Stealth Lose To Portland, 9-6
April 7, 2006 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
San Jose Stealth News Release
SAN JOSE - The San Jose Stealth (5-8) needed 35 minutes and 30 seconds to score their first goal of the game. After that, they wound up scoring five straight against the Portland Lumberjax (9-5).
But the expansion Lumberjax kept San Jose at a distance and wound up beating the Stealth, 9-6, before 5,107 at HP Pavilion at San Jose.
The loss was a season-high fourth in a row for San Jose, who's now three games behind the West Division-leading Lumberjax, two-and-a-half games in back of second place Calgary and Colorado and a game behind third place Arizona.
The six goals scored was the fewest by the Stealth this season and tied a franchise record for fewest goals in a game, set twice - both against Colorado (March 26, 2004 at Colorado and Feb. 18, 2005 in San Jose).
The Stealth set a franchise record by failing to score in the first half. They were outshot in the first quarter, 16-9, and 10-9 in the second. San Jose also failed to convert on seven power play opportunities.
Portland scored two goals in each of the first two quarters for a 4-0 lead at halftime. Richard Morgan opened the scoring at 3:11 of the first. Ryan Sharp picked up a tally at 14:45. Luke Forget got one at 2:59 of the second quarter and Mike Hominuck scored on the power play at 13:40.
The Lumberjax scored the first two goals of the third quarter (Sharp at 4:16 and Hominuck at 5:05). The Stealth finally hit the board at 5:30 on Luke Wiles' shot from the left point. San Jose followed with the next four goals. Ryan Boyle scored the first of his two goals at 8:28. Cam Sedgwick scored at 11:28. Boyle scored the last goal of the third quarter at 12:03 to put San Jose down, 6-4.
The Stealth cut the deficit to 6-5 as Kevin Fines scored at 2:52. But Portland went up by two, 7-5, on Hominuck's third goal on the power play at 7:23. Chad Thompson kept San Jose close at 7-6 with his tally at 9:40. But that was the last goal the Stealth scored on the night. Bruce Alexander (13:20) and Brodie Merrill's empty-netter (14:36) closed out the scoring for Portland.
Boyle (two goals and an assist) and Sedgwick (a goal and two assists) led the scoring for the Stealth. Boyle now has 14 goals on the season. Derek Malawsky had two assists. Rookie Jeff Zywicki was held scoreless for the first time this season and has failed to score a goal in two straight games. Hominuck led Portland with three goals. He's Portland's top goal scorer with 22.
Anthony Cosmo saved 34 of 42 shots for the Stealth, while Dallas Eliuk had 39 saves out of 45 shots for Portland.
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National Lacrosse League Stories from April 7, 2006
- Stealth Lose To Portland, 9-6 - San Jose Stealth
- Win Puts Jax First In West Division - Portland Lumberjax
- Vital game for Roughnecks - Calgary Roughnecks
- Rock prepares for rival Wings at ACC Saturday - Toronto Rock
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