By: Tim Yilmaz, Beat Writer New York Lizards
Lacrosse is Awesome
The 2015 MLL champion New York Lizards opened their 2016 season at home against the Rochester Rattlers in front of 5,102 fans, the team in which they defeated to win the 2015 MLL Championship. The Lizards outscored the Rattlers 7-1 in the fourth quarter to pull away and win their season opener 19-16.
The Lizards started the game off just like they wanted scoring a power play goal in the first five minutes from the stick of Ryan Walsh. The lead didn’t last for long though as the Rattlers bounced back scoring two goals in succession to take control. After a Matt Gibson goal that brought the game square yet again, Rochester went on another three-goal run to end the first quarter making it 5-2. The goals came from Jordan Wolf; Kyle Keenan; and Jeremy Boltus with his second of the quarter.
Jordan Wolf kept the ball rolling in the second with his turnaround jump-shot to extend the Rattlers lead to four. New York’s Chris LaPierre found the back of the net and cut the lead to three. The Rattlers went on another run to score a set of three quick goals capped off by a Jordan Wolf goal giving him a hat trick in the first half. The Lizards bounced back with a run of their own putting two goals on the scoreboard in 14 seconds, followed by a pair within the next two minutes to make the game a competition again coming within two goals. The last goal of the streak was a highlight play with Rob Pannell assisting Tommy Palasek with a behind-the-back pass on the crease. Wolf snapped the Lizards run with his fourth goal of the half as he tip-toed his way around the crease and put it past Lizard goalie, Drew Adams. Kyle VanHoff kept momentum going for the Rattlers with his first tally of the season. Rochester Rattlers led 11-7 at the half. The Lizards were sloppy on the offensive end and Drew Adams was off his game but the Lizards were still in it.
The second half started a hat trick goal for Kyle Denhoff. Gibson responded by tallying his own hat trick goal. Rabil would score his second of the game from behind the two point arc, making it the first two pointer of the 2016 MLL Season bringing the Lizards to within two. After a rebounding goal for Will Koshansky of the Rattlers, Lizards Palasek would get his second of the day off a feed from Rob Pannell who collected his third assist. Rochester continued to push their offense with Wolf scoring his fifth of the game; and Boltus tallied his third. Gibson added his fourth of the game off a behind-the-back assist from Palasek and the Lizards closed out the third quarter trailing 15-12.
The final quarter began with Gibson igniting the Lizards with his fifth goal cutting the lead to two. The Lizards’ offensive threats tallied six more goals in the quarter to outscore the Rattlers 7-1. Rabil completed his hat trick with a quick goal past Rattlers goalie John Galloway. Quickly after the Rabil goal, JoJo Marasco picked up his first goal of the season with a behind-the-back stunner to tie the game at 15. Michael Lazore would put the Rattlers back in front for the moment, but Rabil knotted it up once more with his fourth just inside the two point arc; followed only a few moments later giving the Lizards the lead with his hat trick goal.
Precision and strategy kept the Lizards in front down the stretch. Greg Gurenlian won 28-36 face-offs; Goalkeeper Drew Adams made two key saves in the final minutes to eliminate any chance of a Rattlers comeback; and the two goals from Pannell sealed the deal for the Lizards to complete the comeback. Final: Lizards 19—Rattlers 16.
The Lizards (1-0) will head to Florida to face the Launch (0-1) on Saturday May 7; and the Rattlers (0-1) are on the road again heading to Charlotte to face the Hounds (1-0) on Saturday May 30.
Tim Yilmaz, Beat writer New York Lizards
Lacrosse is Awesome