Losing at home is usually costly to a first-place team in the Lacrosse-Network.com Experts Poll.

Losing by six goals and losing to a sub-.500 team makes it particularly expensive.

Just ask the Buffalo Bandits, whose 14-8 loss to Philadelphia last weekend cost them their unprecedented perfect 90-point ranking and ended their four-week run at number one.

Buffalo's stunning loss, combined with its own big win over Rochester on Friday, launched Toronto to the top of the table for the first time since in six weeks. The Rock gained nine points over last week's score, finishing with 86 points and six first-place votes.

The Bandits slipped to second in the poll, with 81 points. Three of the Experts continue to rank Buffalo as the top team despite the loss to Philadelphia. Coincidentally, the Bandits visit Toronto this Friday.

Colorado, the only team other than Buffalo or Toronto to hold the top spot this season, continues in third place, at 74 points, ten more than fourth-place Calgary.

Rochester remains in fifth, well behind Calgary at 52 points -- but far ahead of anyone in the bottom half of the rankings.

Sixth-place Arizona is a long way back at 39 points, but is now ahead of San Jose by a single point (a surprising development, considering that Colorado just delivered the Stealth a 14-8 beating and that the Sting was idle last week). Philadelphia is hot in pursuit, with 34 points.

Minnesota (16 points) and Anaheim (11 points) again occupy the last two spots, with the same point totals as last week.

Our panel of nine experts includes a wide range of top lacrosse minds, including Outsider's Guide writers, players, and coaches. Scoring is on a 10-9-8-etc. basis, so that the maximum score a team can earn is 90 points and the minimum is nine points.

The complete rankings from this week's Experts Poll, with comments (win-loss record through Sunday is in parentheses):

WEEK NINE                                       Pts  Prv
 1. Toronto Rock (5-2)                           86    2
    Solid, Sanderson-style win vs. ROC
 2. Buffalo Bandits (5-3)                        81    1
    Shocked by PHI; did it wake 'em up?
 3. Colorado Mammoth (5-3)                       74    3
    Many questions, not enough answers yet
 4. Calgary Roughnecks (5-3)                     64    4
    Brutal schedule awaits the Riggers
 5. Rochester Knighthawks (5-4)                  52    5
    Turning into a one-man show
 6. Arizona Sting (4-4)                          39    6
    Still playing too close for comfort
 7. San Jose Stealth (3-5)                       38    7
    Slumping 'O' about to get reinforcements?
 8. Philadelphia Wings (4-5)                     34    8
    Next FIVE games are at home
 9. Minnesota Swarm (2-6)                        16    9
    No ASG on TV? What a mess for newest team
10. Anaheim Storm (2-5)                          11   10
    Next six vs. COL, TOR and SJ. Yikes!