Bandits Coach Calls Out Officials

BUFFALO (WIVB) - Bandits coach Darris Kilgour was upset about losing star John Tavares ten minutes before the game.  He was unhappy about his team falling behind 6-0 to the Toronto Rock.  But he was angry about a pair of crucial non-calls, and the officials who didn't make them.

Shortly into his post game news confernce at the HSBC Arena, Kilgour started a rant that may get him in trouble with the National Lacrosse League.  The Bandits had fought back to pull within one goal with four minutes left. But in the final minutes, two apparent stick fouls were not called by either official, Mark Gardonio or Matt Robinson.

"I thought the refs blew two calls at the end, maybe five minute high stick calls," said Kilgour to a group of reporters, "but it's Gardonio and Robinson, two refs that we asked not to have and they send them both here.  They're pretty much home field Toronto refs.  They ref every game up in Toronto.  They end up down here and they blow two big calls at the end of the game."

One of the hits, on the Bandits Chad Culp with less than a minute to go, was so hard it knocked Culp's helmet off and was clearly seen on the Versus national TV broadcast.  Even the Versus announcers were surprised that there was no call.

The Bandits players echoed their coach's displeasure with the calls.

"It's frustrating for any sport," said Bandits forward Roger Vyse, "you get bad callls, its the way the game goes.  You have to fight through it and not get too down with yourselves."

There has been no comment yet from the National Lacrosse League.

The Toronto Rock won the game 12-11, advancing to the Championship game against Washington next weekend.