If this how the Buffalo Bandits are going to perform on bad-weather days then let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

The Bandits played their finest game of the National Lacrosse League season by far Friday night at Marine Midland Arena, chilling their long-time nemesis Rochester Knighthawks, 18-14.

"Rochester is a good team and we handled them right from the opening faceoff," said Buffalo's Shaydon Santos. "It's the best game we've played in three years since I've been here."

It was the third straight home win for the Bandits and came before an announced crowd of 7,393 that looked more like 5,000. Those who stayed home because of the wet snow and threat of more nasty weather missed seeing the Bandits (3-2) move past the Knighthawks (3-3) and Pittsburgh CrosseFire (3-3) into third place.

Buffalo had lost five of seven previous home games against Rochester and eight of 12 overall. The Knighthawks had been allowing just 11 goals per game, the second-lowest figure in the league.

The Bandits can bury those stats in the nearest snowbank now.

Captain Mike Accursi had five goals and three assists, Chris Prat added four goals and an assist and John Tavares finished with two goals and six assists. But the defense was most impressive.

"Our defense was just so solid tonight," said Bandits goaltender Matt Disher. "We ran the 30-second shot clock out on them four or five times tonight. How often does that happen to Rochester?"

Disher was brilliant as well, especially in the second half when Rochester was pressing to get back into the game, and made 48 saves.

"They played defense well, Disher played out of his head and it was just frustrating for us," said Knighthawks captain Randy Mearns. "Buffalo beat us to loose balls and did all the little things they needed to win... Nobody's gonna take these guys lightly."

Defensive specialists Santos, Kyle Couling and Andy Ogilvie effectively neutralized the Knighthawks' high-scoring duo of John Grant Jr. and Casey Powell.

"John Grant is a great player but if you put someone in his jock all night it's tough to produce," said Bandits forward Rich Kilgour.

Grant and Cory Bomberry had three goals apiece, Powell one.

"I'd have to go back to 1996 to come up with a better defensive effort," said Bandits coach Ted Sawicki. "...There were times they were using up the shot clock over and over and that's nothing but hard work from our guys."

"I think it was a turnaround game," Tavares said. "Our team motto is 'we're money' and we didn't even know it ourselves. Sometimes I think we don't even know how good we are."

The Bandits took command with an 8-1 run that started late in the first quarter and extended into the third. D'Arcy Sweet and Prat both scored twice during that stretch, which provided an 11-5 lead. After Rochester clawed within 13-9, the Bandits scored the first three goals of the final quarter in 4 minutes, 26 seconds to bolt in front, 16-9.

"Getting up in the fourth quarter seemed to get them out of their game plan," Prat said. "They tried to press us more and it didn't work. That caused us to get some fast-break chances and we were able to up our lead. They tried to force the issue and that's not their game."

Said Knighthawks coach Paul Day: "It was a very individual game on our part, and that's what happens when you play a one-on-one individual game."

The Bandits face the defending champion Toronto Rock at 4:00 PM next Saturday at Maple Leaf Gardens. A win would allow the Bandits to match last year's total.

BOX SUMMARY
                                  1  2  3  4     TOT
Rochester Knighthawks (3-3)       4  1  4  5  --  14
Buffalo Bandits (3-2)             4  5  4  5  --  18

ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS         BUFFALO BANDITS
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
Co Bomberry    3 - 1     4    Accursi        5 - 3     8
Grant          3 - 1     4    Tavares        2 - 6     8
Soudan         2 - 2     4    Prat           4 - 1     5
D Jacobs       1 - 3     4    D Malawsky     1 - 3     4
Hasen          0 - 3     3    Driscoll       1 - 2     3
C Malawsky     2 - 0     2    Sweet          2 - 0     2
Hollenbeck     1 - 1     2    Couling        1 - 1     2
Teat           1 - 1     2    Maddelena      1 - 1     2
McCready       0 - 2     2    Ogilvie        1 - 1     2
Mearns         0 - 2     2    Hochstadt      0 - 2     2
Powell         1 - 0     1    R Kilgour      0 - 2     2
Kruger         0 - 1     1    Santos         0 - 1     1
Zaph           0 - 1     1    Stevenson      0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           62    Shots on goal           54
Saves made by           36    Saves made by           48
   Dietrich          19          Disher            48
   O'Toole           17
Penalties               10    Penalties                8
Penalty Minutes         23    Penalty Minutes         19
Power Play Chances      10    Power Play Chances       6
Power Play Goals         4    Power Play Goals         5
Faceoffs Won            16    Faceoffs Won            20
Loose Balls            121    Loose Balls            110

*** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH BUFFALO NEWS ***

Thanks to LaxBandit for providing the official game stats.