Calgary will be hoping for a deep hole after the Roughnecks' playoff loss at Buffalo

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If you're a Calgary Roughnecks fan, say a prayer on Sunday.

They'll need any help they can get ahead of a National Lacrosse League matinee featuring the Albany FireWolves and Panther City Lacrosse Club.

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After Saturday night's elimination at New York State, the Roughnecks' best hope to reach the NLL playoffs starts with a loss to Panther City on Sunday.

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“We need help, so to speak,” Roughnecks GM Mike Borth said after his team's 14-7 loss to the host Buffalo Bandits.

“We needed a win in Buffalo to control our destiny.”

Indeed, with just one game remaining in the regular season, the Roughnecks (7-10) are in the hunt for playoff positions in the top eight spots in the NLL standings.

Fortunately, that lone contest comes next Saturday at WestJet Field against Panther City (8-8) at the Scotiabank Saddledome (7 p.m., TSN+).

Both Panther City and the New York Riptide (8-8) held the final two playoff spots on Saturday, with the Riptide hoping to secure one with a win over the host Vancouver Warriors (7-9), who are also alive. , Saturday evening.

In the other major event affecting the Bruins in the postseason race, the San Diego Seals (12-4) host the Saskatchewan Rush (7-9) in Saskatoon on Saturday night.

Five teams had a chance to finish the campaign with an 8-10 record on the night. If more than two teams are tied at this point, a complicated series of tiebreakers will begin to determine the two playoff teams.

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But one thing is for sure … if the Bruins can survive the weekend, then the Board said, “we need a win next weekend.”

As for Saturday's game in front of 19,070 fans at Buffalo's KeyBank Center, it was almost over before it started — a game that has been all too common for the Roughnecks this season.

Despite Riggers goaltender Christian Del Bianco making repeated saves on Chase Frazier's 65-second goal, the Pirates came out on the offensive early and never trailed.

The hosts won last year's league MVP and scored three goals in the final 2:19 of the first quarter to outscore the visitors 4-0.

Another layup early in the second stanza made it 5-0 for the Pirates, and they followed with four more markers before halftime, countering two layups on a power play by Tyler Pace and a layup by Tanner Cook.

And a 9-2 halftime lead — which featured two goals by Bandits superstar Josh Byrne's 50th of the season and 200th of his NLL career — was too much for Sanderson's team to overcome.

“I thought they came out and played with more hunger and more urgency than we did,” Board said. “It's disappointing at the end of the season with everything that happens in these games.”

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The Riggers struggled to make it respectable in the second half.

Third-quarter goals from Hayden Dixon, Dan Taylor and Pace – with his second of the night – and fourth-frame tallies from Jesse King and Josh Currier saw the visitors outscore the home team in the final 30 minutes, but enough answers: the dominant team wrapped up the night.

“Buffalo are the defending champs for a reason,” the board said. “They have depth throughout the lineup.”

Del Bianco made 39 saves, while Riggers reliever Steve Fryer had two saves and one shutout.

On the other hand, goaltender Matt Wink made 43 saves — and got a big assist from his defense, which blocked 14 shots throughout the game — for the Bandits (10-7), who sealed a playoff spot with the win.

“A lot of blocked shots,” Wink told NLL.com postgame. “We did a great job at home.

“It's contagious. The list of guys who sacrifice their bodies and get on the strip goes on and on. This is our best defensive performance all year.”

But the Riggers?

“No need to say anything but thugs,” the board added. “They blocked shots and on the other end they shot the ball well.

“We just didn't match that on our end.”

FAST Chopsticks

Defenseman Kieran McKay started for the Roughnecks in Saturday's game… Riggers injured were veteran forward Logan Schuss and rookie Bennett Smith… Injuries kept turnovers to Justin Inacio (lower body), defenseman Robert Hudson (upper body) and forward Brett McIntyre (lower body) . ) from traveling with the rude.

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