The Rochester Rattlers (8 – 6) closed out the regular season in the 2015 MLL campaign with a loss in an exciting road game against the Florida Launch (5 – 9). The Launch surged past the Rochester defense in the second and fourth quarters, as the Rattlers were not equipped to stop Lyle Thompson, whose six point afternoon (including a hat trick) ended with a pass to brother Miles Thompson to put the game away 18 – 10 until Matthews scored a goal to wrap it up.
Things started well for the Rattlers, as door-step after door-step opportunities emerged for them after circling the ball and kicking it to an open player. MacIntosh, who had an amazing five goals and 3 helpers that evening, was usually that cutting beneficiary. Two more goals wrapped up the first quarter, and in the second, Rochester went on a slight tear, putting in three straight. Rochester’s ability to find the crease was owed to their amazing Canadian presence, and also because of extra opportunities, as Rochester fought hard on the loose balls and led the Launch in groundballs in the first half. Even a returning Jeremy Boltus off an assist from MacIntosh, who would be the lone goal scorer in the third quarter to break their droughts. This was seemingly none too surprising, as Rochester barely even had the ball throughout the game, Rochester only pulled in one-less-than-half of the face-offs in the contest, 14 – 30.
Goals barely showed up for the rest of the game, as the Rochester offense quickly changed from circling the ball and finding cutters, to lazy outside shots with bad angles. The midfielders, besides MacIntosh (who wasn’t playing like one) devolved into one-dimensional dodgers who would shoot from outside ten yards and miss/get their shots saved. The game was obviously attack-heavy, as only two midfielders, Jordan MacIntosh and Justin Turri, scored for Rochester all game.
Defensively, things weren’t much better, as the Rattlers faced a strong role reversal from their last home game, with seemingly every Launch player having their way with them in the match (the final score eerily similar to their last home game). John Galloway, who started off with a strong six saves in the first, was just peppered for the rest of the night, as Rochester, again, let in over 15 points in a game. With John Lade on Lyle, Kieran McArdle went on a four-goal tear, scoring what was seemingly every feed he got, while throwing out three assists himself. Transition was something that was mentioned in the last article, as the Launch’s Lao-Gosney brothers, along with Jovan Miller, are serious threats who are superb at transitioning from one end of the field to another. It showed, as each player scored or assisted on them in the transition, Roman Lao-Gosney himself having a goal and a helper. Steven Brooks’ two-point goal on the power play spoke at length about the special teams for tonight as well, as Florida went two for three on their opportunities. Even Casey Powell, who I feared would cause the Rochester’s defense to be stretched too thin, appeared on the scoring column, as the MLL legend picked up an assist and scored a goal in what he claims to be his last game, though I’m not buying that.
Rochester’s in the playoffs, but having your three goal-winning streak snapped like that by being dominated doesn’t bode well for them, as this was a test to see how they stand up in the post. Not only did they lose, but the Machine beat the Cannons, so they’re down to the fourth seed, and will have to face a vengeful NY team that last to Denver at Long Island to start their play-off quest for the title on August 1st at Hofstra University.
