Boston Cannons Beat Chesapeake BayHawks 14-13 in MLL Semi-Final
August 27, 2011 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Boston Cannons News Release
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND - August 27, 2011: Max Quinzani completed his hat trick with 1.2 seconds on the clock to give the Cannons a 14-13 win over the Chesapeake Bayhawks in the first semi-final game at the Sports Authority MLL Championship Weekend. Also with an assist, Quinzani earned Bud Light Player of the Game in the Cannons' second post-season win in the team's 11-year history. The Cannons will play the winner of the Denver Outlaws-Hamilton Nationals semi-final game for the 2011 MLL Championship tomorrow at 3pm, broadcast live on ESPN2.
"All season, this team has handled adversity and has shown resilience," said Cannons head coach Bill Daye. "Once again, we played to the last whistle to get the W."
Under steady rainfall, the game began with sloppy play from both sides as Chesapeake jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead against the flat Cannons. Pat Heim scored the first goal for the Cannons - and the last goal of the quarter - with 7:56 to play, ending the first at 3-1 Bayhawks.
The second quarter began just like the first, with Dan Hardy, Brian Carroll and Jeff Reynolds scoring the first three goals for the Bayhawks, giving Chesapeake a commanding 6-1 lead. But the Cannons woke up and closed out the quarter with a four-goal run. Rookie long pole Brian Farrell scored his first career post-season goal on a feed from JJ Morrissey to jumpstart the Cannons.Then Quinzani, Paul Rabil and Brad Ross each scored unassisted within two minutes to end the first half down one goal, 6-5.
Danny Glading opened the second half scoring with a goal for the Bayhawks. Greg Downing scored next on a feed from Quinzani, which was answered by an unassisted Mike Kimmel goal to put the Bayhawks up 8-6. It was all Cannons after that, with Quinzani scoring his second followed by Matt Poskay's only goal to tie the game at 8. Ryan Boyle scored with less than a minute to play to give the Cannons their first lead going in the final 15 minutes.
The Cannons' scoring run continued in the fourth quarter, as Kevin Buchanan found the back of the net to take a 10-8 lead. Mike Stone punished Chesapeake goalie Chris Garrity for leaving the cage on a clear, stripping the ball to set up a Rabil to Morrissey to Farrell goal. Chris Eck won the ensuing face off and PT Ricci picked up the ground ball and scored. Stone rounded out the seven unanswered goals with an unassisted shot to put the Cannons up 13-8.
But Chesapeake mounted a comeback with a goal from Steven Brooks, two straight from Kyle Dixon, including a two-pointer, and Ben Hunt's game-tying point blank shot with 37 seconds to play.
Then, with 1.2 seconds on the clock, Boyle found Quinzani who snuck a low shot past Garrity, completing his hat trick and putting the Cannons in position to win their first MLL Championship.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from August 27, 2011
- Nationals Slip by Denver, Advance to Finals - Hamilton Nationals
- Chesapeake Can't Hold Early Lead, Falls to Boston in Semifinals - Chesapeake Bayhawks
- Boston Cannons Beat Chesapeake BayHawks 14-13 in MLL Semi-Final - Boston Cannons
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