The Boston Cannons started out the 2012 MLL season looking like the Championship team they were in 2011. They started 4-0, defeated the undefeated Denver Outlaws, and were scoring more than anyone in the league.
The Cannons are still second in the league in scoring and have allowed the third least amount of goals. But the stats do not lie about the way they have lost their last few games.
They started out with wins over Rochester, Charlotte, Hamilton and Denver before losing a heartbreaker in overtime to the Rochester Rattlers. In their first four wins, the Cannons scored seventy goals. 34 of those goals were in the second half.
After the Rochester loss, Boston suffered a loss at home to Long Island. After destroying the Hounds, they lost to the Bayhawks before defeating the hapless Nationals, but then lost to Long Island and Denver.
So let’s look at those four losses to Long Island, Denver and Chesapeake. They scored 47 goals in those games. Only 23 of those goals were in the second half, and in one game they scored just two goals and were shut out in the fourth quarter.
In the games against Long Island and Chesapeake, they were in the game the entire way. Against Denver, they hung around, but never got that close in the second half.
One thing we can look at as well is opponents. Who have they beaten since their 4-0 start? Charlotte, who is likely not going to be in the playoffs. Hamilton, also not likely a playoff team. That’s it. They have lost to Long Island twice, who is in third place. Denver, who is in second and Chesapeake who sits in first. And we can’t forget about the Rochester game. They have taken over the Cannons playoff spot at fourth.
Boston will play Chesapeake next week at home, which isn’t a must win game, but it’s close. After that they play the Ohio Machine twice, who are last in the league.
