Di Miller, Beat Writer Denver Outlaws
Lacrosse is Awesome
On Independence Day 2017, the Denver Outlaws (7-2) hosted the Atlanta Blaze (4-6) in front of an amazing crowd of 26,614 fans. The two teams were tied in the series at one game apiece and this would be the only time they would face each other during the regular season in 2017. Atlanta had just come off a stunning victory over the Florida Launch on June 29, 2017 (17-4) and was hoping to bring that momentum into last night’s contest. The Outlaws were also coming off an amazing comeback win over the New York Lizards overcoming two separate seven goal deficits to win 17-14. Denver wanted to keep their hold on first place and the Blaze, although they are tied with the Rattlers for seventh place were still hoping to keep any chance alive for a possible play-off spot. However, it was not meant to be for the Blaze. The Denver Outlaws would be firing on all cylinders and dominated the Blaze. Final Score: Outlaws 24—Blaze 12.
It was real treat last night for the fans. Former Outlaws goalie Jesse Schwartzman was at the game and I got to spend a few moments with him chatting about his retirement from the league. Outlaws fans would also get to see the return of Chris Bocklet who was picked up by the Blaze due to the Player Movement Policy which started in 2016. The Player Movement Policy implemented for the first time in MLL history allowed players the ability to relocate to a different market and team if they had been in the league for a minimum of five consecutive seasons and had an expiring contract. This was the first time since then that all three Bocklet brothers, Matt, Mike and Chris had been on the field together. I also got to speak with Jeremy Noble; Justin Pennington; and Dillon Ward all former Outlaws players. I congratulated Dillon on his award for being chosen NLL Goalie of the Year in 2017 and as always, he was all smiles and thanked me. Now to the game…
The Blaze would open up the first with Chris Bocklet (2G, 1A) scoring at 1:14. Mike Bocklet (6G, 2A) would fire back for the Outlaws only 15 seconds later (assist Matt Bocklet) to tie the game. It was the Bocklet show for that first minute and a half. Atlanta would strike back with two of their own. Former Denver Outlaw Jeremy Noble (3G) would squeak one by Jack Kelly (assist Randy Staats); followed by a power-play shot from Staats (assist Bocklet) at 5:24 off a holding penalty from Greg Downing. Atlanta would take back the lead 3-1 until Jeremy Sieverts “Mr. Two-Pointer” (1G, 1A, 1- 2pt) would line up in front of the net, lunge, cock back and fire an unassisted laser beam passed a stunned Adam Ghitelman to tie the game. But the Matt Kavanagh (2G, 3A) Eric Law duo would team up with a nice cross field pass and dodge with Kavanagh finding the back of the net at 11:33. Atlanta would fire right back and Noble would get his second of the game less than a minute and half later (assist Kevin Rice) tying the game yet again. Denver would control the remainder of the first quarter with Wes Berg (3G, 2A) jumping for the slam dunk unassisted at 13:54; followed by Eric Law (2G, 2A) (assist Sieverts) with four seconds remaining to put the Outlaws up. Score at the end of one: Outlaws 6—Blaze 4.
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The second quarter would be all Denver. Mike Bocklet would start off with an unassisted goal at 2:28. It’s simply amazing to see the behind-the-back shots he makes and his acrobatic dives across the crease and last night’s game was no different as Mike would have several highlight reel goals. Atlanta would get their first of two in the second with Mark Matthews (1G) sending one past Kelly hitting twine (assist Staats) only 13 seconds later. For the next seven and half minutes it was “The Denver Outlaws Guns a Blazin’ Tour”. Greg Downing (1G) would get the Outlaws eight goal run started with an unassisted side arm shot at 5:17 and the barrage was unleashed. Zach Currier (2G) assist to Mike Bocklet at 6:17; Berg unassisted at 7:15; Mike Bocklet (hat-trick) unassisted at 7:54; 
Romar Dennis (1G) with his perfect almost Tewaaraton Trophy like pose hitting the net with a rocket unassisted at 8:28; Law would connect on the power-play at 9:47 (assist Berg) off Justin Pennington one-minute slashing penalty at 9:29; Mike Bocklet would get his fourth (assist Drew Snider) at 11:06; and Currier would score unassisted at 12:05. Atlanta would finally stop the carnage when Matt Mackrides (2G) would fire a bullet by Kelly for the unassisted goal at 12:44. In this quarter alone, seven of the 11 goals scored were unassisted. The goals were firing so fast, the fans couldn’t keep up with the action. Score at the end of the second: Outlaws 15—Blaze 6.
Atlanta came out of the locker room after the break and looked a bit more composed. The scoring in the third was extremely low given the number of times the twine in between the pipes shot backwards with every goal. With their new attitude Noble would start it out with the power-play (assist James Pannell) at 4:30 on the Nick Ossello one-minute illegal cross checking penalty. Mackrides at 6:44; and Rice (2G, 2A) at 8:10, both unassisted would give Atlanta some light at the end of the tunnel cutting their deficit to six. It would be over six minutes of ping pong lacrosse as neither team could find a place between the pipes. The man coverage on both the Outlaws and Blaze was spectacular, something the Blaze failed at in the first half. Then the unimaginable would happen. With two seconds remaining on the clock, Outlaws net-minder Jack Kelly with the Outlaws defense surrounding him for the coverage and the Blaze attack line and midfielders nearby leaving only the Blaze defense on the other end of the field with Ghitelman, Kelly would lob a pass down field and as fans watched the ball arch through the stadium,
Ghitelman unaware turned and saw the ball go past him into the net. Jack Kelly would score an unassisted two-point goal to end the third. The Outlaws players rushed their goalie, the fans jumped up screaming and all Atlanta could do was shake their heads in disbelief. Score at the end of three: Outlaws 17—Blaze 9.
Atlanta had fallen apart in the first half, miscues on face-offs, defense not covering their man or protecting their goalie, and you could see it in the way they came on and off the field. Denver would again dominate the final frame, this time starting it off was Matt Kavanagh (assist Mike Bocklet) only 47 seconds in; and Snider would get his only goal of the game at 1:08 (unassisted). Chris Bocklet would notch his second of the night (assist James Pannell) 32 seconds later; and Garrett Epple would fire a shot with his D-pole and notch an unassisted goal at 4:59. But Denver would go back on the man-up situation when Jake Withers would be hit with two penalties, an unsportsmanlike and an illegal body check (both one minute) at 5:43 allowing Mike Bocklet (assist Kavanagh) to score at 6:38 on only the second of six power-play attempts for Denver. We’d see Berg (assist Kavanagh) get his hat-trick at 7:57; Mike Bocklet yet again with another assist to Kavanagh at 8:51; Noah Molnar (1G) at 10:41; and finally to close out the scoring for Denver, Edwin Glazener (1G) rookie defenseman would score his first ever MLL Career goal at 10:41 and an unassisted goal at that. Right then Coach O’Hara was screaming for the ball and the players were congratulating the rookie for the shot. Atlanta would go up once more on the power-play off a one-minute illegal cross-checking penalty on BJ Grill at 13:50. Rice would close out the scoring in the contest on the power-play (assist Scott Ratliff) at 14:21. Final Score: Outlaws 24—Blaze 12.
What stood out the most in this game is how strong Denver has become. Their rookies are playing like they’ve been in the league for years; their veterans are playing hard and showing the rookies all the right moves; they’ve got power and they’ve got speed; Tommy Kelly has become stronger each game a the “X”; and Jack Kelly is seeing the ball between the pipes.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, with the amount of talent on their roster it’s hard to fathom why they are having such an issue with their offensive and defensive lines. Maybe there’s too much talent or maybe the players don’t fit well together. They only have four weeks left until the end of the regular season, so can they turn things around and come out each game and play like they did against the Launch?
MVP goes to Michael Bocklet (6G sock-trick, 2A)
Next up, we’ve got the All-Star Game on Saturday July 8, 2017 where Jonny Vegas Namer will be covering the event for us at Lacrosse is Awesome.
After the break, Denver (7-2) will head to Ohio to face the second place Machine (7-3) on Saturday July 15, 2017. This contest is pivotal as Denver wants to remain in first and Ohio wants to regain the top spot. The two teams will meet again here in Denver on Sunday July 23, 2017. Atlanta (4-6) heads to New York to face the Lizards (4-5) on Thursday July 13, 2017.
Di Miller, Beat Writer Denver Outlaws
Lacrosse is Awesome