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After a tough outing in Charlotte on Friday, the Rattlers played their first home game in Dallas on Sunday. The Rattlers won 15-14, the team’s second consecutive one-goal game.

Unfortunately, a thrilling victory wasn’t the only thing people were talking about.

Multiple clock issues, including a stoppage during overtime, caused a stir and multiple tweets from around the league.

Major League Lacrosse commissioner Sandy Brown tweeted, “Today was not the @MLL_Lacrosse’s best effort. A series of clock/game management mishaps in the @RattlersLax and @DenverOutlaws game in Dallas marred what was an outstanding and hard fought game between two excellent lacrosse teams. We owe everyone much better, and we will.”

Denver Outlaws defenseman and captain Matt Bocklet shared his displeasure on Twitter as well, tweeting, “Today was a huge embarrassment for @MLL_Lacrosse. Home opener for a new franchise w/ multiple stoppages to fix the clock including one in OT and another 10+ mins. 1 ref on the field “teaching” others the rules as the game went along. I feel terrible for both teams & THE FANS!”

On the field, however, the Rattlers had to be relieved, if not happy, with the end result, especially after Friday night’s disappointment, a 13-12 loss at Charlotte.

Dallas entered the fourth quarter with an 11-8 lead, but a 6-2 run by the Outlaws gave Denver a brief lead before the Rattlers scored again to force overtime. In the extra period, Jordan Wolf found an open Ty Thompson on the crease, and he finished the shot for the victory.

With the loss, Denver is 0-2 to start the season for the first time in franchise history. The victory improved Dallas’s record to 2-1 and a very important 1-0 in their new home — Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Machine open season firing on all cylinders

Prior to the season opener Sunday, the Ohio Machine held a ceremony celebrating the team’s victory in the 2017 MLL championship. The jubilation continued when the game started.

Ohio set a franchise record with 25 goals in its 25-13 victory over the New York Lizards. Marcus Holman set an MLL single-game record with 11 goals, eclipsing the 10-goal mark previously established by John Grant Jr.

While Holman went off and Kyle Harrison scored two goals, the Machine benefitted from scoring from unlikely sources.

Patrick Harberson, who didn’t score a goal in 11 games for the Machine in 2017, scored twice. Ohio got goals from two players making their debuts with the team: Ryan Ambler (three goals and one assist) and Pat Young (two goals). Additionally, defenseman Matt McMahon scored his first goal since the 2016 season.

“Pat did a great job of training in the offseason,” Machine head coach Bear Davis said on “MLL Press Pass” earlier in the week. “He’s made some great transformations as far as his body. Just coming in he looks a lot leaner, a little quicker, a lot more pep in his step, to say, and we’re excited about what he brings to the table.”

Several successful MLL debuts

While players from the MLL draft class of 2018 finish out their collegiate season, multiple players made their MLL debuts, and they were memorable ones.

After helping Maryland win the NCAA championship in 2017, Dylan Maltz did not immediately join MLL. The younger brother of Derek Maltz, who played for the Ohio Machine in 2016, Dylan was selected in the sixth round of the 2018 supplemental draft by the Denver Outlaws. While he didn’t stay with Denver, Maltz made his MLL debut with the Charlotte Hounds in Week 2, scoring four goals in the team’s 13-12 victory over Dallas.

Denver attackman Cam Milligan also made his MLL debut against the Dallas Rattlers. While his team didn’t win, he still scored two goals.

Noteworthy

Eric Law scored four goals in Denver’s loss to Dallas, and he became the fourth Outlaw player to amass 200 career points. Law is the second-fastest player to reach the mark, doing so in just 57 games. (Brendan Mundorf did it in 56 games). …

Tom Schreiber, playing the day after his NLL team, the Toronto Rock, finished its season, tallied a game-high six assists for Ohio. … Lizards goalie Brian Carcaterra, 40, came on in relief of Drew Adams, his first MLL action since the 2002 season. … Once again, the attack unit of Rob Pannell, Will Manny and Mike Bocklet delivered for the Lizards, combining for nine of the team’s 13 goals. …

In addition to his efforts in Dallas’ win over Denver, Jordan Wolf had four goals and two assists in the Dallas loss to Charlotte. … Hounds attackman Matt Rambo scored two goals and added five assists for a career-high seven points in his 2018 debut. …

With their 19-12 loss to Atlanta, the Boston Cannons have lost eight consecutive games dating back to last season. They also have lost three consecutive games to the Blaze. … Sergio Perkovic scored a career-high four goals in Boston’s loss. … Chris Madalon started in goal for the Blaze, making 17 saves on 28 shots on goal. … Kevin Rice had a team-high seven points (two goals, five assists) while Matt Gibson scored four goals for the Blaze. …

In his second MLL game, Stephen Kelly won 20 of 26 faceoffs in Chesapeake’s 14-11 victory over Florida. … Ryan Drenner led the Florida Launch with three goals.

Player of the Week
Marcus Holman, A, Ohio

Holman began his sixth MLL season — and first as a defending MLL champion — with a bang, setting a league record with 11 goals in a single game, passing John Grant Jr., who set the record in 2016 in his brief stint with the Machine. Holman also added two assists for a total of 13 points.

“I was on the field two years ago when Junior scored 10 in a game and I thought it was an unbelievable performance,” Holman said in a press release on the team’s website. “I thought I would never see something like it again, but here we are.”