Monster's Mark: Lizard Big Man Sets Record
from press release
It may have been his final home game in a Lizards uniform, but
Tim Goettelmann gave the home fans one last memory that they
won’t soon forget. 3,803 fans had traveled out to James
M. Shuart Stadium at Hofstra University hoping to see Major League
Lacrosse history as Goettelmann trailed Jesse Hubbard by two goals
going into the night. However, Goettelmann would go on to
score three goals during the final quarter and help the Lizards
secure an MLL playoff berth with a 16-11 victory over the Toronto
Nationals.
The Lizards would struggle to begin the game suffering a shot clock
violation on their very first possession. On the other end,
Brice Queener, brother of goalie Brett Queener got the scoring
started for the Nationals by hitting the low side corner from the
near the top of the arc. Strong defense by the Nationals
frustrated the Lizards attack as they failed to score a goal in the
first fifteen minutes. Scott Rodgers played strong denying
several Lizard shots as he continues his stellar 2010 campaign
after joining the Nationals via Notre Dame in this year’s
collegiate draft. Brodie Merrill was all over the field
leading the defensive effort with four groundballs in the first
quarter alone. Terry Kimener and Corey Small would both add
goals midway through the period to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead
after the first.
With little happening for the Lizards early on, the Lizards
desperately needed a shift in momentum as their playoff chances
hung in the balance. The turning point would come in the form
of a sprawling save by Drew Adams on a point black shot by Kyle
Rubisch. The stop would deflect right to Ricky Pages who
would scoop up the groundball and purchased a one way ticket to the
goal. He would beat Scott Rodgers with a quick shot after no
one picked him up and put the Lizards in the driver seat for the
rest of the contest. Tommy Davis followed up Pages’
game changer with his first career goal off an unselfish feed from
Goettelmann. Perhaps it was animosity spilling over from the
USA victory over Canada in the world championships, but the
Nationals started showing their frustrations and a shoving match
between both sides occurred near the sidelines. Fortunately
no one from either side dropped their gloves and three players
walked off with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Quick
passing by the Nationals would set up Garrett Billings for a power
play goal and put them on top 4-2.
The Lizards would then go on to rip off five straight goals to end
the half through their much improved transition offense. Matt
Danowski would get a pass from about fifteen yards out from Chris
Fiore and continue his deadly accuracy by depositing a rocket of a
shot into the upper corner of the goal. Then Stephen Berger
and Keith Cromwell would keep up their magic connection from the
following week and combine for another goal as Berger converted a
Cromwell feed in front of net with a diving shot across the face of
Scott Rodgers.
After winning MLL Offensive MVP for Week 10, Berger continues to
provide leadership for a team fighting to raise the Steinfeld Cup
for the first time since 2003. He stepped up his aggression
on the offensive end when Zack Greer left for the world
championships and continued his scoring ways as he took a Danowski
past and snuck in front for another acrobatic goal. Only a
couple minutes later, Berger would block a Rodgers’ clear,
pounce on the loose ball and send a shot past the stunned goalie to
finish off his natural hat trick. Right before Goettelmann
would find John Orsen streaking through the teeth of the
Nationals’ defense who would send a rolling shot into the
back of the netting for his third goal of the year.
Midway through the season as the Lizards struggled to find rhythm
on offense the additions of Parker McKee from the collegiate draft
and Ricky Pages off the physically unable to perform list helped
ignite the team’s transition attack. Their ability to
get tough groundballs and burst into the attacking zone has helped
spark numerous Lizard scoring chances and create plenty of open
spaces for Lizards’ snipers Danowski and Berger.
The halftime break didn’t seem to slow the Lizards down one
bit, and neither did the usually stout goaltending of Brett
Queener. The last time these two teams met, the Lizards
coughed up a halftime lead and Brett Queener earned Bud Light MVP
honors after he entered in the second half and shut down the Long
Island attack holding them to just 9 goals for the game. The
Lizards would not suffer the same fate again, as Berger would
immediately put a dent in Queener’s armor with a laser from a
step inside the two point arc. The Lizards looked better than
they had all season as the accuracy and crispness of their passing
increased as nighttime fell on James M Shuart stadium.
Berger would take a transition pass and set up Danowski with an
over the shoulder, no-look dump off on the left side of the net
that the former Duke attackman deposited into the left side of the
net.
Kevin Huntley tried to slow down the Lizards onslaught by taking a
John Grant Jr. pass and stumping Adams with a beautiful behind the
back shot and made the game 9-5. Ricky Pages wouldn’t
allow the Nationals to celebrate for very long as he scored two
minutes later after taking another groundball and breaking free
from the defensive end for his second goal of the night and
season. Greg Gurenlian then continued his dominance of the
center circle (12-18 on faceoffs for the night) and barreled down
the middle for a clear path goal. The Lizards attack then
pressed the rewind button as Berger and Danowski repeated their
connection from earlier to give the Lizards an astounding 12-5 lead
after trailing 3-0 early on. The goal was Danowski’s
24th of the season which ties him with Chesapeake’s Pete
Poillon for second in the league.
Billings would then do his best to pull the Nationals back in to
the game as he initiated a one man march on the Lizards goal
scoring three in a row on goalie Drew Adams. Merrill would
set up Kevin Huntley in transition and cut the Lizards advantage
down to 12-9 as the Lizards were now clinging onto their much
needed victory. The Lizards then got a transition goal from
Mike Ward off a key groundball pickup by Parker McKee to help ease
the fears of the fans, but Mike McLellan would respond with a goal
of his own less than two minutes later by scooping a loose rebound
past Adams.
When things looked bleak with the game now 13-10, the previously
quiet “Monster” rose from the darkness and put the rest
of the Lizards on his back as he closed out the game. His
first goal would come after Orsen found Goettelmann in transition
and allowed him to easily put one into the net. ONE
AWAY. Goettelmann would then record a jumping goal in front
of the net which was punctuated by an animated fist pump.
RECORD TIED. After the Lizards get the ball back from a
Nationals attack, Danowski dodges past a defender, fakes a shot and
finds Goettelmann for a diving goal in front of the net. The
milestone goal came in his patented Goettelmann fashion as he
muscled his way into the middle and gave the goalie no chance of
keeping him from entering the MLL history books. RECORD
BROKEN
Kevin Huntley would add another late goal, but it was merely an
afterthought as the Lizards celebrated a historic night for the
franchise. Peter Vhlakis would record his 1,000th faceoff win
late in the fourth quarter becoming only the second player ever to
do so.
The win clinched a playoff spot for the Lizards and put them at 6-5
for the season. The game marked the final home contest for
the Lizards this season as they travel next week to Toronto for a
7:00 pm game on Saturday. The season will then conclude in
Annapolis, Maryland where the playoffs occur on August 21st and
22nd. Tim Goettelmann and the rest of the Long Island Lizards
would like to write the last chapter of his career by raising the
Steinfeld Cup.
