NJ Tops Boston; Denver Edges Lizards; SF Tame Rattlers

[Sonny]

New Jersey Pride Run Past Cannons, 20-14

(July 29, 2006) Boston, MA - With a playoff spot on the line the Boston Cannons hosted the New Jersey Pride at Nickerson Field on Saturday night, but couldn't give the 4,987 Cannons faithful reason to celebrate. After a back and forth first quarter, the Pride unleashed a seven point second quarter run and kept the pressure on the rest of the way for a 20-14 victory, their second over the Cannons this season.

With the loss, Boston's record falls to 7-3 and puts a playoff berth on hold for another week, when the Cannons host the Bayhawks. New Jersey finds itself further from the playoff picture, as it stands at 4-6 with the win, but the Pride look to continue its streak next weak when it hosts Long Island for the first time this season. The Pride's Adam Doneger was named Bud Light MVP with a five point performance on two goals, two two-pointers and an assist, and goalie Rob Scherr was good enough to preserve the win with seven saves. Boston was led by rookie midfielder Brett Bucktooth, who had four goals, and Conor Gill (1G, 4A). Boston got 14 saves from goalie Chris Garrity.

The Cannons got the contest started on the right foot, as Matt Poskay (2G) scored the game's first goal with just 1:44 gone by in the quarter. New Jersey answered quickly with goals from attackman Liam Banks (3G, 2A) and Jesse Hubbard (1G, 2A) to give the Pride an early 2-1 edge. The Cannons wasted little time matching the Pride's quick strike ability, as they got goals from Bucktooth and fellow midfielder Billy Glading (1G) just 34 seconds apart and regained the lead, 3-2. From there, the teams continued to trade blows.

With 9:38 gone by in the quarter New Jersey's Kevin Boland (2G) connected on a feed from Kyle Harrison (1G, 4A) to tie the game for the third time in the quarter, 3-3, but Boston answered again. With 11:06 off the clock, Chazz Woodson (2G) scored his first goal of the game to give the Cannons the lead once again, and Bucktooth followed with his second tally to up the lead to 5-3. That was it for Boston, though, as the Pride got goals from Banks and Scott Urick (4G) to close the quarter with the score tied 5-5.

From there, the Cannons began to take control of the game. Just 1:11 into the quarter Boston attackman Conor Gill got his lone goal of the game to give the Cannons a 6-5 advantage, and John Christmas (1G, 1A) and Bucktooth quickly followed with a goal each to give Boston its biggest lead of the game, 8-5. That's when the lights went out.

Over the next four minutes of play to close out the quarter New Jersey scored five unanswered goals, including two two-pointers, one from Doneger and one from Conor Ford (2G, 1-2ptG, 2A), and took a surging 12-8 lead into the half, along with the game's momentum. That momentum did not last long, though.

With New Jersey pushing to get the first goal of the second half, the Cannons came out swinging. Looking to claw back into the contest Boston used the first 7:47 of the third quarter to chip within one goal. Woodson got things started with 6:02 gone by, scoring his second goal of the game to get the Cannons within three, 12-9. Poskay followed just over a minute later with his first goal of the game and Chris Mucciolo scored his only goal of the game 35 seconds later to shave the Pride lead to 12-11.

Boston had momentum in hand and was ready to close the door on New Jersey when things went south. The Pride answered Mucciolo's goal just under three minutes later on a Doneger two-pointer, building the lead to three, 14-11. A.J. Haugen (2G) scored his first goal 39 seconds later and Urick followed suit to give New Jersey a 16-11 advantage with three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

The Cannons cut the lead to 16-12 with 2:33 left in the quarter on a goal from David Evans (2G), cutting the Pride lead to 16-12, but New Jersey was not willing to give way. Over the final 17 minutes of regulation the Pride scored four times to the Cannons two and finished the season series between the two with the 20-14 win.

- - - -

BOSTON - The New Jersey Pride knew full well that headed into Saturday's game at Boston University's Nickerson Field that a loss meant elimination from the 2006 Major League Lacrosse playoff chase.

But the big guns that the Pride had counted on from its midfield were locked and loaded.

Adam Doneger hit his third and fourth 2-point goals of the season, and Conor Ford added a third as the Pride topped the Boston Cannons 20-14 in front of 4,986 fans.

The win keeps New Jersey alive in the playoff run at 4-6 and means Boston (7-3) still has not clinched a playoff berth.

"We played a tremendous game both offensively and defensively,'' said Pride head coach Peter Jacobs. "We needed a big win and we got it.''

Doneger was named the Bud Light Game MVP for his five point performance which included the two 2-pointers and an assist. The win also means the Pride sweep the season series with Boston for the first time since 2002. The Bud Light MVP award for Doneger is the third of his Pride career and second this season (May 26 vs Rochester).

"Getting the kind of performance from the guys like Adam Doneger and Conor Ford is what we expected all season long,'' said General Manager Trey Reeder. "We just need to take care of our business and keep it going for the final two games of the season.''

Scott Urick was the leading goal scorer for the Pride with four goals, and Liam Banks added a hat trick and five points for New Jersey. Fourteen of the Pride's 17 goals were assisted, led by Kyle Harrison's four helpers to go along with a big fourth quarter goal.

The teams ended the first 15 minutes of play tied at five after the Pride scored the final two goals of the quarter in transition. Liam Banks and Scott Urick both finished picture perfect fast breaks on situations started by Ben Grinnell in the Pride defensive end.

The Pride gave up the first three goals of the second quarter, but bounced right back to score the next four points and take the lead on Adam Doneger's team leading fourth 2-point goal of the season, beating Cannons goalie Chris Garrity over his right shoulder.

The Pride continued their second-quarter onslaught when Conor Ford found Liam Banks for an in-tight finish, all that before Conor Ford fired his third 2-pointer of the season to give the team a 12-8 advantage heading into the final 30 minutes of play.

The third quarter brought more of the same for New Jersey, which outscored the Cannons 5-4, the big blow coming off the stick of Doneger who had a head of steam and drilled his second 2-pointer of the game, giving the Pride a 17-12 lead after the third.

The three 2-point goals scored by the Pride on Garrity matched the total given up by the Cannons netminder through eight games coming into the contest.

* * * * * * * *

Fight, Weather Mar Game as Dragons Tame Rattlers, 14-9

Rochester, NY - At the start of play tonight, the Rattlers were undefeated at PAETEC Park, but by the end of the game, the Dragons would ruin that statistic. Tonight's contest between the San Francisco Dragons (6-4) and the Rochester Rattlers (4-6) started with a thunder delay of about 45 minutes, and was punctuated by some rough play.

After a forgettable two games in California last week against LA in which the Dragons offense looked lethargic, San Francisco took no time to get going tonight, jumping out to a 4-1 lead and ending the first quarter with a 6-2 advantage. Leading the Dragons offense was Bud Light Player of The Game Tom Zummo, with 2 goals and 1 assist in the opening frame. All told, Zummo notched 5 points (2 G, 1 A, 1 2ptG).

Chris Rotelli added a hat-trick and Ryan Powell tallied 4 points (2 G, 2A) for San Francisco.

Seth Goldberg scored 3 goals for the Rattlers, while his teammate Kevin Cassese garnered 4 points (2 G, 2 A) for the Rattlers.

Amongst the stormy weather, a fight broke out between Dragons and the Rattlers. San Francisco defenseman Steve Holmes and Rochester attackman John Grant, Jr. were both ejected from the game.

With their win tonight, the Dragons eliminated the New Jersey Pride and the Rochester Rattlers form playoff contention. If the Dragons were to finish the season with the same record as the Rattlers or Pride, in either scenario, the tiebreaker would go to the Dragons. The Dragons beat the Pride in week 7 of the MLL season, and won the tiebreaker with Rochester by beating the Rattlers tonight.

The Dragons look next for some revenge against the Los Angeles Riptide when they face them next Saturday, August 5th at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, in the ongoing fight for California.

* * * * * * * *

Lizards Fall to Outlaws, See Post-Season Hopes Fade

UNIONDALE, NY -- The Denver Outlaws (8-2) defeated the Long Island Lizards (4-6) in front of 2,874 fans at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Saturday evening. The loss effectively eliminates the Lizards, who are all but mathematically out, from playoff contention. Long Island currently trails the San Francisco Dragons (5-4) for the fourth and final ticket to MLL Championship Weekend in Los Angeles with only two games remaining in the regular season.

Jay Jalbert, playing in his first game of 2006 after a concussion kept him out of the lineup for most of the season, had an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds, however, his shot sailed wide and Denver clung to a one goal victory.

The victory clinched a playoff berth for the expansion Outlaws.

The Lizards trailed Denver 7-3 in the first half, but Long Island scored six consecutive goals, including three by Tim Goettelmann, to take a 9-7 lead. However, the Outlaws rallied to score three straight goals, taking a 10-9 lead which they would never relinquish.

Wes Green scored with eleven minutes left to tie the game at 10-10, but Bud Light MVP Jeff Sonke scored his third goal of the game, and Brendan Mundorf followed it up with the eventual game-winner to give the Outlaws a 12-10 lead.

Greg Cattrano was outstanding in goal, recording a season-high 28 saves. Goettelmann led the Lizards offense with three goals and two assists. Keith Cromwell (2 goals) and Jalbert (1 goal, 2 assists) also had multiple-point nights. Adam Borcz added a two-point goal, and Hofstra grad John Orsen scored his first career goal.

Sonke led Denver with three goals, including two from behind the two-point arc, and one assist. Hunter Lochte (2 goals, 1 assist) and Brendan Mundorf (1 goal, 1 assist) also helped offensively.

The Outlaws are coached by former Lizards midfielder Jarred Testa. Two former Lizards play on the team; defensemen Brandon Testa and faceoff specialist Chris Cercy.