John Tavares scored two fourth-quarter goals Friday night as the Buffalo Bandits rallied for an 11-9 victory over the Rochester Knighthawks.

A crowd of 10,014 filled the HSBC Arena to watch the battle of the second place teams, with the winner having a shot at clinching a playoff berth this weekend.

Buffalo started off strong in the first quarter. Rookie Delby Powless netted the first goal just 44 seconds into the contest, and after Scott Evans tied the game four minutes later, Mark Steenhuis and Rich Kilgour scored to finish off the first quarter at a 3-1 home advantage.

The second quarter was just the opposite team, as Ken Millin and Evans each found the back of the net to tie the game at three. Tom Montour briefly put the Bandits back in the lead, but John Grant’s goal with two minutes left in the half tied the game, 4-4.

Barely more than a minute out of the break, Ryan O’Connor gave the Knighthawks the lead again, but Dan Teat knotted the score again three minutes later.

Powless scored a minute later for a 6-5 Bandits lead, but it was brief. Mat Giles soon got the game evened up yet again, then Millin and Giles scored for an 8-6 Rochester lead going into the final stanza.

Tavares, who had been quiet all night, netted the first two goals of the fourth quarter, tying the game for the last time. With eleven minutes left to play, A.J. Shannon gave the Bandits a lead they would not relinquish.

Teat increased the margin to 10-8 with four minutes to play, but Grant pulled Rochester back within one with 47 seconds left to play.

Steenhuis secured the victory by scoring an empty net goal with twelve seconds remaining.

Steenhuis, Tavares and Powless each tallied two goals and two assists, while Teat added two goals and one helper.

Evans led the Knighthawks with two goals and five assists for seven points, with Grant, Giles, and Millin also tallying two goals.

Steve Dietrich put in another stellar performance in goal for the Bandits, stopping 40 of 49 shots faced and earning Player of the Game honors. Rochester goalie Pat O’Toole stopped 27 of 37 shots in a losing effort.

The Bandits are now 9-5 and will clinch a playoff berth if Toronto defeats Philadelphia tomorrow. Rochester falls to 8-6.