Icecats

During their game against the Worcester IceCats last night at the Baltimore Arena, the Bandits enjoyed three leads -- the exact number they gave away as the teams skated to a 3-3 tie.As a result, it was one of those it-could-have-been-a-lot-worse nights in the home locker room as bigwigs from the parent Mighty Ducks of Anaheim wandered hither and yon."Our defensive play was good, we kept them under 30 shots and we haven't lost in three games [2-0-1]," coach Walt Kyle said, rattling off the positives.

Opponent: Worcester IceCatsSite: Baltimore ArenaTime: 7Radio: WITH (1230 AM), WAMD (970 AM)Outlook: The Bandits beat the IceCats on the road Saturday for their second win in three meetings with Worcester. At the midseason point, the Bandits are 17-20-2. The visitors are third in the Northern Division with a 13-15-8 mark. Baltimore is 7-3 over its past 10 games.@

WORCESTER, Mass. -- The Baltimore Bandits' performance in losing 6-1 to the Worcester IceCats last night left much to be desired.Baltimore was outshot 42-36. The defense let in numerous odd-man breaks on Bandits goalie Mike O'Neill, who added to his own troubles with a pair of soft goals.Worcester, benefiting from the Bandits' troubles, got two goals from Jarett Deuling. Terry Virtue got a goal and three assists.Both teams started cautiously, but late in the first period, the Bandits' defense opened up, and the IceCats scored three goals in 1:35.

The Baltimore Bandits know the veracity of the old adage if at first you don't succeed, try, try again firsthand.Six shots it took them, but, in the end, the Bandits finally won a third period (well, almost), a must in hockey, and thus recorded their first franchise victory at the Baltimore Arena last night, outlasting the Worcester IceCats, 4-3."That's what it's going to be like all year. We'll keep the fans around till the end," said coach Mike Kyle, who, in his wildest nightmares, never thought it would be this tough to capture No. 1.Kyle then began a litany of players who served well.