Published: Saturday, February 4, 2012
Stealth earn first win of season
'Clutch Duch' scores game-winning goal in Washington's 11-10 overtime win over Buffalo
BUFFALO -- Buffalo Bandits goalkeeper Mike Thompson saw one more shot than Washington Stealth goalkeeper Tyler Richards saw in Saturday night's game between the two teams.
It was one too many.
Richards saved 41 of the 51 shots he faced and Thompson saved 41 of 52, but it was that 52nd shot, a goal by Rhys Duch that gave the Stealth an 11-10 overtime victory.
"Clutch Duch" as he is often referred to for his late game heroics tallied eight points, scoring four goals and dishing four assists. Duch's final goal of the night gave the Stealth their first win of the 2012 season.
In the Stealth's previous three losses this season, Duch and fellow All-Pro forward Lewis Ratcliff had failed to get their offensive game going the way they had in recent years. Against the Bandits both players returned to form.
Ratcliff tallied six points (three goals, three assists) to go along with Duch's eight points.
"Our best players need to come out and be our best players," said Stealth assistant coach Art Webster, who is leading the team while head coach Chris Hall recovers from throat cancer. "We made some adjustments offensively and Rhys and Lewis really stepped up and answered the bell."
Duch and Ratcliff both got going early with goals in the first period.
"Personally, it always helps me to get settled in with an early goal," Duch said. "But it also helps the team. The offense didn't struggle early on like we have earlier in the season. We finally started making the right adjustments on the floor that we've been talking about in practice for weeks."
For the first time this season, the Stealth got a quality effort from each part of the team.
"It was a team effort for 60 minutes," Webster said. "Our secondary scorers worked extremely hard to get some open looks and capitalized. When we get support from those guys, we are tough to beat."
One of those secondary scorers to step up was recently signed forward Brett Bucktooth, who scored two goals against his former team.
Former Washington forward Luke Wiles led the Bandits with four goals and an assist.
Stealth 11, Bandits 10 (OT)
Washington 3 4 2 1 1 -- 11
Buffalo 3 2 3 2 0 -- 10
1st Quarter--Scoring: BUF - Wiles Goal (PP) (Tavares, Giles) 1:40. WAS - Duch Goal (Rabil, Bloom) 4:54. BUF - Tavares Goal (Giles, Self) 7:37. WAS - Ratcliff Goal (Hickey, Duch) 10:09. WAS - Ratcliff Goal (SH) (Richards) 11:49. BUF - Wiles Goal (PP) (Culp, Tavares) 13:19. Penalties: , WAS (Too Many Men, Minor, 2 min) 0:50. Beers, WAS (Tripping, Minor, 2 min) 11:27. Smith, BUF (Illegal Cross Checking, Minor, 2 min) 14:23.
2nd Quarter--Scoring: WAS - Duch Goal (PP) (Ratcliff, Sedgwick) 0:30. WAS - Bucktooth Goal (Duch, Hill) 2:20. BUF - Wiles Goal (Montour, Llord) 4:54. WAS - Sedgwick Goal (PP) (Duch, Bucktooth) 7:03. WAS - Rabil Goal (Ratcliff, Duch) 8:47. BUF - Giles Goal (Montour, Thompson) 13:43. Penalties: Priolo, BUF (Roughing, Minor, 2 min) 5:47. McElroy, WAS (Holding, Minor, 2 min) 7:48. Giles, BUF (High-Sticking, Major, 5 min) 8:34.
3rd Quarter--Scoring: WAS - Ratcliff Goal (Sedgwick, Hickey) 1:50. BUF - Smith Goal (Wiles) 2:37. BUF - Tavares Goal (PP) (Buchanan) 10:47. BUF - Giles Goal (Kelusky, Tavares) 13:04. WAS - Bucktooth Goal (Ratcliff, Rabil) 13:22. Penalties: Steenhuis, BUF (Holding, Minor, 2 min) 6:57. Bucktooth, WAS (Tripping, Minor, 2 min) 9:11.
4th Quarter--Scoring: BUF - Wiles Goal (Vyse, Buchanan) 1:10. WAS - Duch Goal (Beers) 1:19. BUF - Steenhuis Goal (White) 7:43. Penalties: None
OT1 Quarter--Scoring: WAS - Duch Goal (Ross, Beers) 0:45. Penalties: None
It was one too many.
Richards saved 41 of the 51 shots he faced and Thompson saved 41 of 52, but it was that 52nd shot, a goal by Rhys Duch that gave the Stealth an 11-10 overtime victory.
"Clutch Duch" as he is often referred to for his late game heroics tallied eight points, scoring four goals and dishing four assists. Duch's final goal of the night gave the Stealth their first win of the 2012 season.
In the Stealth's previous three losses this season, Duch and fellow All-Pro forward Lewis Ratcliff had failed to get their offensive game going the way they had in recent years. Against the Bandits both players returned to form.
Ratcliff tallied six points (three goals, three assists) to go along with Duch's eight points.
"Our best players need to come out and be our best players," said Stealth assistant coach Art Webster, who is leading the team while head coach Chris Hall recovers from throat cancer. "We made some adjustments offensively and Rhys and Lewis really stepped up and answered the bell."
Duch and Ratcliff both got going early with goals in the first period.
"Personally, it always helps me to get settled in with an early goal," Duch said. "But it also helps the team. The offense didn't struggle early on like we have earlier in the season. We finally started making the right adjustments on the floor that we've been talking about in practice for weeks."
For the first time this season, the Stealth got a quality effort from each part of the team.
"It was a team effort for 60 minutes," Webster said. "Our secondary scorers worked extremely hard to get some open looks and capitalized. When we get support from those guys, we are tough to beat."
One of those secondary scorers to step up was recently signed forward Brett Bucktooth, who scored two goals against his former team.
Former Washington forward Luke Wiles led the Bandits with four goals and an assist.
Stealth 11, Bandits 10 (OT)
Washington 3 4 2 1 1 -- 11
Buffalo 3 2 3 2 0 -- 10
1st Quarter--Scoring: BUF - Wiles Goal (PP) (Tavares, Giles) 1:40. WAS - Duch Goal (Rabil, Bloom) 4:54. BUF - Tavares Goal (Giles, Self) 7:37. WAS - Ratcliff Goal (Hickey, Duch) 10:09. WAS - Ratcliff Goal (SH) (Richards) 11:49. BUF - Wiles Goal (PP) (Culp, Tavares) 13:19. Penalties: , WAS (Too Many Men, Minor, 2 min) 0:50. Beers, WAS (Tripping, Minor, 2 min) 11:27. Smith, BUF (Illegal Cross Checking, Minor, 2 min) 14:23.
2nd Quarter--Scoring: WAS - Duch Goal (PP) (Ratcliff, Sedgwick) 0:30. WAS - Bucktooth Goal (Duch, Hill) 2:20. BUF - Wiles Goal (Montour, Llord) 4:54. WAS - Sedgwick Goal (PP) (Duch, Bucktooth) 7:03. WAS - Rabil Goal (Ratcliff, Duch) 8:47. BUF - Giles Goal (Montour, Thompson) 13:43. Penalties: Priolo, BUF (Roughing, Minor, 2 min) 5:47. McElroy, WAS (Holding, Minor, 2 min) 7:48. Giles, BUF (High-Sticking, Major, 5 min) 8:34.
3rd Quarter--Scoring: WAS - Ratcliff Goal (Sedgwick, Hickey) 1:50. BUF - Smith Goal (Wiles) 2:37. BUF - Tavares Goal (PP) (Buchanan) 10:47. BUF - Giles Goal (Kelusky, Tavares) 13:04. WAS - Bucktooth Goal (Ratcliff, Rabil) 13:22. Penalties: Steenhuis, BUF (Holding, Minor, 2 min) 6:57. Bucktooth, WAS (Tripping, Minor, 2 min) 9:11.
4th Quarter--Scoring: BUF - Wiles Goal (Vyse, Buchanan) 1:10. WAS - Duch Goal (Beers) 1:19. BUF - Steenhuis Goal (White) 7:43. Penalties: None
OT1 Quarter--Scoring: WAS - Duch Goal (Ross, Beers) 0:45. Penalties: None
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