Around the National Lacrosse League for the games of the Division Final playoff round, 27-28 April 2007. (Summaries are based on best-available information and may be amended as necessary.)

Buffalo Bandits at Rochester Knighthawks
Friday, 8:05 PM - Blue Cross Arena
Info: Game Stats

John Grant scored 26 seconds into overtime, lifting the Knighthawks to a 14-13 comeback win over the Bandits.

Buffalo (11-7 / 1-1) quickly went ahead 2-0, on goals from Cory Bomberry and Brett Bucktooth, the Knighthawks swung the score around to a 5-3 advantage, the brothers Evans (Scott and Shawn) each tallying a goal and an assist in the run.

After the Bandits rallied to within 6-5 by the end of the first quarter, Kevin Dostie struck to tie the game. A Grant goal moments later was countered by three from the Bandits -- Mark Steenhuis, Bucktooth, and John Tavares -- resulting in a 9-7 halftime lead.

Scoreless for ten minutes to open the second half, Buffalo extended its lead to 11-8 at the start of the fourth quarter and 12-9 a minute and a half into the period.

That set up a tremendous rally for Rochester (16-2 / 2-0), which pumped out four straight goals to take a 13-12 lead -- Scott Evans twice, then Sandy Chapman and Mike Accursi.

Buffalo forced overtime on a Delby Powless goal at 13:17, but the sudden death period didn't last long; Grant struck 26 seconds in, on the Knighthawks' first shot of the extra frame.

Accursi finished as the game's top scorer, recording five goals and two assists for seven points. Tavares and Dostie each finished with five points for the Bandits, on two goals and three assists each.

Rochester, now up to fourteen consecutive victories, is slated to "host" the NLL Championship Game on Saturday, 12 May, but with Blue Cross Arena booked for the circus, the venue remains to be announced.

San Jose Stealth at Arizona Sting
Saturday, 10:30 PM - Jobing.com Arena
Info: Game Stats

Peter Veltman scored one Sting goal amidst a flood of Stealth tallies, but the goal held up just enough to advance Arizona to the NLL Championship Game, 9-7.

After Craig Conn and Luke Wiles swapped goals early in the opening six and a half minutes, the rest of the first half belonged to Arizona (11-7 / 2-0). Matt Brown and Brian Beisel scored by the end of the first quarter, then Curt Malawsky, Dan Dawson (twice) and Andy Secore chimed in for a one-sided 7-1 halftime lead.

San Jose (10-7 / 1-1) pulled closer in the third quarter, with Gary Rosyski scoring early and (following a Secore tally) Callum Crawford and Rosyski tacking on late-period goals, cutting the Sting's lead to 8-4.

Jeff Zywicki pulled the Stealth to within three goals, at 8-5, with a tally at 5:23, but when the score finally changed five minutes later, it was Veltman ratcheting the lead back up to four goals for the Sting.

Despite two late goals by Rosyski, San Jose couldn't get any closer than 9-7.

Rosyski led all scorers with seven points, on four goals and three assists; Colin Doyle wasn't far behind, dishing out six assists. Dawson (2 goals, 3 assists) and Conn (1 goal, 4 assists) led the Sting with five points each.