Major League Lacrosse :      July 22, 2006 [ The Game Story]
Boston Cannons 13 Rochester Rattlers 12 Scoring: Scoring: David Evans Conor Gill John Christmas Matt Poskay Chazz Woodson Chris Fiore (4, 1) (3, 2) (1, 2) (2, 0) (2, 0) (1, 0)     Saves: Saves: Jake Coon 15  (0.556)     Current Record :     (7-2) Current Record :     (4-5) Team Page For 2006 Team Page For 2006       The Game Story:

Game details
(Boston, MA) Bud Light Game MVP Conor Gill led the Cannons to victory with three goals and two assists in front of 5,606 fans in a well-matched, hard-hitting game, which seemed to start and end with heated exchanges between both teams. Both teams were missing players due to the World Lacrosse Championships. Rochester endured a steeper loss playing without John Grant, Brodie Merrill, Matt Vinc, Colin Doyle, Stephen Hoar, Kevin Cassese and Joe Walters while Boston played without Chris Garrity, Brett Bucktooth and Ryan Curtis.

Boston and Rochester played tough and tight from the start. Both teams were just as competitive on the field as the stat sheet – (Boston:Rochester) SOG 31:26, SOFF 16:18, GB 32:33, FO 13-26, and PPG 2 for 6:2 for 6. Rochester’s Mike Levin came up with 20 saves for the evening while Boston’s Jake Coon tallied 15 saves.

Rochester came out strong with back-to-back goals going up 3-0. Rochester won at the face-off X. Seth Goldberg scored for Rochester off an assist from Nate Hill at 5:34 (1-0). Hill dished off to Goldberg from X. Rochester made use of speed and ball movement to beat an athletic and larger-than-usual Boston defense. Jamie Hanford, Chris Passavia. Hill made his league debut with impressive numbers posting a hat trick and a pair of assists.

Boston’s Chazz Woodson came off the field with an illegal equipment foul at 6:28. Rochester converted for an easy EMO-goal. Joe Kostolansky rifled a 2-pt shot passed Coon’s left hip (3-0) at 6:45. Boston responded with a 2-pt pp goal from outside-shot man David Evans (2-3). Rochester’s Chris Schiller was flagged for an illegal check. John Christmas passed to Evans from X making use of the power play. Boston’s Dave Jenkins snagged possession at the face-off X. Christmas settled the score with the underhanded equalizer hitting the lower left corner at 12:54 (3-3).

Rochester won the face-off at the beginning of the second period. Both teams exercised a more disciplined defense and played a penalty-free period. Nate Hill scored off an assist from Justin Redd at 1:06. Hill beat the slide from up top and Coon with a low bouncer (4-3). Boston’s Matt Poskay responded with an off-side hip shot off an assist from Evans at 2:09 (4-4). Rochester won the ensuing face-off and rookie Rattler Nate Hill score his second goal of the period and game narrowly escaping traffic giving Rochester a temporary one-goal lead at 3:10 (5-4).

Boston’s won possession of the face-off and Chazz Woodson scored unassisted using his steps to beat his defender shooting overhand at 4:00 (5-5). Rochester took the ball at the face-of x however they could not maintain possession. Conor Gill lit up the crease with his favorite diving shot (6-5). Rochester scored off a fast break give and go from the face-off x. Goldberg was assisted by Hill at 9:17 (6-6). Woodson scored the last goal of the game off an assist from Gill. Gill sat loose up top while Woodson gave the strong flash-cut high from behind scoring from the hole at 11:45 giving Boston the one-goal lead going into the second half (7-6).

Jenkins won the face-off for Boston at the start of the second half, but the Cannons could not control the ball. Rochester opened the second half with back-to-back goals from Patrick Dutton (unassisted) and Hill. Hill hit the top left corner off an assist from Chris Unterstein on the fast break (8-7). Rochester’s Peter Milliman was sent to the box for illegal equipment. Evans converted on the power play. Boston worked the wheel and Gill from behind dished off to Evans who then unleashed a 2-pt monster from the top giving Boston the one-goal lead (9-8).

Boston’s Drew Pfarr got called for the body check and Rochester converted in the last few seconds of the man-advantage. Unterstein scored unassisted rolling the crease and taking Coon between the legs leveling the score at 9-9. Chris Fiore gave the Cannons the one-goal lead going into the final period. Fiore shot overhand from up top finding net stickside hip (10-9).

Rochester scored the first two goals of the final period. Golberg shot the equalizer and took Coon high from fellow teammate Milliman at 3:54 (10-10). Face-off man Greg Gurenlian turned it on from the 50 taking the overhand on the run and sailing the ball past Coon’s helmet. Boston rallied back with three, big consecutive goals imported from Wahoo Country. Christmas dished off to Poskay up top who then shot down low giving the Cannons the one-goal lead (11-10). Gill worked both sides of the crease with the diving dip n’ dunk which has become a mainstay attraction in Boston. Gill’s goals gave Boston some leeway (13-11) with nearly two minutes left in regulation. The Cannons’ backline wall did their best to defend the precious two-goal margin. Rattler Kostolansky scored the last goal at 14:22 putting the Rattlers with in one. Boston defender Chris Passavia took down an opponent at the final whistle; tempers flared and resulted in a hostile situation, which was diffused as quickly as it was started by refs, coaches, and teammates. It was an anticlimactic end to a good game and an unfortunate note to end a competitive contest between two good teams.

With the win, the Cannons improve their record to 7-2 tying Philadelphia for the best record in the East. The Cannons return to action on July 29th against the New Jersey Pride at home. The Rattlers will host the San Francisco Dragons on July 29th at 19:30 p.m.