starting at 7 p.m.