Jr. Bandits BLL Takes Over KeyBank Center for a Special Morning of Lacrosse

The Jr. Bandits BLL delivered a full day of excitement as teams took the floor at KeyBank Center, creating a memorable showcase of youth lacrosse on the same turf as the Buffalo Bandits. With family and friends filling the stands, players rose to the occasion with dramatic finishes, standout individual performances, and playoff implications across both the Grade 5/6 and Grade 7/8 divisions. From shootout heroics in the morning to high-powered offensive displays in the afternoon, it was a day that captured everything special about the Jr. Bandits experience.

Grade 5/6 Buffaloes Defeat Blizzard 7–6 (Shootout)

The opening game of the morning lived up to the stage, as two evenly matched teams traded goals from start to finish. Kaleb Carnes opened the scoring for the Blizzard, but Nash Geier answered moments later with the Buffaloes’ first tally. Neither team held more than a one-goal lead at any point in regulation.

The Blizzard regained the advantage late in the third period behind a three-goal performance from Evan Boorman, but the Buffaloes refused to go quietly. With under a minute remaining, Brayden Hockwater buried the game-tying goal to force a shootout. Buffaloes goaltending stood tall in the skills competition, stopping every Blizzard attempt, while Jamison Barth netted the lone shootout goal to seal a 7–6 win in front of nearly 200 fans at KeyBank Center.

Grade 5/6 Stampede Defeat Rapids 7–4

The second game of the morning featured another competitive contest, with the Stampede coming out on top of the Rapids. The Stampede jumped out to an early 3–0 lead thanks to two goals from Rex McComber and one from Thomas Scanlan, but the Rapids responded with a natural hat trick from Easton Carpenter to even the score.

The third period belonged to the Stampede, as they rattled off four unanswered goals to put the game away. McComber added another, Lucas Stolzenberg scored twice, and Douglas Zapp found the back of the net to complete the run. Caiden Scully scored the lone third-period goal for the Rapids. Between the pipes, Raylon Hill returned to action and earned the win with 15 saves on 19 shots.

What’s Next: Grade 5/6 Division Semifinals

The Grade 5/6 Division now turns its attention to the semifinals on February 9th. The top-seeded Rapids will face the Buffaloes at 5:00 PM in a highly anticipated matchup. While the Rapids swept the season series 2–0, the Buffaloes’ offense has hit its stride in recent weeks. Combined with strong goaltending from George Jeffrey and Oliver Gross, could a fourth-seed upset be brewing?

The second semifinal features the Stampede taking on the Blizzard in what many are calling the tightest 2-vs-3 matchup in Jr. Bandits BLL history. The teams split their regular-season meetings, with each game decided by a single goal. Stampede leading scorer Rex McComber will look to outduel Blizzard standout Evan Boorman as both teams chase a spot in the Jr. Bandits BLL Championship game.

Grade 7/8 Glaciers Defeat Stealth 12–6

The first Grade 7/8 Division matchup of the afternoon saw the Glaciers put together a strong performance to defeat the Stealth 12–6. The teams skated through a competitive first period tied at three, but the Glaciers seized control early in the second, scoring four straight goals and never looking back.

The Glaciers offense was led by Hudson Ekberg, who posted a five-point afternoon with three goals and two assists. Dominik Olmstead, Kayden Intihar, and Evan Rizzo each added two goals to round out a balanced scoring effort. Between the pipes, Ryder Bauer turned aside 17 of 23 shots to earn his first win of the season.

The Stealth were paced offensively by Bryce Burke (1G, 2A), Patrick Babcock (2G), and Harlen Mt. Pleasant (2G), but were unable to slow the Glaciers’ second-period surge.

Grade 7/8 Division Pythons Defeat Thunderhawks

The Pythons closed out the regular season in dominant fashion, remaining undefeated with a 12–7 victory over the Thunderhawks at KeyBank Center. The game stayed tight into the third period, with the score sitting at 8–7 just five minutes in, but the Pythons’ offense proved too much down the stretch as they rattled off the game’s final four goals to pull away.

Both teams saw big individual performances, as Dominick Velardo poured in five goals for the Thunderhawks, matching the five-goal effort from Kyle Madden for the Pythons. Evin Sweeny added a hat trick, while Gavin Gajkowski chipped in two goals to round out the Pythons’ scoring attack. Between the pipes, Robert Gaston turned aside 16 of 23 shots to earn his fourth win of the season.

What’s Next: Grade 7/8 Division Semifinals

Coming off their first win of the season, the Glaciers now turn their attention to a daunting first-round playoff matchup against the undefeated Pythons. It’s no easy task for a Glaciers squad that finished the regular season scoring the fewest goals in the league while allowing the most, but confidence is soaring at the right time. Coaches Ron John and Ian MacKay will have their group prepared as they look to pull off a major upset.

The 6–0 Pythons have cruised through the season behind the dual-threat scoring of Kyle Madden and Evin Sweeny, who have combined for 42 goals. Slowing that duo will be a major test for the Glaciers defense. Offensively, the Glaciers will lean on Hudson Ekberg, who has emerged as a consistent threat, netting 14 of the team’s 30 regular-season goals.

In the second Grade 7/8 semifinal matchup, the Stealth and Thunderhawks will battle for a spot in the championship game. The Thunderhawks enter the postseason boasting the league’s stingiest defense, allowing just 36 goals, while also leading the league offensively with 66 goals—outpacing even the undefeated Pythons.

The Stealth offense will be led by Anthony Rebmann, Harlen Mt. Pleasant, and Gionni Todaro, who will look to crack a disciplined Thunderhawks defense and strong goaltending tandem. T-Hawks netminders Daniel Farnham and Cameron Crow will aim to shut the door as they try to backstop their team to a championship appearance.

The Grade 7/8 semifinal action gets underway at 7:00 PM on Monday night at Epic Center.