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BUF at TOR - Sat. 7pm ET Schedule

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 2
FINAL
Philadelphia
8
Halifax
18
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Vancouver
8
Toronto
19
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
San Diego
15
New York
14
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Albany
11
Buffalo
10
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Rochester
16
Georgia
11
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Colorado
6
Saskatchewan
18
WK
2
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL
Las Vegas
11
Panther City
13
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
12
San Diego
13
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Toronto
7
Rochester
11
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Vancouver
9
Calgary
11
WK
3
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
5
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Panther City
9
Las Vegas
3
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Buffalo
11
Toronto
8
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Rochester
14
Albany
13
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Philadelphia
13
Georgia
12
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Halifax
20
New York
11
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Colorado
12
Panther City
9
WK
5
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
Halifax
13
Buffalo
18
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
San Diego
17
Calgary
14
Sat, Dec 31
FINAL
Panther City
9
Saskatchewan
11
WK
6
Fri, Jan 6
FINAL
Philadelphia
14
Las Vegas
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Panther City
9
Rochester
17
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Halifax
14
Albany
11
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Buffalo
18
Georgia
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Toronto
15
New York
7
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Calgary
8
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Vancouver
11
San Diego
16
WK
7
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Albany
11
Halifax
10
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
10
Colorado
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Halifax
8
Toronto
17
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Panther City
12
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Georgia
9
Buffalo
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
San Diego
10
Calgary
14
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Las Vegas
16
Vancouver
19
Sun, Jan 15
FINAL
Rochester
11
New York
8
WK
8
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Buffalo
12
Rochester
15
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
15
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
Toronto
14
Philadelphia
5
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
New York
16
Albany
10
WK
9
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Rochester
7
Halifax
17
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Buffalo
13
Philadelphia
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Buffalo
16
New York
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Las Vegas
10
Saskatchewan
15
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL/OT
Toronto
11
Calgary
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
San Diego
13
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Panther City
20
Vancouver
7
WK
10
Fri, Feb 3
FINAL
Georgia
10
Colorado
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL/OT
Calgary
12
Halifax
11
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
New York
14
Toronto
22
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Albany
5
Philadelphia
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Rochester
10
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Panther City
10
San Diego
12
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
14
Vancouver
8
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Colorado
8
Las Vegas
13
WK
11
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Toronto
11
Georgia
10
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
13
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Halifax
14
Rochester
16
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Albany
12
New York
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Vancouver
13
Panther City
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Colorado
9
Calgary
13
WK
12
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
9
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
16
San Diego
11
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Georgia
7
Toronto
16
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
Albany
10
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
12
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Colorado
7
Panther City
13
Sun, Feb 19
FINAL
New York
12
Halifax
13
WK
13
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Panther City
12
Colorado
14
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Calgary
9
Las Vegas
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL/OT
New York
10
Rochester
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Albany
4
Georgia
20
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Vancouver
16
Saskatchewan
12
WK
14
Fri, Mar 3
FINAL
Buffalo
10
Halifax
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
New York
12
Philadelphia
19
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
San Diego
15
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Rochester
8
Toronto
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL/OT
Georgia
9
Albany
8
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
10
Panther City
16
Mon, Mar 6
FINAL
Toronto
10
Philadelphia
11
WK
15
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL/OT
Halifax
9
Buffalo
10
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL
Calgary
16
Colorado
10
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Albany
6
Toronto
12
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Philadelphia
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
San Diego
12
Saskatchewan
11
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
5
Sun, Mar 12
FINAL
Rochester
19
Georgia
18
WK
16
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
11
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
San Diego
16
Vancouver
9
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Georgia
13
Philadelphia
12
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Toronto
12
Halifax
14
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Albany
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Colorado
13
Buffalo
8
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
8
Panther City
11
Sun, Mar 19
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
9
Rochester
8
WK
17
Fri, Mar 24
FINAL
San Diego
17
Panther City
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Toronto
11
Albany
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Halifax
14
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Georgia
13
New York
8
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Calgary
14
Saskatchewan
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL/OT
Buffalo
7
San Diego
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Colorado
12
Vancouver
14
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Rochester
7
Las Vegas
12
WK
18
Fri, Mar 31
19:00:00
New York
Georgia
Fri, Mar 31
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Colorado
Fri, Mar 31
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sat, Apr 1
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Apr 1
20:00:00
Albany
Panther City
Sat, Apr 1
21:30:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 2
13:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Sun, Apr 2
18:00:00
Rochester
Philadelphia
WK
19
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sat, Apr 8
22:30:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
WK
20
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Georgia
Albany
Sat, Apr 15
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 15
21:30:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 15
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
WK
21
Fri, Apr 21
20:30:00
Calgary
Panther City
Sat, Apr 22
18:00:00
New York
Halifax
Sat, Apr 22
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 22
21:30:00
Colorado
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 22
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Apr 23
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Albany
WK
22
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Halifax
Georgia
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 29
22:30:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
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Scores / Schedule
Game Previews

Rochester & Buffalo Rivarly Heats Up Saturday December 23

The Rochester Knighthawks (1-0) open up the 2017-18 edition of the Thruway Rivalry on Saturday December 23rd when they welcome the Buffalo Bandits (1-0) to the Blue Cross Arena at 7:30 pm ET. The Knighthawks return to action after a bye week following their home opener 17-6 over the Calgary Roughnecks. Meanwhile, the Bandits downed the Toronto Rock in their home opener 13-9.

 

This marks the first time the two teams meet in arguably the best rivalry in the NLL. While the fans and players alike always make these games fiery, this year might up the ante for a number of reasons. Both teams missed the playoffs last season, with the Bandits getting the first overall pick in the 2017 NLL Draft and Rochester right behind with the second pick. Both teams want to get back to the playoffs where they feel they belong and whoever gets to 2-0 after the final horn on Saturday gets an early leg up for that.

 

Yet even more immediate is that Billy Dee Smith, 15-year NLL veteran who played his entire career with the Bandits, will suit up for the first time in his career against his former team. Rochester took little time in adding Smith to their defensive corps, which was an easy decision for Smith.

 

“They definitely welcomed me with open arms,” said Smith after his first game in the purple and teal. “I’ve been battling with the guys it seems nine weeks now. So the first time was a little nerve-wracking, you know. Coming out here was a little easier than I would have expected. Ultimately, I’ve been battling against these guys for 15 years before joining the team. It’s one of those things, you play hard enough against somebody, you get mutual respect.

 

I’ve got a lot of friends on that team, on my team, so it was an easy decision to decide to come here. Vno being one of my best friends since we were kids. Cody (Jamieson) and Sid (Smith), my little brothers, been playing with them in Six Nations since they were down in Juniors.”

 

“Let’s just say I’m glad he’s on my side now,” said Joe Resetarits after the opener, who played with Smith as a Bandit before joining Rochester before the trade deadline in 2015. “Glad he’s put on the teal and purple now. But his presence, he’s been the scariest guy in the NLL ever since he’s been in here. Now the fact he came over here, and as you see tonight, he was a difference maker. He’s been the best defenseman in the world, and it showed tonight, even as his age goes on, he still gets better and better. Adding him, a guy like that with his leadership, he’s won championships. Adding that presence back there, that’s a confidence-booster for everybody.

 

For Resetarits, playing against the team he grew up rooting for is always a treat. Yet this game could be different for him as he could notch his 100th NLL goal against the Bandits.

 

“It’d feel good,” Resetarits said. “I honestly didn’t know it was that close until someone brought it up. It’d be good. It’s a bitter rivalry between the two teams, and any time you get to contribute against such a good team. It’ll be in my mind, obviously, but as long as we get that win at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. That’s a divisional game. We get these wins early, it’ll pay dividends at the end of the year.”

 

Adding Smith was not the only boost the Knighthawks received in their season opener. The return of 2014 NLL Most Valuable Player Cody Jamieson transformed the league’s worst offense from 2017. The lack of scoring (175 goals) was arguably the biggest reason Rochester missed the playoffs, and Jammer’s absence was unquestionably the biggest reason for the offensive struggles. With his return, the offense exploded for 17 goals, better than any game during 2017.

 

As for Buffalo, new goalie Alex Buque held the Rock to nine goals on 64 shots. They will depend on him to halt a suddenly-potent Rochester offense led by Dan Dawson who posted six points (3 + 3) during the season opener. However, Buque was quick to deflect praise following his Bandits debut.

 

“I have a great set of guys out there, a tough defense. They blocked shots for me when I needed it and they were able to pick some passes off and go the other way. We looked fast,” said Buque to NLL.com after Buffalo’s season opener. “I was able to see the ball all the way through, the team helped me see the ball.”

 

The Bandits defense not only helped out Buque when it came to keeping the ball out of Buffalo’s net but was able to help by putting the ball in the back of the Rock’s net. Nick Weiss put in two goals and Mark Steenhuis playing out the back door scored once as well.

 

Rochester will have to watch for that after surrendering goals to Roughnecks defenders and transition players in the opener. Without Matt Vinc’s stellar night in net (40 saves on 46 shots), Calgary could have notched even more goals in transition after generating a number of breakaways and odd-man chances.

 

This first matchup between the two bitter rivals, as Resetarits rightfully described them, comes so early in the season that neither team can be 100-percent sure how either team is going to perform. Yet when the Knighthawks welcome Buffalo to the Blue Cross Arena, it is always a show.

NLL