It was a "tale of two games" when the Buffalo Bandits met the New York Saints on Saturday night. Buffalo grabbed a large lead, then watched it evaporate before going on a late tear to win, 21-16, at Nassau Coliseum.

The Saints started quickly, giving the home crowd of 7,628 a glimmer of hope when Steve Sombrotto whipped an over-the-shoulder backhander past Buffalo goaltender Matt Disher to score the game's first goal. But the Bandits came to play this evening, netting the next four goals and setting the tone of the first half. Although the Saints appeared to have an early determined jump, most recognizable by their hard and occasionally chippy defensive play, New York goaltender Gord "Gee" Nash had difficulty handling any shots that were not from in close. Buffalo's Chris Prat scored on a "cheap trickler" through Nash's pads, after he made the initial save. Nash appeared to have righted himself, making many dazzling saves from close range, only to be victimized by John Tavares, who took a "hail mary" shot from just inside the center line and putting it in the net.

Roy Colsey led the Saints attack all night, centering nearly all of New York's offensive attacks, and was rewarded with a nine-point game, scoring three goals and six assists. The Saints, however, continued to be burned by the long breakout, when Mike Accursi, who was named the game MVP and who finished with five goals, took a home-run pass from Buffalo's Matt Disher, broke in all alone on Nash and put it over the glove side shoulder of the New York goaltender.

The contest was a feisty affair with a number of fights breaking out. With five minutes to go in the first half, Darren Lowe and D'Arcy Sweet squared off and battled in a very even contest. It appeared that Buffalo became energized after this, with New York's defensive effort breaking down, allowing far too many breakaways, and the Bandits all too willing to capitalize on them. The half ended with Buffalo leading by a score of 10-5.

When Derek Malawsky opened the second half with a straight shot from center field that Nash never moved on, it was clear that a goaltending change was soon to be made. Chris Levis came on and immediately sparked the Saints to an inspired comeback. New York's Brian Langtry scored on a nice solo effort, but it would be his next move that would truly inspire the Saints. Immediately following his goal, Buffalo's Andy Ogilvie picked a fight with Langtry and the two went at it in a no-holds-barred style. With officials trying to pull them apart, Ogilvie lost control of himself, and was given an extra penalty for a face mask violation and was ejected from the game. The Saints scored two goals on the ensuing five-minute powerplay, during a seven-goal outburst that brought the game to 13-12 in favor of Buffalo.

That was all for starting goaltender Matt Disher at this point, as Marty O'Neill came on to relieve him. The scoring alternated at this point, but New York evened the score at fourteen and then again at fifteen, before Buffalo finally pulled away in the game's final five minutes.

New York finishes up their season next Friday against the visiting Rochester Knighthawks, while Buffalo host Philadelphia next Saturday night.

BOX SUMMARY
                                  1  2  3  4     TOT
Buffalo Bandits (6-3)             6  4  4  7  --  21
New York Saints (3-8)             3  2  7  4  --  16

BUFFALO BANDITS               NEW YORK SAINTS
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
D Malawsky     3 - 3     6    Colsey         3 - 6     9
Accursi        5 - 0     5    Panetta        4 - 2     6
Williams       5 - 0     5    Frye           3 - 3     6
Sweet          2 - 2     4    Sombrotto      4 - 0     4
Maddalena      2 - 1     3    Derks          1 - 2     3
Prat           2 - 1     3    D Lowe         0 - 3     3
Tavares        1 - 2     3    Langtry        1 - 0     1
R Kilgour      0 - 2     2    Schindler      0 - 1     1
Seller         0 - 2     2
Couling        1 - 0     1
Ogilvie        0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           55    Shots on goal           61
Saves made by           45    Saves made by           49
   Disher            40          Nash              33
   O'Neill            9          Levis             12
Penalties                9    Penalties                5
Penalty Minutes         27    Penalty Minutes         16
Power Play Chances       2    Power Play Chances       6
Power Play Goals         2    Power Play Goals         6
Faceoffs Won            22    Faceoffs Won            18
   Stevenson    (21-18)          Langton      (13-21)
   R Kilgour    ( 1- 0)          Derks        ( 5- 1)
Loose Balls             73    Loose Balls             63
   Disher            12          Naglieri          10
   Driscoll          12          Colsey             7
   Maddalena          8          B Miller           7

*** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH NEW YORK SAINTS ***