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2019 MLL Semi-Finals Preview: Denver vs. Boston

October 4, 2019 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL) News Release


With the 2019 MLL Playoffs field finalized and the regular season wrapped up, the postseason will begin on Friday, October 4th at 5PM MST with the Semi-Final games and conclude with the 2019 MLL Championship game on Sunday, October 6th at 11AM MST.

 

FINAL PLAYOFF SEEDING

1 Chesapeake (10-6)  

2 Denver (9-7)*  

3 Boston (9-7)*  

4 Atlanta (8-8)  

* Denver edges out Boston in the tie for second place with a 2-1 head-to-head record against Boston this season

(2) Denver Outlaws vs. (3) Boston Cannons

Date: Friday, October 4, 2019

Time: 10:00 P.M. EDT / 8:00 P.M. MDT

Location: Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on the campus of the University of Denver

Broadcast: ESPNEWS

Twitter: @DenverOutlaws, @BostonCannons

PREDICTION: Denver: 14, Boston: 13

The last faceoff between these two teams also took place in Denver just a month ago, where the Outlaws put up 22 goals on the Cannons, with Denver goalie Dillon Ward allowing only 9 goals. If Denver's attackmen can replicate this outing and if Denver can rely on its experienced players to perform, they have a great shot of taking down Boston and heading into the Finals at home to look for back-to-back Steinfeld Trophy wins.

Denver vs. Boston This Season

Denver won 2 of 3 games against Boston this season.

Denver outscored Boston by 11 goals (52-41) across the 3 matchups this season.

6/29: Denver 17, Boston 16

8/3: Boston 16, Denver 13

8/31: Denver 22, Atlanta 9

  Denver Boston

% of Assisted Goals 51.1% (3rd in MLL) 44.9% (5th in MLL)

Faceoff Percentage 58.5% (1st) 50.8% (3rd)

Shots on Goal Efficiency % 51.3% (3rd) 52.3% (2nd)

Turnovers Per Game 18.1 (4th) 18.0 (3rd)

Goals Per Game AVG 13.8 (3rd) 14.1 (2nd)

Goals Against Average (GAA) 13.0 (2nd) 13.5 (4th)

Team Save % 50.5% (2nd) 50.1% (3rd)

Penalty Killing % 62.2% (2nd) 63.6% (1st)

ManUp % 43.2% (3rd)  34.8% (5th)

Denver Playoff History

Denver is the reigning 2018 MLL Champion, and has won 3 of the past 5 championships, becoming the new dominating force in the league and looking to continue their win streak this postseason.

Of Denver's 14 seasons in the MLL, this is their 13th season making the playoffs and their 4th year in a row.

Denver has the most playoff experience out of the clinched teams, with players combining for 36 total playoff games played, led by John Grant Jr. with 15 total playoff games played over his 14th years in the league, the most of any player in the MLL. 

Boston Playoff History

The Boston Cannons return to the quest for the Steinfeld Trophy after a 4-year postseason drought, entering the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Boston has made 9 playoff appearances in team history: 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015.

Boston has won 1 Steinfeld Trophy in the team's 19-year history, in 2011.

Team Leaders

Boston

Mark Cockerton (52 Points)

Mark Cockerton (43 Goals)

Will Sands (32 Assists)

Kevin Reisman (199 Faceoff Wins)

Nick Marrocco (190 Saves)

Denver

Ryan Lee (46 Points)

Ryan Lee (38 Goals)

Chris Aslanian (20 Assists)

Max Adler (256 Faceoff Wins)

Dillon Ward (187 Saves)

Players with Previous Playoff Experience

Boston (16)

Mark Cockerton, PT Ricci (5)

Kyle Denhoff, Mike Skudin (2)

Tim Edwards, Matt Bertrams (1)

Denver (36)

John Grant Jr. (15)

Zach Currier, Finn Sullivan (4)

Tim Barber (3)

Dillon Ward, Max Adler, Mikie Schlosser, Eli Gobrecht, Matt Gilray (2)

Head-to-Head Records Against Playoff Teams

Denver

            Atlanta (2-1)

            Boston (2-1)

            Chesapeake (1-3)

Boston

            Atlanta (2-2)

            Chesapeake (2-0)

            Denver (1-2)

Prediction

Offensively, Denver and Boston both have strong and consistent players, Boston scoring an MLL second-best 14.1 goals per game and Denver similarly scoring an MLL third-best of 13.8 goals per game throughout the regular season. Boston's Mark Cockerton was second in goals this season with 43 goals scored. Denver's Ryan Lee only played in 11 games this season but put up 38 goals, 5th-most in the league, averaging almost 3.5 goals per game. Lee also had a 7-point performance in the last matchup against Boston (8/31), where Denver dominated Boston 22-9.

Defensively, Boston has the most team caused turnovers this season, averaging 8.3 per game. Boston has a strong core defense with Zach Goodrich and Ryland Rees with 15 caused turnovers, and Justin Pugal, 2019 Cascade Rookie of the Year Finalist, with 14 caused turnovers this season. Denver has also done well on defense this year, only allowing 13 goals per game on average.

At faceoff, the Outlaws, led by Max Adler, have averaged a league-high 17.2 faceoff wins per game, while Boston, led by Kevin Reisman, averaged 15.5 faceoff wins per game. Adler also leads the league in faceoff wins and faceoff percentage with 256 faceoff wins, the third most in a season in MLL history, and a faceoff percentage of 58.3%.

In the net, Dillon Ward, 2019 Warrior Goalie of the Year Finalist, has the second highest save percentage, saving 50.8% of all shots on goal for Denver. Nick Marrocco of the Boston Cannons has 190 saves this season, the second most this season.

Denver has the most playoff experience out of the clinched teams, with 9 players combining for 36 total playoff games played. John Grant Jr. makes the majority of Denver's total playoff experience with 15 playoff games played throughout his 14-year career, having the most postseason experience of any MLL player. Boston only has 6 rostered players with playoff experience, combining for a total of 16 total playoff games played, led by Mark Cockerton and PT Ricci with 5 playoff games played each.

Based on these stats and trends, the Denver Outlaws seem to have a slightly better chance of taking this semi-finals matchup, based on their historical ability to win playoff games and the support of 9 returning players who won the championship with Denver last season. Boston has a stacked defensive lineup that could help them stop Denver, but Denver could maintain possession, with Max Adler dominating at faceoff and an offense led by Ryan Lee and John Grant Jr. that could break through Boston's tough defense, in addition to Dillon Ward's confidence in goal holding Denver down on defense.

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