Major League Lacrosse :      July 18, 2002 [ The Game Story]
Boston Cannons 22 Bridgeport Barrage 13 Scoring: Scoring: Conor Gill Michael Watson Mike Battista David Evans Mike Regan John Madigan Brent Rothfuss Brian Voelker Bill Edell Scott Doyle (4, 3) (2, 3) (4, 0) (3, 0) (3, 0) (2, 0) (1, 1) (1, 0) (1, 0) (1, 0) Dan Denihan Brian Langtry Matt Panetta Matt Striebel Bj Prager Todd Eichelberger Keith Cromwell (4, 1) (2, 1) (2, 1) (2, 0) (1, 0) (1, 0) (1, 0) Saves: Saves: Kevin O'brien Keith Cynar 9  (0.529) 8  (0.615) Jim Mule Mark Spruyt 10  (0.345) 2  (0.400) Current Record :     (3-5) Current Record :     (1-8) Team Page For 2002 Team Page For 2002       The Game Story:

The win for Boston was definitely a choice one. After five consecutive losses, four of which were either decided by one-point or in OT, the Cannons were at a near breaking point. Despite the nine-goal differential against a Bridgeport team with a 1-8 record, Boston played perhaps their most cohesive and exciting game of the season. Ten different Boston Cannons players found the back of the net. The attack came out with sawed-off shot guns ablaze and put on a Disney style laser light show for the 3,673 on hand. Kudos to Coach Scott Hiller for playing chemist with the lineup. The game was the first home game win for the Cannons, and marked the power debut of World Games member Scott Doyle (Georgetown 01’). Bud Light MVP Player of the Game rookie Conor Gill (UVA 02') was the smooth operator of the evening with a cool seven-point effort (4 goals, 3 assists).

To say that each club needed a win would be a gross understatement. The Boston Cannons entered the game with a 2-5 record, while the Barrage were 1-7. Bridgeport’s most recent loss was at the hands of the Rattlers who trounced the Barrage 15-5. Meanwhile, the Cannons took another hard hit with a 15-16 OT loss to the Pride. The last time these two teams met, the Barrage fell to the Cannons 19-18 in overtime on June 15th. Given the importance of a win and the one-point margin of victory in their previous meeting, the score should have been a lot closer. Both teams have narrowly lost to clubs with far superior records. Bridgeport lost to Long Island (6-1) 20-21 in OT and New Jersey (5-3) 16-17 in OT. Boston has lost to Rochester (3-4) 15-14 and the Pride 16-15. The Cannons are second in the American league only to Long Island, while Bridgeport follows Boston.

At the end of the first period, Boston led Bridgeport 3-1. The irreparable damage happened as Boston outscored Bridgeport 9-4 (1st) and 7-4 (4th). Boston had 57 to the Barrage’s 43 shots on goal. Reserve keepers Justin Cynar (Harvard 00’) and Kevin O’Brien (Georgetown 99’) logged in stellar performances combining for 17 saves to Bridgeport’s 12. The most noticeable change was the output of the otherwise inconsistent offense who outperformed their counterparts in all four quarters. Coach Scott Hiller experimented with different combinations of players and the homecoming of Scott Doyle couldn’t have been more perfectly timed. The field dynamics were more noticeably different as the field players maintained a higher standard of accountability. Granted Bridgeport did not have their best outing, but very little could subtract from the show the Cannons put on – and for that, the fans were grateful.

Boston maintained possession of the face-off at the start of the first period and didn’t waste time warming up the rifles. Hometown boy Mike Battista (Loyola 00’) was the first to convert. Battista used the screens up top and unleashed a shot that hit lower left (1-0) with less than two minutes into the period. It took less than a minute for Cannons teammate Michael Watson (UVA 97’) to find mesh again. Boston worked the ball on O with Doyle behind. Brent Rothfuss (Nazareth 97’) dished the ball to Michael Watson behind the goal. Watson then worked the crease from behind and took the keeper with a fake hi-low combination (2-0). Michael Watson, Don Little, Conor Gill, Brendan Glass (UMass 97’), David Evans (Brown 96’) and Jon Madigan (UMass 01’) were in on attack with a rotating man in the hole. Watson made it a deuce at 6:54 with an unassisted goal. Michael Watson scored from behind on a low to high sweeper that clipped upper 90 (3-0). Boston gained possession of the ball and continued on the sneak with the itchy trigger finger, but Bridgeport cut the party short with an EMO goal from Keith Cromwell (Rutgers 01’). Boston’s Tim Byrnes (Syracuse 00’) was called for slashing. Cromwell cranked from leftside top and hit upper shelf (1-3).

Bridgeport maintained possession of the face-off at the second-period whistle. The Barrage did not waste the opportunity and scored within the first minute of the quarter. Dan Denihan (JHU 00’) rolled the crease and tacked a lefty shot in the upper left corner (2-3). The Cannons responded with a nasty, yet effortless-looking shot from Team USA member Scott Doyle who cranked one in the top left corner (4-2). Conor Gill followed on a crease roll with his defender’s stick as a necklace and got one past the keeper’s dime hole (5-2). The Barrage Swiss cheese defense made the long-range shots look even better. Madigan scored picked up where Doyle left off and cranked one from up high and hit top right shelf (6-2). Evans scored an EMO goal assisted by Watson. Evans had a clear look to goal and the hummer hit top left (7-2). Brian Langtry (Hofstra 98’) responded for Bridgeport with a 2-pointer from leftside high (4-7). Evan’s second goal was an during man-up as he snagged Watson’s rebound (8-4). Conor Gill managed a tough lefty shot on a crease roll that rolled off the keeper’s right hip (9-4). Battista got the 10th Boston goal on a candy shot from the king’s throne up top (10-4). Gill notched the hat trick with a lefty goal that hit lower left corner (11-4). Mike Regan (Butler 00’), who recently turned 24, made magic happen as he curiously weaved through four defenders in the hole and managed a bouncer (12-4). Dan Denihan rounded out the scoring in the second period on a crease roll dive. Ryan Curtis (UVA 00’) was working Denihan hard, but over committed and the exposed Denihan put one past Cynar’s left shoulder (5-12).

Boston entered the third period with a man up, but could not convert. Dan Denihan scored a hat trick for Bridgeport. Langtry dished to Denihan who rifled one past Kevin O’Brien’s right shin (6-12). Former Bayhawks Coach, now Beantown convert, long stick defender Brian Voelker (JHU 91’) scored with one step into the box (13-6). Todd Eichelberger (Princeton 97’) scored low on an assist from Denihan. Barrage’s Denihan drew the double up top and O’Brien was left to defend Eichelberger who was fast approaching the crease. Eichelberger had an easy look on a virtually empty cage. Bridgeport’s Matt Striebel (Princeton 01’) took his shorty on a crease ride, dove and got one past O’Brien’s left hip (8-13). Denihan scored Bridgeport’s last goal of the period as he schooled his defender on a crease roll and shot low right (9-13). Typically, this would be the point where the Cannons would surrender a lead. With the margin narrowing, it was almost a reflex to question whether or not Boston would come out on top, but the Cannons responded immediately. Conor Gill made two sterling back-to-back assists. Gill was behind and rifled one over Bridgeport keeper’s Jim Mule’s (St. John’s 90’) to an open Battista up top who finished with the bouncer (14-9). Gill found Evans on the identical play for 15-9.

Bridgeport finished the fourth period with four unanswered goals, but by that time, it was a little too late. 2-point chief Mike Regan demonstrated his 2-pt. league leading skills with yet another 2-pointer that hit lower right corner (17-9). Doyle hauled the ball to Rothfuss who was coming in off the sidelines. Rothfuss went straight to goal and tacked the lower right corner (18-9). Conor Gill dished off yet again and found teammate Bill Edell (UMass 93’), Six Tribes Clothing Co. co-owner, for 19-9. Gill past the UVA baton to Watson who then assisted on the following two goals. Watson was behind and dished to Gill who was on the goalie’s left. Gill came in strong with the moves and went high-low and then got the reverse stick past Mule’s left hip (20-9). The next goal was the tightest combination of the game. Boston started the fast break off a clear from O’Brien. Gill hit Evans with a flat pass in the midfield. Evans dished to Watson who was down low and then Madigan finished as he was cutting from up top with a shot that hit net past the keeper’s left hip (21-9). Battista rounded out the scoring for Boston with a bouncer from up high (22-9). Bridgeport managed to escape the narcoleptic humdrum and gained possession of the face-offs and scored four unanswered goals. Barrage’s Mike Adams (ND 01’) dished off to Matt Panetta (JHU 01’) rolled off his defender’s hip in the hole and got the low-to-high sweeper (10-22). Bridgeport broke it down to a 1-4-1 and Cromwell passed to B.J Prager (Princeton 02’) from behind. Prager then rifled a quick one past O’Brien’s left hip (11-22). Panetta took Gerry Byrne (UMass 86’) to school on a crease roll and got one in the upper right corner (12-22). The final goal of the game came from Matt Streibel as he gunned one from up high into the top right corner (13-22). Final score Boston 22 Bridgeport 13.

Next Saturday, Bridgeport will have yet another chance to avenge their loss as the Barrage go head-to-head with the Cannons at Cawley Memorial Stadium, MA.