MLL Major League Lacrosse

Cannons, Bayhawks Win in Potential Playoff Previews

Published on September 16, 2019 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL) News Release


Boston, MA - All four playoff teams were in action this weekend as the battle for playoff seeding continues. The Chesapeake Bayhawks were in Denver to take on the Denver Outlaws, while the Boston Cannons traveled to Atlanta to take on the Atlanta Blaze. Both the Cannons and Bayhawks came away with road wins meaning there is a three-way tie for first heading into the final weekend of the season.

Bayhawks Squeak By Outlaws

Both the Bayhawks and Outlaws came into the weekend knowing this game would have a massive effect on playoff seeding. A Denver win could have put them in a prime position for the first overall seed. However, a Bayhawks win results in a three-way logjam in first place. The Outlaws, Bayhawks, and Cannons all have a 9-6 record heading into the season's final weekend.

The Bayhawks got off to a hot start in Denver, leading 4-0 after the first quarter. Denver used a 5-0 third quarter run to take the lead heading into the fourth. The Bayhawks outscored Denver 3-1 in the fourth to give them a critical road win. Steele Stanwick led the way for the Bayhawks scoring three goals. Lyle Thompson put up a two-goal and four-assist performance to extend his league points lead to 73. Thompson will have a chance at the all-time record of 78 points in a season next weekend against the Outlaws.

Coming into this game, we highlighted the groundball discrepancy between both teams. Denver came into the weekend first in the league in total groundballs while Chesapeake was last. In this game, the Bayhawks changed the narrative, picking up 29 groundballs opposed to the Outlaws 24. That led to a nearly seven-minute advantage for the Bayhawks when it comes to time of possession.

These two teams will face off in the season finale this upcoming weekend in Annapolis. The winner of this game will have at least a share of first place going into Championship Weekend.

Cannons Dominate the Blaze

The Cannons hit the road for the final time this season Saturday when they took on the Blaze. A 19-9 Cannons trouncing of the Blaze means like the Outlaws and Bayhawks, the Cannons have a share of first place heading into Week 16.

The Cannons used dominant second and third quarters to pace themselves to victory. The Cannons outscored the Blaze 12-2 in the game's middle quarters. It was a total team effort for Boston, with ten different players finding the back of the net. Ryland Rees and Kyle Jackson both scored three goals apiece. Nick Marrocco was solid in net once more, saving 13 of the 20 shots he faced. Bryan Cole and Shayne Jackson scored hat tricks for the Blaze.

Looking Ahead

The Major League Lacrosse season wraps up this weekend with all six teams in action. The four playoff teams will be jockeying for playoff positioning with the Cannons, Outlaws, and Bayhawks all in a first-place tie. The weekend begins on Friday when the Outlaws travel to Annapolis to take on the Bayhawks (LSN.) On Saturday, the Blaze take on the Lizards on Long Island (ESPN+), and the Rattlers finish their season in Boston against the Cannons (Stadium.)




Major League Lacrosse Stories from September 16, 2019


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