BUFFALO, N.Y. — John Bentley made three field goals, and Pittsburgh’s defense recorded six sacks as the Blitzkrieg defeated the Buffalo Skull Crushers 9-7 in the Conference Championship.

Buffalo took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter after William Cipriano intercepted Pittsburgh quarterback Cornelius Camp at the Blitzkrieg 27-yard line. The Skull Crushers moved to the Pittsburgh 13, where James Miller completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Cary Samons. Richard Dailey made the extra point.

Pittsburgh began its scoring with a 35-yard Bentley field goal in the second quarter, cutting Buffalo’s lead to 7-3. Bentley added a 45-yarder in the third quarter, making it 7-6, then put the Blitzkrieg ahead with a 34-yard kick early in the fourth.

The three field goals accounted for all of Pittsburgh’s scoring. The Blitzkrieg finished 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts and had no touchdowns. Their offense gained 110 passing yards and 85 rushing yards, while converting 2 of 17 third downs and reaching the red zone twice without a touchdown.

Pittsburgh’s defense supplied the difference against a Buffalo offense that had one touchdown. The Blitzkrieg registered six sacks; William Martin, Russell Hambright and Larry Luna had two apiece. Buffalo completed 14 of 29 passes for 111 yards and ran 36 times for 93 yards. The Skull Crushers converted 4 of 20 third downs.

Samons caught the first-quarter touchdown pass and finished with 29 receiving yards and 35 rushing yards. Cipriano’s interception was Buffalo’s lone takeaway. Pittsburgh’s only turnover was Camp’s interception.

The result came in a game with little separation on the scoreboard: Buffalo held the lead from its first-quarter touchdown until Bentley’s fourth-quarter kick. Pittsburgh’s defense kept the deficit to one score, and Bentley converted each of his three attempts to secure the 9-7 win for Anthony Kirby’s team.