Suffering an overtime loss to the Buffalo Bandits earlier this month didn't cost the Rochester Knighthawks the top spot in the Lacrosse-Network.com Experts Poll.

Getting beaten senseless a week later in the rematch, though, did the trick.

And so Buffalo is back in first place in the Experts Poll, having taken control of a wide-open Eastern Division race and having been rewarded with a perfect score of 77 points.

Rochester dropped to second place on 68 points, four fewer than last week and six below its season high of 74.

Joining the Bandits in a large step forward were the Calgary Roughnecks, who jumped from fifth to third after an 11-9 win at Toronto this past weekend. Calgary's 57 points this week were one better than Toronto's 56, dropping the Rock to fourth.

Like Toronto, Philadelphia also fell a spot after a Saturday afternoon loss, dropping to fifth (49 points) on the heels of a 13-12 home loss against Arizona. The Sting moved up two spots, to sixth, with 41 points.

Minnesota and Colorado each fell one place in this week's poll -- to 38 and 32 points, respectively -- with Portland, San Jose and Edmonton continuing to round out the rankings.

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 THIRTEEN                                   Pts  Prv
 1. Buffalo Bandits (7-4)                        77    2
    Has chance to end race for East title
 2. Rochester Knighthawks (7-6)                  68    1
    Downright ugly in Buffalo 
 3. Calgary Roughnecks (7-5)                     57    5
    Prepping for final-weekend series vs. COL
 4. Toronto Rock (7-6)                           56    3
    Confusion, dumb play reigned vs. CAL
 5. Philadelphia Wings (6-6)                     49    4
    Which Wings team shows up this week?
 6. Arizona Sting (6-5)                          41    8
    Win at PHI a good start to playoff run
 7. Minnesota Swarm (6-6)                        38    6
    Continuing to make strides
 8. Colorado Mammoth (7-5)                       32    7
    Still short a few pieces
 9. Portland LumberJax (6-5)                     23    9
    Creampuff close: 3 games vs. Edmonton
10. San Jose Stealth (5-5)                       14   10
    Up 6-0, but still lost to 'Jax, 11-10
11. Edmonton Rush (1-12)                          7   11
    Will Urban move Rush to Halifax, too?