1/20/2014
LXM PRO 805 started fast and proved to be a dramatic ending to the 2013/ 2014 Pro Tour. The game saw major runs from both Team STX and Maverik United, and regulation time ended with the score knotted in an 18-18 tie. Adrenaline Athlete Xander Ritz scored his first goal of the game to nab a 19-18 sudden death overtime victory for Team STX. Adrenaline Athlete Peter Baum took home the #AllFightNoFlight MVP honors, carrying the load offensively all game long with seven goals and two assists. Baum’s outstanding performance tied him with Sam Bradman for the overall points lead for the season.
The opening faceoff found Brendan Porter’s stick off a flick from Nick Tintle for the first possession of the game. After a series of back and forth transitions and jittery play from both sides, Adrenaline Athlete Peter Baum took a feed from Kyle Harrison and slipped one past Johnny Rodriguez for the first goal of the game. Adrenaline Athlete Erik Krum followed suit moments later on the other end of the field off an assist from fellow Adrenaline Athlete, Whit McCarthy. Sam Bradman notched his first of the game to maintain the Team STX lead, only to have Sean Lindsay and Kit Smith bury two to bring the score, 3-2. Baum answered back with his second of the game, which was immediately washed by a MavU goal from fellow Colgate alum, Brandon Corp. Unwilling to be outdone, Baum secured a much-needed hat trick off a pass from Greg Peyser to end the first quarter in a tie, 4-4.
Kyle Harrison set the tone for Team STX in opening minutes of the second quarter to take the lead 5-4. Maverik United responded with a flurry of offensive opportunities, but Matt Russell came up with a big save and found Benson Erwin streaking in transition, who then earned his first assist of the game off a fast break feed to Baum for his fourth goal of the game. Maverik United’s Kit Smith interrupted Team STX’s two-goal streak, but Baum converted his fifth goal of the game off of a Xander Ritz pass. Greg Peyser then struck on an unassisted tally to stretch the score 8-5. The ball switched ends several times before Matt Miller scooped the ball at midfield and tossed it down field to Bradman for his second of the game. Team STX’s hot streak continued for two more goals with a Ritz brothers combination and a defensive midfield connection from Benson Erwin to Maxx Davis. Despite Team STX’s second quarter shooting clinic, Lindsay and Smith were able to sneak in two goals for Maverik United before the half. The second quarter ended in favor of Team STX, 11-7.
Despite a Team STX faceoff win in the opening minutes of the second half, it was Maverik who scored first, with Nick Tintle capitalizing off a pass from Erik Krum after a crucial save from Johnny Rodriguez. A series of back and forth plays were halted by back-to-back Maverik United goals from Brandon Corp to trim the STX lead to one. In typical Baum fashion, the attacker tallied his sixth goal of the game to make the score 12-10. While it seemed Maverik might never tie the contest, Corp’s sharpshooting continued, as he answered back with a diving wrap around shot for his third of the game. After some poor shooting to start the game, Shamel Bratton kicked it into gear to tie up the game with 6:30 left in the third quarter and Sean Lindsey continued Maverik’s momentum, sticking his third of the game on an inside roll. Bratton immediately tacked on his second goal to take the lead, 14-12. Down by two, Sam Bradman fired one in off a pass from Baum to close the gap to 14-13. Matt Russell made some spectacular saves, but the Maverik offense remained hot, as the quarter closed with two late MavU goals to head into the fourth with the 16-13 lead.
Ignited by Peter Baum’s seventh goal of the game, a three-goal run for Team STX in the beginning of the third quarter puts both teams back on even terms. Kyle Harrison converted in transition following a save by Russell with an underhand shot through Rodriguez’s legs to cut Maverik’s lead to one, 16-15. Shortly after, Xander Ritz set his brother Max up for the second time to tie the game 16-16 with eight minutes to play, followed by a Matt Miller rebound goal from the crease to give Team STX the lead, 17-16. With less than 4:00 minutes to go in the game, an STX penalty gave Maverik United a man up opportunity. The advantage was short-lived however, as an errant Bratton pass immediately landed them back on defense.
Out of a late timeout Maverik United capitalized with a goal from Kit Smith, his fourth of the contest, to tie it 17-17 with 5:00 minutes to go, and Shamel Bratton rung a beautiful shot off the crossbar and in to take the lead. With the game in their hands, Maverik United lost possession via an interception from Matt Russell. Peter Baum moved the ball from behind to Sam Bradman on the left wing who dodged topside and beat Rodriguez with an outside shot he’d surely like to have back. With the game tied 18-18, neither team was able to convert as the game headed to overtime.
Overtime was quick and fast, as Greg Peyser popped the faceoff forward and hit Baum at the point who dumped it down to Xander Ritz for the game winner, just twelve seconds into sudden death OT. Team STX took the final win of the LXM PRO 2013/2014 season, 19-18.
Check out the live broadcast of the game on the TLN YouTube channel.
See below for player statistics:
