The Buffalo Bandits continued their strange win-loss pattern Saturday night, winning for the sixth time this season -- the fifth immediately a following a loss -- in a 12-10 decision over the Columbus Landsharks before a crowd of 3,874 at Nationwide Arena.

Buffalo, 6-5, has not won consecutive games nor has it lost consecutive games this season.

Landshark Kasey Biernes was the first to put the ball in the net, three minutes into the game then former Bandit Jaime Taylor, traded to Columbus earlier in the week, scored a power play goal to put the 'Sharks up 2-0. Ryan Powell soon replied for the Bandits, to make it a 2-1 game. New acquisition Roy Colsey tied the game at two with three and a half minutes left in the quarter. Taylor gave Columbus back the lead two seconds before the end of the period, when he scored a power play goal, and the Landsharks took a 3-2 lead into the second quarter.

John Tavares knotted the game at three when he scored his first of the night. Pat McCready put the Bandits up by a goal thirty seconds later, but Biernes added his second of the night to tie the game at four with over ten minutes remaining before intermission. Pat Maddalena gave the Bandits back a one-goal lead, but Columbus answered that with goals from Kyle Jamieson, Biernes, and Brent Rothfuss to claim a 7-5 lead.

Tavares scored his second of the night to bring the Bandits back to within a goal, at 7-6, with just over six minutes remaining before intermission. Gewas Schindler found the back of the net at the eleven-minute mark for Columbus and the Landsharks took an 8-6 lead to the locker room.

Pat McCready opened the third quarter scoring, cutting the Landsharks' lead to 8-7, then Tavares nailed his hat trick to knot the game once again at eight. Bill Greer scored a power play goal shortly after Buffalo’s Jamie Hackel was sent to the box for a delay of game penalty, to give Columbus back a one-goal lead again at 9-8 heading into the final stanza.

One minute and twenty seconds into the fourth quarter, Mike Accursi beat Landsharks goalie Mike Miron to tie the game yet again, and Colsey scored his second of the night to give the Bandits the lead for the last time at 10-9. Maddalena then added his second to give the Bandits their first two-goal lead of the night at 11-9 with ten and a half minutes left before the final whistle. Rothfuss scored the Landsharks last goal of the evening thirty seconds later to bring them back within a goal. Colsey bagged his hat trick at the twelve-minute mark to finish off the evening’s scoring, and secure the win for Buffalo at 12-10.

Tavares paced the Bandits scorers with three goals and three assists. Maddalena was close behind with two goals and two assists. Colsey, who was acquired from the New York Saints earlier in the week, scored three goals in his first game as a Bandit. Taylor led the Landsharks with two goals and two assists against his former team. Rothfuss also had two goals and two assists and Biernes had three goals.

Bandits goaltender Steve Dietrich played another stellar game, despite an emotional week. Dietrich was unable to make the trip to Columbus with the team because he had to attend his grandmother’s funeral in Ontario on Saturday. He didn’t arrive at the arena until about an hour before the game. On behalf of all of us at lacrosse-network.com, I’d like to send our deepest condolences to Steve and his family in their time of loss.

BOX SUMMARY
                                      1  2  3  4     TOT
Buffalo Bandits (6-5)                 2  4  2  4  --  12
Columbus Landsharks (4-7)             3  5  1  1  --  10

BUFFALO BANDITS               COLUMBUS LANDSHARKS
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
Tavares        3 - 3     6    Rothfuss       2 - 2     4
Maddelena      2 - 2     4    Taylor         2 - 2     4
Colsey         3 - 0     3    Beirnes        3 - 0     3
Accursi        1 - 2     3    Schindler      1 - 2     3
McCready       2 - 0     2    Greer          1 - 0     1
Langdale       0 - 2     2    Jamieson       1 - 0     1
Powell         1 - 0     1    Church         0 - 1     1
Couling        0 - 1     1    N Powless      0 - 1     1
Howard         0 - 1     1    D Suddons      0 - 1     1
R Kilgour      0 - 1     1    
Seller         0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           56    Shots on goal           47
Saves made by (GA)      37    Saves made by (GA)      44
   Dietrich (10)     37          Miron (11)        32
                                 Levis (1)         12
Penalties               NA    Penalties               NA
Penalty Minutes         NA    Penalty Minutes         NA
Power Play Chances       4    Power Play Chances       4
Power Play Goals         2    Power Play Goals         1
   Colsey             1          Greer              1
   Tavares            1
Shorthanded Goals        0    Shorthanded Goals        0
Loose Balls             85    Loose Balls             81
   Accursi           12          D Suddons         10
   Tavares           12          Cousins            9
   McCready          11          Floris             8
Faceoffs Won             9    Faceoffs Won            16
   Accursi      ( 8-13)          Cousins      (10- 4)
   Langdale     ( 1- 3)          D Suddons    ( 6- 4)
                                 Jamieson     ( 0- 1)

 *** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH COLUMBUS 'SHARKS ***