NLL Week 6 Recap: Miller Provides Relief; Titans Salvage Split
from staff reports
Backup goalie Erik Miller stopped 28 of 32 shots in relief of
Matt Vinc, as the New York Titans defeated the Philadelphia Wings,
15-12, Sunday night at Prudential Center.
Wings 2008 first round pick Merrick Thomson scored three
first-quarter goals to put Philadelphia up early in the contest.
Kyle Sweeney and Drew Westervelt also had goals for the Wings who
finished the quarter with a 5-2 lead.
After the Titans began the second quarter scoring, Thomson scored
his fourth of the game which was the first of three consecutive
goals for Philadelphia that caused New York to pull starting
goaltender Matt Vinc in favor of Erik Miller. The Titans would add
two goals before the end of the half but the Wings maintained their
lead with the score 8-5.
The Titans began the third quarter with five unanswered goals to
take a 10-8 lead in the contest. New York's offensive outburst
prompted the Wings to pull starting goaltender Rob Blasdell in
favor of Brandon Miller. Thomson continued his strong night and
stopped the Titans' scoring streak by netting his fifth of the
night. The score at the end of three quarters was 10-9 in favor of
New York. The Titans Erik Miller stopped all but one shot in the
quarter.
New York's strong defense and goaltending by backup Erik Miller
continued in the fourth quarter. The Wings were only able to score
three goals in the final period and the Titans won the game 15-12.
New York goaltender Erik Miller stopped 28 of 32 shots on the night
in securing the win.
The Wings will play their next game on February 13 at 8 p.m., when
they take on the Boston Blazers. The Titans host the Rochester
Knighthawks next Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. Game time
is 8 p.m.
Blazers Stun Titans with Two Goals in Final 10 Seconds
BOSTON - The Boston
Blazers scored twice in the final 10 seconds of regulation to
defeat the New York Titans, 9-8, at TD Banknorth Garden on
Saturday.
New York led 8-7, but with Anthony Cosmo pulled for the extra
attacker, rookie Gary Bining scored his fourth goal of the game to
tie the game, and Kyle Ross scored the game-winner on a rebound
shot with under one second remaining.
"It was great, I don't get many of them," Ross said of his first
goal of the season. "It feels good, especially when they win the
game for you. I knew the clock was running down so I just turned
and fired."
New York (3-3) tied the game 5-5 at the 3:05 mark of the final
quarter when Brendan Mundorf beat Boston (3-3) goalie Anthony
Cosmo. And few minutes later the Titans took its first lead since
it had a 1-0 advantage after a Jordan Hall goal.
Bining tied the game 6-6 with 7:23 to play but Mike McLellan
scored for the Titans 32 seconds later. Bining struck back with
5:19 to play to once again - evening the game at 7-7.
"I'm still looking at the score sheet to make sure we pulled that
off the way we did," Blazers coach Tom Ryan said. "It was amazing.
..."We knew if won we tied for second place and we couldn't ask for
anything
more."
What seemed to be the game winner for the Titans was netted by
Mundorf with 2:32 to play.
Dan Dawson scored a hat-trick and Cosmo earned the win in goal for
Boston.
Brendan Mundorf scored three goals and Casey Powell added two for
New York.
The Colorado Mammoth defeated the Minnesota Swarm, 13-8 on
Saturday night in front of 11,174 fans at Xcel Energy Center.
The game was tied at 2-2 after the first quarter. In the second
quarter, Colorado had five different players score as they
outscored the Swarm 5-3 in the quarter and took a 7-5 lead into
halftime.
In the third quarter, defense and goaltending took center stage
again at both ends. Kevin Buchanan and Dan Marohl scored goals for
Minnesota, while Matt Leveque scored for Colorado. The Mammoth took
an 8-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
A goal by Ryan Ward to start the fourth quarter tied the score.
Colorado answered with five consecutive goals, including two by
Gavin Prout. Mammoth goaltender Andrew Leyshon played a strong game
in place, holding the Swarm to eight goals and making 41 saves on
49 shots faced. The Mammoth were led on offense by Prout (three
goals, three assists) and Brian Langtry (two goals, four assists).
Gary Rosyski and Jamie Shewchuk each added two goals and two
assists.
It was another tough night for the Swarm offense. Ryan Ward scored
two goals and had three assists. Dan Marohl scored twice and had
two assists.
Mammoth Rally Past Storm
The Colorado Mammoth defeated the Minnesota Swarm, 13-8 on
Saturday night in front of 11,174 fans at Xcel Energy Center.
The game was tied at 2-2 after the first quarter. In the second
quarter, Colorado had five different players score as they
outscored the Swarm 5-3 in the quarter and took a 7-5 lead into
halftime.
In the third quarter, defense and goaltending took center stage
again at both ends. Kevin Buchanan and Dan Marohl scored goals for
Minnesota, while Matt Leveque scored for Colorado. The Mammoth took
an 8-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
A goal by Ryan Ward to start the fourth quarter tied the score.
Colorado answered with five consecutive goals, including two by
Gavin Prout. Mammoth goaltender Andrew Leyshon played a strong game
in place, holding the Swarm to eight goals and making 41 saves on
49 shots faced. The Mammoth were led on offense by Prout (three
goals, three assists) and Brian Langtry (two goals, four
assist
s). Gary Rosyski and Jamie Shewchuk each added two goals and two
assists.
It was another tough night for the Swarm offense. Ryan Ward scored
two goals and had three assists. Dan Marohl scored twice and had
two assists.
Portland Dumps San Jose
The Portland LumberJax defeated the San Jose Stealth,
16-13, at Rose Garden on Saturday. The Jax used a six-goal run in
the first half to grab an early 8-3 lead which they never
relinquished.
Portland used balanced scoring to secure the win as 10 different
players scored goals. Ryan Powell recorded a hat-trick, whle Peter
Jacobs, Peter Morgan, Cory Conway and Derek Malawsky each added
two. Matt Disher earned the win in goal.
Jeff Zywicki led San Jose with three goals, while Colin Doyle and
Frank Resetarits each scored twice.
Toronto Tops Rush
The Toronto Rock topped the Edmonton Rush, 16-9, at Air Canada
Centre on Saturday. Edmonton led 4-0 in the first quarter, but
Lewis Ratcliff scored a natural hat-trick to spark the Toronto
offense.
The Rock snagged their first lead of the game, 6-5, after a Blaine
Manning goal halfway through the second quarter, and never
trailed.
Bob Watson and the Rock defense held Edmonton scoreless for the
final 19 minutes, extending a 10-9 lead after three quarters to a
16-9 final.
Ratcliff and Jason Crosbie scored four goals each, while Chris
Driscoll added two. Watson finished with 31 saves in the win.
Andy Secore led Edmonton with three goals. Steve Dietrich made 40
saves in the loss.
Feb. 6, 2009
Philly Stuns the Champs
The Philadelphia Wings topped the Buffalo Bandits, 13-11, at
Wachovia Center on Friday. The Wings trailed, 10-8, early into the
fourth quarter, but outscored the defending champs 5-1 the rest of
the way.
With under four minutes remaining, AJ Shannon was the hero,
scoring back-to-back goals (including the game-winner) to put
Buffalo away.
Mat Giles and Drew Westervelt scored three goals each, while
Shannon finished with two goals and three assists. Merrick Thomson,
David Mitchell, Taylor Wray, Benson Erwin and Rob Van Beek added
singles.
Brandon Miller recorded 34 saves in the win.
Mark Steenhuis, Sean Greenhalgh and Kevin Dostie scored two goals
each for Buffalo. Mike Thompson made 41 saves in the loss.
Philadelphia (2-3) meets the New York Titans on Sunday at
Prudential Center. Buffalo (5-1) hosts the Toronto Rock on February
14th at HSBC Arena.
Big First Half Lifts Calgary; Still Perfect
The Calgary Roughnecks defeated the Minnesota Swarm 13-8 on Friday
night at Pengrowth Saddledome. Calgary got off to a fast start,
outscoring Minnesota 5-0 in the first quarter. Five different
Roughnecks scored, and goaltender Pat Campbell stopped all six
shots he faced in the opening frame.
Campbell and the Roughnecks defense remained hot in the second
quarter. They nearly shut out the Swarm for the entire first half,
until Chad Culp scored a goal with 2:11 remaining until halftime.
Calgary led 7-1 at the half.
A Ryan Ward goal midway through the third quarter brought
Minnesota to within four at 9-5, but that was as close as they
would get. Goals by Tracey Kelusky and Kaleb Toth closed out the
third quarter and the Roughnecks went on to a 13-8 win.
Kelusky had a big night for Calgary, four goals and five assists.
Toth added three goals, and goaltender Pat Campbell stopped 38 out
of 46 shots in the Calgary net.
Minnesota's offense was led by Culp, who had two goals and an
assist
