Cannons Fall to Undefeated Lizards
May 3, 2015 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Boston Cannons News Release
The Cannons fell to the undefeated New York Lizards, including former Cannons players Paul Rabil, Mike Stone, and Matt Poskay this spring Sunday evening. Tonight was an ultimate battle between two talented teams, finishing in similar fashion to last season's matches against NY. The Cannons scoring came from all over the field, with ten players registering points.
The Lizards had a strong showing from Rabil in his return to Boston, who scored three goals and two assists, including two two-point goals, and was named MLL Player of the Game. Rabil and Stone were sent to New York in a monumental off-season trade that saw Max Seibald, Brian Karalunas (who was later traded to Ohio for Chad Wiedmaier and a first-round draft pick), and a handful of draft picks in the upcoming seasons come to the Cannons. Last season, the Cannons dropped both games to the Lizards. Both losses were by only one goal, with one of the games ending in overtime.
The first quarter started off quietly until Rabil found the back of the net for the Lizards with a two-point goal just over two minutes into the game. Newcomer Max Seibald responded just over two minutes later with a two-point goal of his own off a pass from Ryan Young. The Cannons scoring continued with a goal from Davey Emala assisted by Josh Amidon to give the Cannons the lead. However, the Cannons' lead was short lived as Rob Pannell found a streaking Matt Gibson. The next five minutes of the quarter included runs up and down the field by both teams and multiple huge saves from Cannons goaltender Jordan Burke. New York scored twice more, including one from former Cannons player Mike Stone, to take a 5-3 lead. Before the end of the quarter, the Cannons answered with two goals of their own. Emala, scoring his second goal of the game, dodged from behind the crease and released the shot as he fell to the ground. Owen Blye found the back of the net for the first time this year to finish the first tied up at five.
The first five minutes of the second quarter went scoreless, although both teams had multiple shots shut down by stellar saves from both goalies. New York was first to score in the quarter, but Cannons captain Scott Ratliff, a long-stick middie, found the back of the net in response only twenty-five seconds later. Six minutes into the quarter Rob Emery gave the Cannons a 7-6 lead on a man-up goal off a feed from Emala. Soon after, the Lizards stole the lead away and netted three goals to end the half 9-7. The back and forth battle in the first half featured five ties and sixteen total goals between the two teams.
In the second half, the Cannons substituted goalies, putting Adam Ghitelman between the pipes. The Cannons started off the second half strong, controlling much of the possession and finding the back of the net twice in the first two and a half minutes. One goal from Jim Connolly off a Brent Adams pass and the second goal came from Emery, dished by Seibald. Matt Poskay scored back-to-back goals to give the Lizards an 11-9 lead. Blye scored his second of the night, assisted by Young, to cut New York's lead to one. Mike Stone found the back of the net again halfway through the third quarter. Rabil pushed the lead to four with his second two-point goal of the night. Seconds later, Cannons middie Erik Smith netted an unassisted goal. The Cannons dominated possession for the rest of the quarter but could not capitalize on their offensive opportunities. The third quarter ended 14-11 in favor of the Lizards.
A mere fifteen seconds into the fourth quarter, Smith netted his second of the night for the Cannons. New York's Marasco scored from his knees just outside of the crease to push the score to 15-12. In the start of an attempted comeback, Young found the back of the net. Blye finished off the hat trick with an unassisted goal with only two minutes remaining in the game to put the Cannons within one goal of the Lizards. Unfortunately, it was not enough to take down the undefeated Lizards.
The Cannons will look for revenge next week when they travel to New York to challenge the Lizards again.
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from May 3, 2015
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- Cannons Fall to Undefeated Lizards - Boston Cannons
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