NLL Commissioner Jim Jennings presents Bandits captain Rich Kilgour with the Champion's Cup.
BANDITS WIN EDGE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Buffalo tops Portland, 14-13, in front of sellout crowd at HSBC Arena
05/17/2008
The Buffalo Bandits topped the Portland LumberJax, 14-13, in front of a sellout crowd of 18,690 at HSBC Arena in the Edge 2008 NLL Championship Game on Saturday.Mark Steenhuis was named Reebok Championship Game MVP, with five goals and one assist.
John Tavares gave Buffalo their first lead of the game 22 seconds in, and the Bandits never trailed. Buffalo led 6-3 after the first quarter and 9-6 at halftime.
Portland started the second half on a tear, as Scott Stapleford and Peter Morgan scored back-to-back goals to cut the lead to 9-8. The team's traded goals, with Buffalo escaping the quarter with a 13-11 lead.
Dan Dawson cut the deficit to one with a goal at 1:08 of the fourth quarter, but Mark Steenhuis broke a 10-minute scoring drought, scoring Buffalo's lone goal of the fourth quarter to re-establish their two-goal cushion.
With Jax goalkeeper Matt Disher pulled for the extra attacker, Derek Malawsky buried a goal with 48 seconds left to drop the lead back to one.
Portland had a final opportunity to tie the game, but Mike Thompson made a save as time expired before his teammates mobbed him and the crowd of 18,690 roared in celebration.
Thompson finished with 34 saves.
Kevin Dostie chipped in three goals for Buffalo, while Tavares scored twice. Mike Accursi, Roger Vyse, Brett Bucktooth and Billy Dee Smith added singles. Accursi finished with a team-high four assists.
Portland was led by Dan Dawson, who scored three goals and six assists. Ryan Powell added two goals and six assists, while 18-year-old Peter Jacobs, the youngest player to ever play in the Edge Championship Game, scored twice.
Disher finished with 27 saves in the loss.
© 2010 National Lacrosse League. The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the NLL.