Buffalo Bandits forward John Tavares (center) celebrates his game-winning overtime goal in the Bandits' 9-8 win over the Boston Blazers Saturday night at TD Garden.
BANDITS STAY HOT WITH OT WIN OVER BLAZERS
Tavares scores OT game winner for second straight night
03/13/2010
By Dan Ventresca for NLL.com
For the second time in two nights forward John Tavares won the game for the Buffalo Bandits (5-6) in overtime, this time giving them a 9-8 win over the Boston Blazers (5-5) Saturday night at the TD Garden.
Tavares finished the night with five points (four goals and one assist) and forward Brendan Thenhaus had a team-high three goals in the losing effort for Boston. Tavares' performance came on the heels of a six-point effort Friday night in their 11-10 OT victory over Toronto.
The Blazers took a 7-4 lead when forward Nick Cotter and defenseman Matt Abbott scored back-to-back goals in less than ten seconds with over twelve minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
Buffalo answered with four straight strikes, making the score 8-7 Buffalo with six minutes to play. Less than a minute after Buffalo took the lead, Thenhaus cut in front of goalie Mike Thompson and buried a shot that knotted the score and sent the game to OT.
"We had our chance," Boston coach Tom Ryan said. "Buffalo scored three goals in about two minutes there to get back in [the game]. That's what we need to do to be a good team. When we have a three goal lead [we have to] keep the pressure on and not have the breakdowns."
Jon Harasym put Buffalo on top 2-0 when he beat Blazer goalie Anthony Cosmo on a clean breakaway with less than a minute to play in the first quarter. Boston would tie it up at two behind Daryl Veltman and Brendan Thenhaus tallies.
After a goal for each side, Buffalo would take the lead again with just over a minute to play in the first half when John Tavares stole a loose ball from Cosmo and put it in an open net, giving the Bandits a 4-3 lead they took into the half, but Cosmo took exception to the referees not calling Tavares for a slash.
"As a referee, I understand you miss some things," Cosmo said. "[The referee] said he didn't see a slash but there was a slash there."
In the third, Thenhaus' second goal tied it at four and Blazer captain Dan Dawson put them up 5-4 with a rip from the high slot. Just seconds before Dawson's goal, Cosmo stoned Steenhuis on a breakaway opportunity to preserve the tie.
Forward Roger Vyse scored both of his goals in the fourth quarter, the second coming shorthanded and giving Buffalo an 8-7 advantage.
After Tavares ended the game with a highly contested shot from the low slot, a scrum ensued following Buffalo players celebrating in front of Boston's bench.
"I think it was disrespectful on [forward Mark] Steenhuis' part," Cosmo said. "You run by the bench, sure you're excited, but there's a level of respect in this league and I don't think he had that tonight."
"Hopefully the next game we play against [Buffalo] we do the exact same thing to them."
The Blazers drew a season-high 9,062 fans at the TD Garden, and will begin a two-week road trip against Edmonton and Philadelphia. They return to the TD Garden on April 3 against the Orlando Titans.
The Bandits have a bye next weekend before facing the Rochester Knighthawks at Blue Cross Arena on Saturday, March 27. Game time is 7:35 p.m EST.
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