Orlin & Cohen Postgame Report: Riptide Defeated In Overtime By Buffalo

Uniondale, NY – Callum Crawford scored 11 points on three goals and eight assists, and Jeff Teat scored 10 points on three goals and seven assists, but the New York Riptide (1-5) were defeated 18-17 in overtime by the Buffalo Bandits (5-0) at Nassau Coliseum Sunday afternoon.

With his first of the three goals, Crawford became the 16^th player in NLL history to score 400 career goals. Transition player Jay Thorimbert moved into fifth place on the NLL all-time loose balls list and finished with 13 on the night.

“In the first half, I felt like we were playing two teams: we were playing the Buffalo Bandits and we were playing ourselves,” Riptide head coach Dan Ladouceur said. “So, I challenged the team at halftime, very calmly, and just pointed it out. And they knew, and the response I thought it was unbelievable again.”

The team is opened up the game by trading three goals each, with Jake Fox, Larson Sundown, and Kieran McArdle scoring for the Riptide, and McArdle’s being shorthanded. After the Bandits rallied off three straight goals to go ahead 6-3, Teat scored his first of the game on a bouncer that slithered through two Buffalo defenders and the goalie.

While it was Buffalo who scored the end the first quarter, it was McArdle who would start off the second quarter with a goal on the power play to cut the Buffalo lead to 7-5. The bandit would score another three straight goals before Crawford scored the 400^th goal of his career to stop the run and send the Riptide into halftime down just four.

In the third quarter, the Riptide outscored the Bandits 5-4 on goals from Tyson Gibson, Teat, Crawford, Fox, and Sundown to cut the Buffalo lead to 14-11.

In the fourth, the Riptide scored six straight goals to go up 17-14 with tallies from Fox, Crawford, Thorimbert, Sundown, Kearnan, and Teat. Buffalo rallied back with three straight goals of their own, with the final one coming with just 22 seconds left in the game, to send the game to overtime.

In overtime, Chris Cloutier scored the game winner 1:11 into the period to give Buffalo the victory.

With the Riptide holding Heroes Night, the team wore alternate healthcare heroes uniforms in partnership with Orlin & Cohen to honor the unwavering commitment and heroic care given by healthcare workers nationwide to individuals impacted by COVID-19. Game worn jerseys are being auctioned off with the proceeds benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Head to NewYorkRiptide.com/auctions for details.

With a few days off, the Riptide will head to Hamilton, ON to take on the Halifax Thunderbirds next weekend on Friday, February 4, at 7:00pm ET at FirstOntario Centre. Be sure to tune in to ESPN+ on television and WRHU Radio Hofstra University on the radio and web for coverage and follow @NewYorkRiptide on social media for updates.