BANDITS CLINCH TOP SEED, SET ATTENDANCE RECORD
It was fan appreciation night at KeyBank Center on Saturday, as the Buffalo Bandits came up clutch to defeat Halifax, 15-12. With their thirteenth win of the season, Buffalo has secured the top seed in the NLL Playoffs.
The record-setting fifth sellout crowd of the season in Buffalo was kept waiting for the first goal of the game until the end of the opening period. It even took the Bandits five minutes just to muster a shot on goal, but Matt Vinc kept the game scoreless. The team’s co-MVP ended with a total of fifty-one saves. Ian MacKay and Josh Byrne each scored power play goals for the Bandits, before Halifax got one back at the end of the first period.
The offense opened up mightily in the second quarter, with two quick Buffalo tallies ballooning the lead up to 4-1 less than five minutes into the second. Buffalo’s defense had a few lapses in the latter stages of the quarter, as Halifax scored five of the last seven goals before halftime; knotted at six at the break.
Byrne opened the second half with his fourth goal of the night, and then Buchanen’s second doubled the Bandits lead less than a minute later. The Thunderbirds just wouldn’t go away, tying the game at nine, and then ten as the third quarter came to an end. In the final frame, Halifax took their first lead of the night on a power play goal less than four minutes in, 11-10.
Steve “Coast-to Coast” Priolo lived up to his nickname’s sake, scooping up a loose ball, going end to end to tie the game at eleven. Back and forth they went again, Buffalo regained the lead and then the Thunderbirds tied it at twelve within the next minute.
With over 19,000 fans on the edge of their seats, Buffalo’s Ian MacKay, who opened the scoring the first, scored what would stand as the game winner with just over six and a half left. Buchanan and Wyers added insurance markers for the Bandits, who would go on to win it 15-12.
Buffalo closes out the regular season in Georgia on Saturday night against the Swarm.
FNL FLAG FOOTBALL: FREDONIA STAVES OFF JAMESTOWN
In week two of the Friday Night Lights girls flag football season, the Fredonia Hillbillies went on the road to Jamestown and came away with an impressive non-conference win, 20-12.
Fredonia had three separate touchdown scorers: Nora Polhamus, Madelyn Polhamus, and Emma Perry. Despite an impressive two-interception, one touchdown game from senior Kaylee Leeper, the Jamestown Red and Green couldn’t muster up enough offense to keep up with the visitors. It was the Fredonia’s senior All-WNY honoree who earned our player of the game honors, as Elizabeth Morris was the star of the Hillbillies’ defense.
With most schools on Spring Break this week, PJ and I had to make a call to the bullpen. For one week only, Friday Night Lights takes to the baseball diamond, as Media hosts Depew for a baseball game Friday night at 7PM.
McILROY’S NEAR MELTDOWN LEADS TO PLAYOFF VICTORY AT THE MASTERS
Who doesn’t love a redemption story? After missing a “gimme” of a putt, costing him the US Open just nine months ago, Rory McIlroy was still on the hunt for his 5th major victory entering the Master’s this past weekend. One stroke away from victory last night, McIlroy missed a six foot putt, sending the Final Round to a playoff. With a birdie on the first hole of sudden death, McIlroy claimed the victory and immediately dropped to his knees, partly in disbelief of his first Championship at Augusta.
Leading the field by five strokes with eight holes left to play on Sunday, watching McIlroy miss short putts time and time again was agony, but with a clutch performance in the Playoff against Justin Rose, Rory claimed the victory, and became just the sixth player to ever complete a Grand Slam in their careers. McIlroy’s fifth major championship comes with his first ever green jacket. You can’t have redemption without setbacks leading to the apex. For McIlroy, this was an eleven year climb up the mountain since his last Major Championship.
SABRES SWEPT IN WEEKEND BACK-TO-BACK
With their season all but over, the Sabres took to the south for their final road trip of the campaign. Their weekend back-to-back in the sunshine state was much less than sunny, as Buffalo lost to Florida, 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday, before they got thoroughly beaten by the Tampa Bay Lightning last night, 7-4.
The Sabres close out the regular season at home this week, as they host Toronto tomorrow night, before the finale on Thursday vs Philadelphia.
BISONS WEEKEND RECAP VS DURHAM, HEAD TO SYRACUSE
The Bisons wrapped up their homestand vs Durham over the weekend, with a pair of losses on Saturday before closing out the series with a win on Sunday.
The twin bill on Saturday saw the Bulls win the first game 4-1, and the second 2-1. Yesterday’s game six was a come from behind win for the Bisons, who took a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning. Buffalo tacked on one run in each of the seventh and eighth innings, ending with a 5-3 victory at Sahlen Field.
The Bisons head on the road this week, down the I-90 for a six-game series in Syracuse against the Mets, beginning tomorrow afternoon.
WNBA DRAFT IS TONIGHT
The 2025 WNBA Draft is being held tonight in New York City. Expected first overall pick Paige Bueckers is likely to be putting on Dallas Wings’ blue and green. The Draft will air live at 7:30 on ESPN tonight.
The Scoreboard is presented by Zenner and Ritter Heating and Cooling.
