The Northland Nissan Assault will try to even their series against the BX Pub Bandits tonight (8 p.m.) at Kin 1 in Prince George senior lacrosse league playoff action.
The Bandits hold a 1-0 best-of-five semifinal series edge after they clobbered the Assault 16-7 in Game 1 on July 2.
Damon Calfa had eight goals and three assists for the third-seeded Bandits in the win over the second-seeded Assault.
Bandits opened up a 5-1 advantage after the first period and added five second period goals to take a 10-3 lead into the final 20 minutes.
Calfa scored a pair of short-handed goals 40 seconds apart late in the second period to give the Bandits a 9-3 lead.
Drew Doig added his fourth goal of the game when he took a pass from Ryan Waddington as his double minor for back-checking expired with 21 seconds left in the period. Doig finished the game with five goals and an assist.
Both goaltenders - Liam Miller for the Bandits and Russel Mills of the Assault - each made 40 saves. Miller tallied three assists for the Bandits and was named star of the game.
"When he first started, [Miller] had never played on bigger nets, and he's progressed so much since the season started, it's awesome," said Doig. "It's good to start off with a win, hopefully we can keep the tone going for the rest of the series."
The Assault dressed only nine players, plus a goalie, compared to the 13 players and one goaltender the Bandits had.
Josh Kelly led the Assault with a goal and three assists. Craig Dunfield tallied a pair of goals.
Game 2 of the other semifinal between the Westwood Pub Devils and the Cowboy Ranch/Regional Security Stylers is Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Kin 1.
The top-seeded Devils who finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record, trounced the Stylers 22-4 in Game 1 Thursday to take a 1-0 series lead.
Brandon Daychief opened the scoring to give the Stylers an early 1-0 lead which lasted all of 74 seconds when the Devils tied the game and then went ahead for good.
The Devils were led by regular season scoring champion Cameron Braun with six goals and three assists and Danton Nicholson with four goals and two assists.
Andrew Sevill, a 17-year-old rookie, tallied two goals and an assist.
"We just have to keep up the intensity and try to play the game that good again," said Sevill about Tuesday's game.
Devils led 14-3 after the first period and 19-4 after 40 minutes.
Devils netminder Steven Brizan made 15 saves for the win who was helped by defensive-minded Tyrone Yee in limiting the Stylers scoring chances.
Kyle Wilson began the game in net for the Stylers, but after giving up the 16th goal to the Devils early in the second period, he was replaced by Ray Masson. The Stylers tandem made 29 stops - including 15 by Masson.
"The last game I played against these guys it was 24-5 so it was pretty much a public humiliation, but you can't quit until the season's over so you've just got to come out and do whatever you can," said Masson.
