Even after losing in overtime to Buffalo this past weekend, the Rochester Knighthawks managed to hold off the Bandits for the top spot in this week's Lacrosse-Network.com Experts Poll.

Rochester didn't retain its number-one ranking by much, though, drawing 72 points to Buffalo's 71. The Knighthawks did earn the first-place vote of four Experts, compared to two for the Bandits.

Toronto got the other top nod, continuing along in third place (62 points), well ahead of Philadelphia (56 points).

While those four are unchanged (as is Edmonton as the unanimous "Worst in NLL" selection), everything else has.

Calgary has hung on to fifth place, breaking a tie with Arizona for the spot. The Roughnecks earned 45 points after splitting a weekend road trip; Arizona, meanwhile, took a ridiculous fall to eighth after losing at home to Colorado, 15-11.

While the Experts were punishing Arizona and Portland (down two spots to ninth), they also were rewarding Minnesota (43 points) for an impressive come-from-behind victory and Colorado (38 points) for stinging Arizona.

San Jose, while gaining a few points, could not escape tenth place, sitting two points behind Portland, 20-18.

Our panel of seven experts includes a wide range of top lacrosse minds, including Outsider's Guide writers, players, and coaches. Scoring is on an 11-10-9-etc. basis, so that the maximum score a team can earn is 77 points and the minimum is seven points.

The complete rankings from this week's Experts Poll, with comments (win-loss record through Sunday is in parentheses):

WEEK TWELVE                                     Pts  Prv
 1. Rochester Knighthawks (7-5)                  72    1
    Revenge comes Saturday night in Buffalo?
 2. Buffalo Bandits (5-4)                        71    2
    Still not playing to potential
 3. Toronto Rock (7-5)                           62    3
    National pride on line vs. Roughnecks
 4. Philadelphia Wings (6-5)                     56    4
    6-4 in afternoon games since 1999
 5. Calgary Roughnecks (6-5)                     45   5t
    So much for adding Dowling on offense
 6. Minnesota Swarm (6-5)                        43    8
    Must-win game this weekend, vs. Buffalo
 7. Colorado Mammoth (6-5)                       38    9
    What ever became of the dominant Mammoth?
 8. Arizona Sting (5-5)                          30   5t
    3-5 vs. everyone not named 'Edmonton'
 9. Portland LumberJax (5-5)                     20    7
    Managed to get outcoached by Minnesota
10. San Jose Stealth (5-4)                       18   10
    This team is in FIRST PLACE?
11. Edmonton Rush (1-11)                          7   11
    'Competitive losers' now just 'losers'