Di Miller, Beat Writer Denver Outlaws
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Denver Outlaws (6-2) welcomed the New York Lizards (3-6) to the Mile High City where 5,122 Denver fans would see their Outlaws do the unimaginable. Exactly one year ago, the Outlaws hosted the Lizards in Denver and that victory after a (2-6) record to begin the season would see the Outlaws go on an undefeated run sending them to the play-offs and the 2016 MLL Championship game where they would defeat Ohio bringing home their second Steinfeld Trophy in franchise history. Not only was it defenseman Matt Bocklets’ 125th consecutive game in an Outlaws jersey, surpassing Lee Zink who retired in 2016, it was also John Grant, Jr. Day. 
The previous week, Denver had their worst loss of the season being defeated by the Boston Cannons (3-6). The Outlaws were held to only two goals in the second half and lost by the score of 16-9. This past weekend, Denver was ready to regroup and come out guns a blazing. However, the first half the Outlaws were down 11-6 and looking much like the week before. But this time it would be the Lizards who would implode in the second half with Denver having a stellar second half scoring 11 goals to give them the win. Final Score: Outlaws 17—Lizards 14.
New York would start off the first with a bang when Paul Rabil (3G) would fire it past Jack Kelly only 19 seconds in. Jeremy Sieverts (4G) would hit back (assist Greg Downing) at 3:53. But Lizards attackman, Rob Pannell (3G, 3A) would notch an unassisted shot at 4:53 to put them back on top. The quarter would continue with the score going back and forth. Wes Berg (3G, 1A) would connect (assist Zach Currier) for Denver at 6:30; and Pannell would score yet another unassisted tally only 49 seconds later putting them up again. New York would go man-up off two penalties on Sieverts for holding (30 seconds) and slashing (one minute). Curtis Dickson (5G) would hit on the power-play (assist Pannell) 25 seconds into the man-up situation giving them the lead at the end of one. Lizards 4—Outlaws 2.
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Heading into the second, Denver fans were quiet as they hadn’t seen typical Outlaws lacrosse at Sports Authority Field over the past two weeks. The Lizards would go on a five-goal run and the same as last weekend, Tommy Kelly face-off specialists wasn’t seeing much help from the wing middies and at that point was no match for Greg “The Beast” Gurenlian. Matt Gibson (3G) would start it out for New York quicker than Rabil did in the first only 10 seconds in. Pannell (assist Gurenlian) would notch his hat-trick only eight seconds later. Rabil would connect again at 1:47; Dickson unassisted at 2:22; and Gibson with yet another. In the span of three minutes and 43 seconds, New York silenced the crowd and went up 9-2 with a little under 12 minutes to play in the half. Tim Barber (1G, 1A) would come back with one of his signature shots (unassisted) to break the momentum for the Lizards at 4:35. But as happened before, the opponent would strike back and Dickson would notch his hat-trick less than a minute later. Matt Kavanagh (4G, 2A) would get his first of four on the day with the assist going to Romar Dennis, the Outlaws 4th Round Draft Pick and 34th overall with his first career MLL assist. But Edwin Glazener rookie for Denver would catch a one minute tripping penalty at 8:16 giving the Lizards their second man-up situation in the game. With Rabil in the line-up, power-play goals are almost guaranteed and this time would be no different. Rabil would come through on the power-play (assist Dave Lawson) only 14 seconds later putting the Outlaws back at even strength quick. But at this point, both teams were playing good man defense and the two net-minders Drew Adams and Jack Kelly were holding strong between the pipes. Denver would score two more before half-time with Currier (1G, 3A) getting a nice feed from Kavanagh at 11:57; and Dennis 
(1G, 1A) only 39 seconds later would get his first career MLL goal (unassisted) to close out the first half at the 12:36 mark. For the remaining two and half minutes neither team would find twine. The Outlaws knew they had to head into the locker room and discuss strategy to avoid back-to-back losses. Score at the end of the second quarter: Lizards 11—Outlaws 6.
Whatever Coach O’Hara said during the break worked. The Outlaws came out of the tunnel with fire in their eyes. They would hold New York to only two goals in the second and score five of their own. Berg would start it off for Denver (assist to Gavin McBride, the Outlaws 5th Round 45th overall draft pick) at 3:37. McBride just like the other rookies to come out of the Collegiate Draft this season have really shown the coaching staff as well as the fans, that they know the game and they want to win. Dickson would break up the three-goal run by the Outlaws (assist Gurenlian) only seven seconds later; and Gibson would close out his night with the hat-trick (assist Joe Walters) at 4:17. Over three minutes would tick off the clock before Denver would come to life and have one of the most exciting come-backs in the MLL this season. Sieverts (unassisted) would send one of his laser beams past a stunned Adams; and Kavanagh would net a true hat-trick with goals at 8:40 (assist Finn Sullivan), 11:06 (assist Currier), and 13:37 (assist Noah Molnar). New York was stunned but Denver had the momentum on the field and the fans in the stands to pump them up even higher. The Lizards still had the lead, but the Outlaws had the desire. Score at the end of three: Lizards 13—Outlaws 11.
The fourth was all Denver as they would hold the Lizards to only one goal. Sieverts would start out the fourth with an unassisted hat-trick at 3:23 (his three final goals were all unassisted).The Outlaws defense was as it normally is, with good three-on-one coverage; making good slides and protecting their net-minder between the pipes. Kelly staved off three of four shots on goal in the fourth. The Lizards goal was a thing of beauty as Dickson would do what he has done so many times in the NLL. Dickson (unassisted) came around the left side of the net just beyond the crease and launched himself to reach around from the back of the net to score at 5:36. Definitely a highlight reel goal. But just as pretty as Dickson’s goal was, Denver would answer back with one of their own. https://www.facebook.com/pg/LACROSSEISAWESOME/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1731917446821779 Currier had the ball just outside of the 2pt arc line staring down Unterstein. He set, dodged and headed towards the net ready to wind up for the score. Joe Fletcher would halt Currier’s momentum while McBride began the move into place on the left side of the net. For the few seconds that Currier scuffled and tumbled with Unterstein and Pifani, Currier saw McBride moving into position. Just as Pifani was pushing Currier towards the back of the crease, Currier sent a pass right to left, McBride (3G, 1A) jumped
, caught the pass and on the way down slam dunked the ball past Adams. During the movement heading up to the goal, Adams had his eyes on Currier until it was too late as McBride was already in place. The remaining eight minutes were all Denver. Sieverts would get his fourth on the day (unassisted) with seven minutes remaining and tying the game at 14 apiece. McBride would get another at 9:04 (assist Barber); Berg with the hat-trick at 10:18 (assist Kavanagh); and the rookie McBride would close it with his first MLL career hat-trick (assist Berg) at 10:51. Neither team would score in the last four minutes and Denver worked the clock well using as much of each 60 second clock they had. The Lizards attempted to put something together as they had done in the second quarter, but it wasn’t in the cards. Final Score: Outlaws 17—Lizards 14.
There would be a total of eight hat-tricks in the contest. The Outlaws had Sieverts, Kavanagh, McBride and Berg; and the Lizards with Dickson, Pannell; Rabil; and Gibson.
Next up, Denver will host the Atlanta Blaze (3-5) on Tuesday July 4, 2017.
Di Miller, Beat Writer Denver Outlaws
Lacrosse is Awesome