Thanks to 15 saves by goalie Tyler Fiorito and four points a piece from Joe Walters and Jesse Bernhardt, the Chesapeake Bayhawks earned their fourth win of the season while upsetting the New York Lizards. Despite the loss though, the Lizards have clinched a playoff spot and will be one of the four teams to compete at MLL Championship Weekend.
Through the first half of the game, it looked as if it would be the Lizards game to lose as they leapt out to a 6-3 lead at halftime. Ned Crotty scored two goals while Rob Pannell continued his hot play with three points in the opening half. Matt Mackrides recorded a goal and an assist for the Bayhawks while Joe Walters and Drew Westervelt scored the other Bayhawk goals.
The second half opened with the Lizards scoring two of the half’s first three goals of the half to extend their lead to 8-4 and put the Bayhawks on the ropes. However, the Bayhawks would show some of their championship pedigree by reeling off a three goal run to cut the lead to 8-7. Bernhardt started the scoring while Matt Abbott and Ben Hunt scored the other two goals.
New York responded by scoring three of the next four goals to end the third quarter up 11-8 heading into the final quarter. Crotty, Max Seibald and Jo-Jo Marasco each scored for the Lizards while Pannell recorded his third and final assist of the game.
In a turn of events, the Bayhawks would compeltely shut down the Lizards offense in the final quarter. The Bayhawks closed out the game on a 4-0 run sparked by Bernhardt’s two point goal to upset the Lizards 12-11. Fiorito made two saves in the final quarter to help seal the victory and send the Lizards to their fifth loss of the season.
For the Bayhawks, Walters, Westervelt and Bernhardt each scored two goals while Mackrides, Poillon, Hunt, Rubeor and Abbott each scored one goal. Meanwhile, Stephen Robarge went 12-of-26 on faceoffs on the night.
In the loss, Pannell led the Lizards with four points while Crotty recorded a hat trick and Marasco and Steve DeNapoli each had two points. Drew Adams made 14 saves on the night while allowing 11 goals on the night, however, the two point goal he allowed was the difference. Greg Gurenlian also went 14-of-26 at the faceoff X to continue his strong play this year.
The Lizards will look to rebound against the Charlotte Hounds while the Bayhawks will look to win their second straight game as they take on the Denver Outlaws.
