NLL playoffs: Toronto Rock gets pounded by Buffalo Bandits

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BUFFALO – The playoff version of the Buffalo Bandits showed up on Friday. And that is a huge problem for the Toronto Rock.

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Matt Vinc was stellar in goal with a 52-save performance and the Bandits’ defence gave virtually nothing in embarrassing its QEW rival in a 14-5 win at KeyBank Center. And facing the end of its season at First Ontario Centre on Saturday in game two of the NLL East final, the Rock will have to find a way to create a complete 180-degree turnaround and solve a team that looks laser-focused to finally win a league championship after losing the last two NLL finals.

“We need a short memory,” Rock head coach Matt Sawyer said. “This will really tell you what we’re all about.”
“Nobody feels good about that performance and now we’re less than 24 hours away from a game where if we don’t win, our season is over.”

In particular, the Rock need to improve the power play, which had several opportunities in the first half but was no real threat, and will need to be a lot busier offensively around Vinc. Goaltender Nick Rose will also have to shake off an unusually horrible night, one where the Bandits were very sharp on the offensive end, getting several good looks and making the most of them.

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“It was one game. It’s a bad game start to finish,” Sawyer said. “Nick’s a good goaltender and I’m sure he’ll have his best game of the season (Saturday)”

“We definitely left him out to dry. I wouldn’t put that all on Nick,” defender Brad Kri said. “I’ve never seen him have two bad games in a row so he’s going to be at his best as will the rest of the group.”

The Bandits led from the 30-second mark when Josh Byrne scored on a long shot. Byrne would score five on the night. Tehoka Nanticoke scored twice as did Chase Fraser. Justin Robinson and Kyle Buchanan scored one each as did Ian MacKay. MacKay’s goal was a microcosm of the night for both the Bandits and Rock as he stole the ball from Zach Manns in his own zone and went right down the floor on a breakaway to beat Rose. Dhane Smith finished with eight assists

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Challen Rogers led the Rock with three first-half goals. Tom Schreiber, who was placed on the active roster just hours before the game after missing the Rock’s division semi-final win over the Halifax Thunderbirds scored twice including the team’s only goal of the second half.

Troy Holowchuk, who has enjoyed some time in the Toronto goal at the end of blowout wins throughout the season, was tasked with cleanup duty after Rose gave up 11 goals in 28 shots over the first 36 minutes. Holowchuk conceded three goals in the final 23 minutes.

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