Featured Image Photo Credit: Pretty Instant
Kevin S. Clancy, Beat Writer Boston Cannons
Lacrosse is Awesome
On Thursday June 22, the Ohio Machine (6-2) headed to Harvard Stadium to face the Boston Cannons (3-6). The two teams faced off against one another on June 10 but that time they were on Ohio’s home turf and the Machine would win in OT 13-12. Different city, but the same result as the Machine would again defeat the Cannons for a second time in another overtime contest. Final Score in OT: Machine 16—Cannons 15.
It does seem like the continuation of the Machine – Cannons OT game from two weeks ago. Joe Nardella took the Cannon’s face-off and ran straight to the goal with a high shot between the pipes to start off the scoring. Ohio would come back with a four-goal run off Peter Baum; Marcus Holman; Mark Cockerton; and Connor Cannizzaro to make it 4-1 at the 9:24 mark in the game. The Cannons would pick up their offensive play making and came alive with G. Coholan starting it off at 7:44; Kylor Bellistri at 7:55; and Will Manny tying the game 4-4 on a man-up goal with just under five minutes to go in the first. Kevin Buchanan assisted Will perfectly. But Ohio would grab a fast break off the face-off to go up 5-4 with a shot from Mike Birney unassisted at 9:35. Then the Machine’s Peter Baum would sneak around Josh Hawkins, reached around the crease and popped one in making it 6-4. Boston’s Davey Emala (assist Buchanan) would score at 1:18 with the score at the end of one: Ohio 6—Boston 5.
The second quarter slowed down a bit and the Cannons Emala would start it out with back-to-back goals (assist on the first to Kyle Jackson) and unassisted on his 100th point for Boston tying the game at six apiece. Emala would steal a short Ohio goalie pass and single handed hit the empty goal. Holman would hit back for Ohio on a reach around goal with his stick tying the game at seven. The next five goals in the frame would be unassisted. Cannizzaro and Tom Schreiber would hit net at 8:28 and 11:29 and Boston began to wonder where their momentum had gone? Boston would regroup and go back on a three-goal run from Bellistri; Jackson; and Bellistri again (hat-trick) with his second forcing his way in front of the crease to put the Cannons up 10-9 at half time.
The third would start with three unassisted goals making it eight unassisted in a row. What are the odds? Boston would come out of the break with goals from Jackson at 3:16; and Bellistri at 4:05 giving the Cannons a 12-9 lead four minutes into the quarter. The Cannons would go man down off a slash by Hawkins but Brodie Merrill blocked a clearing pass and Boston thwarted the penalty. Ohio needed to stop the momentum Boston had found and they did just that. Jake Bernhardt would go right-left-right with an over the shoulder shot that found the back of the net to make it 12-10 with 4:40 remaining in the third. Tyler Fiorito gets the shout out for his saves on the night. He figured out the Machine’s favorite shots and was there to make the stops. Ohio had the trick assist going tonight and Holman blindly behind his back fed the ball to Cannizzaro for the hat-trick with 2:46 remaining making it a one goal game. Boston wanted to end the period with another goal and not allow the Machine to score again. They let the shot clock run down to 19 seconds and Emala got his fourth on the night to end the period 13-11.
The game was close from the first whistle and the fourth would be no different. It started off with Boston a man down on a one minute unsportsmanlike conduct call on Hawkins for a shot after the buzzer ending the third. Boston held strong in the man down situation not allowing the Machine to notch a power-play goal, only to see Ohio’s Peter Baum convert 11 seconds into even strength bringing them back to within one at 1:11. Holman would barrel through the Boston defense and tied the game only 39 seconds later. Then Notre Dame Draft pick Sergio Perkovic would score his second unassisted MLL goal putting Boston up; followed by Nardella who took it to the posts on a straight run on the face-off only six seconds later. The fans would see no goals for over six minutes until Ohio would strike again. The 15-13 Boston lead lasted only four minutes and Ohio had tied it again at 15 apiece with Holman getting his fourth of the night (assist Cannizzaro) at 8:48; and Schreiber would close out the end of regulation with an unassisted shot at 11:40. There was some confusion on an interference call the same time that Max Siebald sent a 2pt shot blazing past Kyle Bernlohr. The goal was called back keeping the game tied. Then, yet another controversial call when an intercepted pass was nullified due to a time-out called from the side lines. Still tied and with one minute remaining, Ohio had the ball. But a bad pass across the middle gave Boston back possession with 37 seconds remaining. Boston attempted a shot, but couldn’t connect sending the game into overtime. Score at the end of regulation: Boston 15—Ohio 15.
Heading into over-time each team would have several chances to score. Sticks were chopping up and down in front of the Ohio goal, the ball was loose in front of Bernlohr but Ohio would get the ground ball, converted and Holman would get his fifth and most important goal of the night 6:26 into OT ending the game. It was a sad night in Bean Town! Final Score OT: Machine 16—Cannons 15.
Boston gets an All Star Break until July 16th and hopes the time off will get them back in the “W” column, then they head out for three road games. The Machine (6-2) will host the Chesapeake Bayhawks (3-4) tonight at Fortress Field in Columbus.
Kevin Clancy, Beat Writer Boston Cannons
Lacrosse is Awesome