Six and seven-goal runs pace Black Wolves to victory
We all know lacrosse is a game of runs and that is exactly what we had Friday night, to the extreme, as the New England Black Wolves (2-1) used a 7-0 fourth quarter to defeat the Vancouver Stealth (0-3) 13-9 at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Stealth opened the game with the first two goals before Reilly O’Connor and Jay Thorimbert scored 4.8 seconds apart to tie the game at two. New England then scored four more times in the first 2:43 of quarter number two for a 6-2 lead. Kevin Crowley sandwiched two goals from Kyle Buchanan 28 seconds apart. Buchanan missed last week’s blowout loss in Saskatchewan for the birth of his daughter Adley.
But as we said, it was a game of runs. Vancouver scored the final two goals of the half and the only five of the third to take a 9-6 lead, and the momentum, going into the fourth. But, the players and the 5608 fans in attendance had other ideas.
New England had the final say and final run by scoring seven times in the final quarter. Six different players registered goals. Shawn Evans scored twice, once shorthanded, while Buchanan completed his hat-trick on the power play. Joel Coyle scored the Black Wolves’ second shortie of the frame.
Aaron Bold, who was pulled last week, played well by coming up with some big saves in the game stopping 39 of 48 shots faced for the win. Bold also recorded two assists, including one on the game winner.
Brodie MacDonald started but was pulled 1:30 into the second with what appeared to be a knee injury. He stopped nine of 14 shots.
Tye Belanger came in and stopped 28 of 35 shots and was saddled with the loss.
Kyle Buchanan (3G/3A), Kevin Crowley (2G/1A), Shawn Evans (2G/2A) and Reilly O’Connor (2G/1A) led the Wolves’ offence. Recently acquired Stephan Leblanc chipped in with three assists.
Brandon Goodwin led the Stealth with two goals and three assists.
Vancouver will host Toronto on January 6th at 10 p.m.
New England has a bye this week and will look to take advantage of the Rochester Knighthawks on January 13th in Rochester.
