Orlando Titans Face Boston Blazers At Amway
Published on February 18, 2010 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Orlando Titans News Release
ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 18) -- Back on Jan. 23, Boston jumped on top early, turned back several Orlando rallies and generally dominated play from start to finish in taking a 13-9 decision over the Titans.
But avenging their only loss of the 2010 season is the far from the minds of Titans players as they prepare to take on the Blazers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Amway Arena.
"I don't think our attitude needs to be one of seeking revenge," Head Coach Ed Comeau said. "Instead it needs to focus on our intensity and consistency. Looking back at the first Boston game, we did not play that game with a great deal of enthusiasm. When you don't bring your best effort every week in this league, you are going to lose. I know our players were not real happy with their performance in that game and I think we'll see a different Titans team on the floor this week."
Team captain Casey Powell agrees. "We didn't play very well at either end of the floor against Boston. They are a good team with great personnel, but we certainly didn't give them our best shot. Hopefully that will change on Saturday.
The Titans, 3-1, on the season are coming off their best game of the year back on Feb. 5 - dominating Colorado, 12-5. But the Titans are also coming off a bye week, the second one of the young season. Orlando was also coming off a bye week when they lost to Boston. Add in a postponed contest at Philadelphia because of a blizzard (Feb. 6), and the Titans have played just three games since the season opener on Jan. 8.
"Again the schedule and the weather are things we can't control," Comeau added. "We've only played four games this season, while most teams have played at least six or seven games already. We are now entering that part of the schedule where we know we are going to be playing at least one game every week. I think that will help with developing some consistency in our play."
One thing that will be different this time around is the Titans will have the services of rugged defenseman Rory Smith. In the loss to Boston, Smith was in street clothes, serving a one-game suspension for picking up multiple game misconduct penalties in the season opener against Philadelphia.
When Smith is in the line-up, the Titans are allowing just seven goals a game.
The Titans will need Smith and the rest of the defenders to step up in order to contain Boston forwards Dan Dawson and Daryl Veltman. Both players are in the top 20 in league scoring with 2009 NLL MVP Dawson having 12 goals and 19 assists (31 points) and Veltman checking in with 28 points (12 G- 16 A). Both Dawson and Veltman contributed a goal and five assists in the earlier win against the Titans, while forward Brendan Thenhaus had three goals and two assists.
The game will also be a match-up of two of the league's premiere goaltenders. Boston's Anthony Cosmo is a former NLL MVP (2005) and recorded a 9-5 record last season with a.781 save percentage. He currently ranks 4th in the league in both save percentage (.794) and goals allowed per game (8.55).
Even more impressive has been the play of Titans goalie Matt Vinc, who leads the league with a.819 save percentage and is third in goals allowed per game (8.55). In Orlando's three wins, Vinc has allowed just 21 total goals (7.00 per game) and held Colorado to a franchise low five goals in his last game. Vinc was so dominating in that game that he allowed just two goals in the first 55 minutes (stopping 47 of 49 shots). It was only after the Mammoth pulled their goal in the final five minutes to create a "man-up" advantage that Colorado managed to score three additional goals.
Offensively, the Titans have shown a tendency to play methodical but a balanced and efficient offense. The team is averaging just 11.8 goals per game, but its goal different of +3.25 goals per game is second best in the National Lacrosse League.
The Titans also do not rely on just their top three forwards for its goals. Seven different Titans scored goals in each of Orlando's three wins. Jordan Hall (6 Goals, 15 assists, 21 points) and Casey Powell (12-8-20) are both averaging more than five points per game; while Ryan Boyle (8-11-19) and Pat Maddalena (4-15-19) are averaging just under that mark at 4.75 points per game.
"We're not scoring a ton of goals right now," Powell said. "But I think as we get more games under our belt, the scoring will pick up. Right now, our defense has been playing great and VNO has been incredible in goal. It's nice to know we don't have to score 16 or 17 goals a game to win."
The game has important ramifications for the Titans in both the standings and for post-season positioning. A win by Orlando would move them over Toronto (6-2) - regardless of what the Rock does this week against Edmonton - and into first place in the Eastern Division. A win by Boston would give the Blazers a season-series win over the Titans (they will meet one more time in April), which could have significant playoff seeding ramifications.
TITANS NOTES: The Titans have activated Stephen Peyserthe brother of defenseman Greg Peyser, Stephen is in his second NLL season from Johns Hopkinshe was the Titans leading faceoff man last year, capturing 239 of 370 faceoffsNo make-up date had yet been announced by the NLL for the Titans-Philadelphia game that was postponed Feb. 6 because of the blizzard that hit the Atlantic seaboardveteran forward Pat Maddalena scored his 300th career goal in the Titans last game against Coloradohe becomes just the 13th player in the 24-year-history of the NLL to reach that milestone and will be honored in a pre-game ceremonyteam captain Casey Powell celebrated his 34th birthday this past Thursdayalthough Powell and Maddalena (32 in June) are both in their 30s, the Titans feature one of the youngest rosters in the league as nine of its 23 active roster players are 26 or youngerThe all-time series between Orlando and Boston is currently tied 2-2Emily Hudson and Christina Schloot, a volleyball player and cheerleader from Orangewood Christian High School, have been selected to drop the ceremonial first ball for the gameHudson and Schloot created a program called "Children Everywhere," an outreach program dedicated to helping poverty stricken children in Africa and Haitithe ball drop is part of the Titans "High School Heroes" program, which salutes local high school athletes for achievements off the playing fieldstar transition player Jarett Park is still listed as questionable after re-injuring his shoulder in the Colorado gameRegardless of the outcome of the game between the Toronto (6-2) at Edmonton game this weekend, the Titans (3-1) would move into first place in the Eastern Conference with a win over Bostonat 4-1 (.800) the Titans would be percentage points ahead of the Rock, who would see their winning percentage jump to.777 with a win.
National Lacrosse League Stories from February 18, 2010
- Washington Stealth Face Defending Champ Calgary Tomorrow Night - Washington Stealth
- Orlando Titans Face Boston Blazers At Amway - Orlando Titans
- Toronto Rock Visit Edmonton Rush Sunday - Toronto Rock
- Calgary Roughnecks Face Washington Stealth This Friday - Calgary Roughnecks
- Bob Hamley Returns To Mammoth Coaching Staff - Colorado Mammoth
- 'It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia' For John Grant Jr. - Rochester Knighthawks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
