Vancouver Warriors Defeat Three-time Reigning Champions the Buffalo Bandits

JEN FIELD/GATG

After a game on the road, the Vancouver Warriors were back at Rogers Arena on February 20, to take on the three-time defending National Lacrosse League Champions, the Buffalo Bandits. 

In their first meeting since the Bandits eliminated the Warriors from last year's playoffs, it was the Warriors that came out victorious in this back-and-forth, 11-9 game.

The Bandits opened the scoring, but the lead did not last long as Jesse King from the Warriors tied it 10 seconds later. This opened the flood gates as the Warriors scored the next four to take a 5-1 lead.

It was the Bandits who went on the next scoring streak as they came back to tie it, then take a 7-5 lead in the span of four and a half minutes.

Before the half was up, Curtis Dickson scored on the powerplay to get the Warriors within one.

The Warriors came out strong in the third quarter. They kept the Bandits off the scoresheet and re-took the lead, 10-7.

With a quarter left to play, the Bandits made a late push getting within one of the Warriors. The home team held on and Dickson scored his fourth of the game with 13 second left to take an 11-9 win.

Up next, the Warriors hit the road for a double-header. They face the Las Vegas Desert Dogs on February 27 and then the San Diego Seals on March 1. They return to Rogers Arena on March 6 to face the Toronto Rock for their Women in Sports Night.