Orlin & Cohen Postgame Report: Riptide Fall to Bandits 11-10

The New York Riptide suffered a heartbreaking 11-10 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bandits on Saturday night at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo. Cameron Dunkerley made 47 saves for New York, while Jeff Teat led the team with 6 points and 10 loose balls.

New York took an early lead off a transition goal from Scott Dominey, and then Teat doubled it with his 50th goal of the season, beating Matt Vinc while being spun to the ground, before Buffalo tied the game on goals from Kyle Buchanan and Ian MacKay, and the first quarter ended with the teams even at 2.

The teams traded goals in the middle frame, with a Dominey goal being followed by a Dhane Smith power play tally, and a patented Larson Sundown dunk was answered by Chase Fraser, before Teat got his second of the day after intercepting a Bandits pass and then playing a give and go with Connor Kearnan and finding the net to give New York a 5-4 halftime lead.

The third quarter was similar to the second in that it remained a back and forth, defensive affair with Tyler Digby getting a power play goal and Buchanan scoring for Buffalo, followed by Mike Burke and Buchanan scoring on consecutive possessions before Smith tied the game with less than a minute to go. However, Digby restored the New York lead with just 13.6 seconds in the quarter, and the Riptide led 8-7 going into the fourth quarter.

Connor Kearnan got his first goal of the day to start the final frame, finishing in tight off a feed from Teat. Josh Byrne got it back for the Bandits, however Burke responded with a transition goal. Byrne once again answered for Buffalo, and Smith tied the game with 28.8 seconds left to send the game to overtime with the teams tied at 10, and then Byrne won the game in overtime.

The Riptide return next Saturday, April 22 for their penultimate game of the season against the Halifax Thunderbirds, with opening faceoff scheduled for 6 PM Eastern at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, NS. The game will be available to watch on ESPN+, and listen to on WRHU 88.7 FM, WRHU.org and the WRHU iPhone App. Live stats and periodic in-game updates will be available via Twitter @ NewYorkRiptide.