I watched this game on NLL.com after plugging my laptop into my new plasma TV. I was surprisingly impressed with the picture quality, so major kudos to the NLL for supplying fans with a free way to watch every game.
Minnesota came in to this game a surprising 3-1, including two wins against the defending champion Washington Stealth. The Swarm's one loss was in overtime, so they were a goal away from being undefeated, and their confidence was high. The Bandits, on the other hand, came back to the HSBC Arena having been shut down by the Rock last weekend in Toronto. Their offense had something to prove, and prove it they did, scoring 15 goals. John Tavares, who the Bandits TV announcer called "the ageless wonder", scored two, giving him 699 for his career, and added six assists. Steenhuis and Culp both has hattricks for the Bandits, while Ryan Benesch continued putting up great numbers with three goals and four helpers. Tracey Kelusky did not have a great game, only picking up a single assist though not for lack of trying – Kelusky had 12 shots on net; only one other player had more than six.
As a Rock fan, I had no real rooting interest in this game. Well, I suppose I wanted Minnesota to win (or more accurately, I wanted Buffalo to lose) only because it's good for the Rock. So I figured any game report I gave would be mostly unbiased. But rather than actually writing stuff (i.e. doing actual work), I thought it would be a little different to summarize the game by listing some tweets that showed up during the game. I've removed most of the hashtags.
@GraemePerrow: Finding it hard to take the Swarm seriously in those uniforms
@BanditsBeat: Tavares scores his 698th career goal to give the Bandits a 1-0 lead
@apmckay: mearnsy really has to stop calling everyone Nicky and Chaddy.
@BanditsBeat: The Bandits' Brandon Francis drops the gloves with Minnesota's Rory Smith
@mattbova: Brand new Bandit James Purves is making his mark... on Sean Pollock's face
@apmckay: 3/5ths of the Swarm's PP is former Shamrox. #nowondertheysuck
@mattbova: Question of the day: Can the Bandits keep up this intensity for another 45 minutes of play?
@CurtisDickson17: Just watched 5 minutes of meet the browns, 5 minutes of my life I will never get back [GP: obviously Calgary rookie Dickson was not watching this game]
@NLLBandits: Travis Irving goes to town on the Swarms Andrew Suitor as they square off
@BanditsBeat: Traving Irving, Bandits No. 1 pick in 2010 draft, looks for a fight and finds a suitor, Andrew Suitor to be exact
@BanditsBeat: Bandits chase Swarm goalie Patterson, take 7-2 lead on Chad Culp's 3rd goal
@GraemePerrow: Nice goal by Culp from a great pass by Tavares. Mark my words, that Tavares guy's going to be someone in this league someday.
@mattbova: At the half it's Buffalo 8, Minnesota 4
@mattbova: Rich Morgan with a stinger past Mike Thompson makes it 5 for the Swarm #BadBeePuns
@mattbova: Official attendance here at the HSBC Arena? No joke: 15,001. Whoever that 1 is deserves to win something.
@Minnesota_Swarm: F Andrew Watt scores and brings the Swarm within three. The Bandits quickly counter with a goal and lead 11-7.
@NLLBandits: Frank Resetarits puts home his first of the night, 12-7
@buffalobandits: Sean Pollock scores for Minnesota after Steenhuis' goal was overturned
@Minnesota_Swarm: F Sean Pollock posts his second goal of the night, tying the all-time record for most points scored by a Minnesota Swarm player with 310.
@apmckay: Who is Tim Campineau and why does Gurtler keep saying his name? #Readthegamesheet
@BanditsBeat: Benech's scores his third on a one-hopper off the turf, 13-9 early in the 4th
@GeoffSnider4: Bre Carnegie drinking Scottys drink. What is this Vegas? [GP: the Calgary guys really aren't interested in this game, are they?]
@buffalobandits: 7 minutes to go in the 4th! 14-10! Anything can happen!
@apmckay: Speaking of "losing focus", Mearns just talked over 2 goals while obsessing over whether people were obsessing about Tavares' next goal.
@BanditsBeat: 15-12 as the Swarm score with the empty-net, still down 3 with 1 min left
@NLLBandits: The Buffalo #NLLBandits knock off the Minnesota Swarm by a score of 15-12 to move to 3-2 on the season
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