Minder of the Net
“When you have a hot goalie, they can easily steal a win.”
That, coupled with a speedy, crafty Panther City team, is precisely what happened last Friday night in Fort Worth, Texas.
Not only did Panther City goaltender Nick Damude make some great saves, 51 of them, but he scored his third goal of his career in the closing seconds of quarter one with a strong swing from his front porch to the center of an open Bandits net, giving his club a 4-3 lead.
No question, the Bandits passing was precise throughout the game, with exact threads to multiple players, only to be stopped by the young netminder who holds the current league game-high in saves with 59.
Case in point of Damude’s performance was highlighted in the third quarter, making 17 saves and a couple of pipes on 18 Bandit shots.
Here are a few examples.
See above as Smith starts what will be three possessions with precision passing and scoring attempts.
Here we see a Bandits transition opportunity with Cam Weyers and Dalton Sulver.
Bandits with the man advantage. Byrne and Smith combine with a pass behind the net to Buchanan, back to Nanticoke, who finds Byrne. Byrne zips it to Buchanan, sneaking from behind the net, and goes point blank with a quick shot.
Bandits continue with the man advantage. Smith and Bryne are setting up. Nanticoke passes to Buchanan, who finds Byrne and returns to Smith with a set-up for a quick stick option for Cloutier.
But watch Byrne gather the ball from the far corner and fire a laser to the side of Damude to reset the shot clock. This allow for a fresh 30 and a Smith attempt.
Watch Byrne on the check at center, stealing the ball, setting up a 3-on-1, and passing to a running Dhane Smith with a scoring opportunity.
Fear of Failure
But now, harsh reality sits into a Bandits team that enters this week 7-7.
Is there a fear of failure? Yes, and that is good for a team like the Bandits. To a player, they have a handle on this.
“We’ve had a lot of success, and sometimes when you’ve experienced this, you forget what it takes,” said Bandits head coach John Tavares.
“You’re inevitably going to hit some bumps and have issues, and you’re going to lose some games. It’s OK to hit the reset button.”
I noticed a reset last Friday night when the team returned to their hotel following the overtime loss. After the players put their equipment bags away, they reconvened in the lobby, sat together as a group, and had conversations.
I am not privy, nor would I say what was said, but with all the guys together, it was very cool to see.
The Dawson Files
“The resilience this group has shown over the years was exposed in the game against Toronto. It’s our MO,” said Paul Dawson, the newest Bandit with a wealth of experience.
Remember, the Bandits came from behind eleven times last year to win, and that game against Toronto proved they could turn the tables.
Yes, it’s hard to take a loss like last Friday night and a few others. It’s not like the Bandits are getting blown out, having lost five games by only two goals.
While the final score was not in favor, the Bandits scooped 81 loose balls and soaked 14 shots, four of which were by Dawson. The effort was there.
“The record does not indicate how this team is, and I think there’s a bit of a chip on the shoulder of the boys in the room, being in the championship in four of the last six seasons, with the attitude of we are one of the teams to beat.
“It’s one of the best offenses in this league, headed by Dhane and JB. The defense is finding identity and shoring up. We have the tools in place, and I think we’re going to go a long way,” noted Dawson.
Tools in place
Conner Farrell, who won 17 draws and a shot on goal, proved his weight in gold with an outstanding performance at the start of the third quarter. With the Bandits a man down, Farrell captured the draw and powered his way into the PCL zone, hanging onto the ball while he was being bashed and battered for 35 seconds!
The video tells the rest about the Milkman’s route.
The challenge continues
Four games remain in the regular season, three on the road against Philadelphia (this Saturday – Wings play Saskatchewan Thursday night in a rescheduled game), Colorado, and Vegas. The lone home game is Saturday, April 13 against Calgary.
“We’ve had some big games lately, and I think the guys understand we have to pick up the pace if we want to make the playoffs. It’s such a tight race to be in the top eight.
“They know they can do the job,” said Tavares.
Even with teams eager to beat the champs – and a hot goaltender.
Stat Rat
Josh Byrne (42+59=101) and Dhane Smith (20+77=97) are the second and third-ranked players in NLL scoring, respectively.
Byrne has nine hat tricks and 19+20 in his last five games. He crossed the 100-point mark for the first time in his career.
The sixth year Bandit is one goal away from equaling his 43 from last season. Too, the first overall pick in ’17 crossed the 450-point mark last Friday with his 5+2 performance.
Smith is 9+27 in his last five games and ready to cross the 100-point plateau for the seventh time in his 11 seasons. His assist record of 96 is on the horizon as well. Smith has 1,047 career points.
Bandits captain Steve Priolo will play in his 215th regular season game Saturday, all with the Bandits. Since starting his career in 2010, Priolo has scooped 1,314 loosies.
Chris Cloutier has nine goals and eleven assists in his last five games. He is seven points from his career high of 59 set in the 2022-23 season.
Tehoka Nanticoke is 9+5 in his last five games. He now has two back-to-back 21-goal seasons so far.
Chase Fraser is 6+5 in his last five games and is six points from 200 of his career.
Kyle Buchanan is 5+6 in his last five games.
Broadcast Information
Saturday afternoon’s game will be televised on CW23, ESPN+, and TSN+ at 1 p.m.
WGR Sports Radio 550 will carry radio coverage. The pregame show will start at 12:30 p.m. from the Wells Fargo Arena.
I’ll capture interviews with Wings head coach Paul Day and Bandits GM and defensive coordinator Steve Dietrich. In addition, interviews with Bandits Steve Priolo and the Wings’ Joe Resetarits round out the show.