Titans Take Over First With 9-4 Win
Published on March 13, 2010 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Orlando Titans News Release
ROCHSTER, NY - Although they were playing their second game in 24 hours against a team coming off a bye week, it was the Orlando Titans the well rested team, rolling past the Rochester Knighthawks, 9-4, on Saturday night.
The win, coming on the heels of Friday's night's 11-9 win over Philadelphia, moved the Titans to 6-3 on the season and gave them sole possession of first place in the Eastern Division. Rochester, who came into the contest on a two-game winning streak, fell to 5-5 on the season.
It looked to be a defensive battle from the start as the Titans and Knighthawks battled to rare scoreless tie in the first period. But then the Orlando offense would pick it up - scoring five times in the second period.
Chad Thompson got things going when he beat Pat O'Toole at the 11:42 mark of the period to make it 1-0. Matt Alrich then scored, followed by back-to-back goals by Mat MacLeod that upped the Titans lead to 4-0. Mike McLellan then scored with one second on the clock to make it 5-0 lead at intermission.
Rochester put more shots on goal than Orlando in the first half by a wide margin, but Titans goalie Matt Vino stopped all 29 shots to preserve the first half shutout.
McLellan added his second goal of the game at the 11:48 mark of the third quarter to make it 6-0, before Rochester finally put one past Vinc on Kevin Fines' goal with just over nine minutes remaining in the quarter.
But Orlando would dominate the period, building the lead to 7-1 on Greg Peyser's second goal of the season. The teams would then trade goals, before Scott Evans would score on a short-handed goal to cut the lead to 8-3. Rochester would then pull its goalie and Craig Point would beat Vinc to his right side to cut the lead to 8-4 with two minutes remaining.
But any chance of a Rochester comeback was short-lived. Consecutive minor penalties on Scott Evans, followed by a game misconduct, gave Orlando a penalty shot that Jordan Hall put between O'Toole's legs for the Titans ninth goal of the game. Orlando would then run out the clock on their next possession.
For the game, Rochester led in shots on goal, 51-42. But Vinc's 47 saves made the difference. It was the second time in nine starts that Vinc has held an opponent to five goals or less. Vinc now leads the NLL in saves per game (42.2), goals against average (8.78), save percentage (.828) and wins.
As for the offense, Hall had a big night for the Titans with a goal and six assists for a seven point night. Alrich, McLellan and MacLeod all had two goals each for Orlando.
Thanks to a pair of upset wins by Buffalo this week, gave the Titans sole possession of first place in the Eastern Division. The Bandits, who started the season 2-6, upset Orlando last weekend before beating first place Toronto in overtime on Friday night (12-11) and third place Boston in overtime on Saturday (9-8).
The Titans (6-3) now lead Toronto (6-5) by one game in the East, followed by Boston (5-5) and one and half games over hard-charging Buffalo (5-6).
Orlando returns home Saturday night, taking on the Calgary Roughnecks in a rematch of last year's NLL Championship game.
National Lacrosse League Stories from March 13, 2010
- Washington Stealth Keep West Division Lead with Win Over Calgary - Washington Stealth
- Roughnecks edged by Stealth - Calgary Roughnecks
- Mammoth fall short - Colorado Mammoth
- Bandits Steal Win from Blazers in Overtime, 9-8 - Boston Blazers
- Minnesota Swarm Fall To Wings On The Road, 20-11 - Minnesota Swarm
- Titans Take Over First With 9-4 Win - Orlando Titans
- Wings Exterminate Swarm 20-11 - Philadelphia Wings
- Knighthawks O'Toole Goes For All-Time Saves Record - Rochester Knighthawks
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