On July 4, 2013, the New York Lizards were held to seven goals in a 16-7 loss to Denver. The Outlaws finished the regular season 14-0, while New York mustered only four wins. Playing defense for Denver in this game were Lee Zink, Dillon Roy, Matt Bocklet and Brian Megill, with Jesse Schwartzman in goal.
Since then, however, New York has led Major League Lacrosse in goals for in two of the following three seasons and made the playoffs every year, including a championship victory in 2016.
The New York turnaround can be attributed – in part – to the offensive additions of players like Paul Rabil, Rob Pannell and Dave Lawson.
In week two of the 2017 MLL season, however, Denver was once again a defensive thorn in New York’s side, winning 13-7. It was the first time New York was held under 10 goals since July 18, 2015 (a 14-9 loss to Ohio), and the first time it was held to only seven goals since the aforementioned meeting with Denver in July 2013.
Denver’s defense featured the likes of Michael Simon, second-year player B.J. Grill, supplemental draft additions Finn Sullivan and Tripp Telesco, and Edwin Glazener, a February pickup from the player pool. Jack Kelly, the 2016 MLL Rookie of the Year, was in goal.
The defense – which picked up 14 of the team’s 22 ground balls – held Pannell (the league's top scorer the past two seasons) to one goal and one assist. Both Matt Gibson (who scored four goals the previous week in a win against Chesapeake) and Lawson (who scored three goals, including the game-winner in overtime, against Chesapeake) were held scoreless.
Rabil also did not register a single point. It was the first time since August 3, 2013 – when he still played for the Boston Cannons – that he was held scoreless.
It’s still early, and it is a small sample size, but through two games, the largely unknown Denver defense now leads the league in goals against average, allowing only 8.5 goals per game.
Veterans provide boosts
Prior to the 2017 season, Chazz Woodson last suited up in 2014, playing in only three games for the Florida Launch. He seems to be back with a vengeance, however. In the season opener, he scored two goals against Boston in a 18-17 loss. He followed that up with an even more impressive two goals and three assists, leading all players in points (five) and helping the Launch defeat the Rochester Rattlers, 12-10.
Faceoff specialist Anthony Kelly is in his 12th season in Major League Lacrosse, but in Atlanta’s 13-10 victory over Boston, he showed he still can get the job done. Kelly won 11 of 16 faceoffs. Along with Christopher May (who won 7 of 10 faceoffs), the two helped the Blaze win 69 percent of the game’s battles at the X, taking advantage of a Joe Nardella-less Cannons squad.
Next man up
No Kyle Harrison. No Steele Stanwick. No problem. The Ohio Machine offense is still productive despite missing some big stars. In the team’s 15-12 victory over Charlotte, Mark Cokerton led all Ohio players with seven points on four goals and three assists. He scored one goal in each of the four quarters.
Down 8-7 at the half, Cockerton had a goal and two assists in a third quarter, when the team outscored the Hounds 5-3 and took a lead they would not relinquish.
Through two games, Cockerton has four goals and five assists, matching a career-high in assists it took 13 games to achieve in 2016.
Noteworthy
With Florida’s victory over Boston, Tom Mariano earned his first win as an MLL head coach. … Despite the loss, a highlight for the Rattlers was the play of faceoff specialist Drew Simoneau. He won 20 of 26 faceoffs and picked up 10 ground balls. He faced off against five different players, with Will Gural (5-for-17) the Florida specialist with the best winning percentage. … Denver’s Michael Bocklet scored another four goals Saturday, giving him a league-high eight for the year. He has now scored in 25 of 27 career games. … In the matchup of 2012 expansion teams, Charlotte’s Jon Haus matched Ohio’s Cockerton with four goals and three assists for seven points, the most for any player this week. … Greg Coholan scored four goals and added one assist in Atlanta’s victory. In four games as a rookie in 2016, he scored only twice.
Player of the Week
Adam Ghitelman, Atlanta
The veteran goaltender missed the opening weekend due to coaching commitments, but he was sharp in his return to the field. He tied Launch goalie Austin Kaut for most saves in a game this week, stopping 17 shots, but he also was one of two goalies (Kelly) to allow fewer than 10 goals. Holding onto a one-goal lead going into the fourth quarter, Ghitelman made five saves in the final frame and held Boston to a single goal. He also picked up a team-high four ground balls.