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Devils dominate third in loss to Bandits

It wasn't how the Estevan Devils started on Thursday but how they finished.

It wasn't how the Estevan Devils started on Thursday but how they finished.Down 8-1 after two periods in Regina against the undefeated hometown Bandits, the Devils rallied back on Rhett Handley's second goal of the game and two more from River Lafferty in an 8-4 loss."It was a really good game, probably the kids' best game overall all year," said Devils head coach Evan Handley.In particular, Handley said, his players learned quickly from their mistakes against the top team in the Queen City Minor Box Lacrosse midget division.He also credited the Devils' discipline, as they only took five penalties all game, and lamented a couple of missed opportunities early in the game.Estevan is fifth in the five-team division at 1-7."If we would have done some things offensively in the first period or second period, it would have been a lot closer," said Handley. "Their goaltender just came up real big. And then we missed two breakaway passes, so maybe it's 8-6 instead and then who knows?"Handley expects to reschedule the Devils' May 9 and Sunday games with Moose Jaw in the coming days.Estevan will play three of its final six regular-season games against Moose Jaw, who the Devils beat for their only win of the season, and two more against the Regina Yellow Submarines.The Devils' next confirmed game is June 3 in Regina against the Submarines."We definitely want to compete harder against teams like the Yellow Submarines," said Handley. "I really think we can give them a real good game. Then we have Moose Jaw coming up in the next week so that's a game we definitely want to win."If we win that, we can make the playoffs and who knows what happens in the playoffs. Anything can happen in a one-game round."