12:56 p.m.
Welcome to In Lacrosse We Trust! This is Andrew Goldberg and I will be live blogging the first semifinal game between the Denver Outlaws and Charlotte Hounds. The starting lineups are set and the national anthem has been sung. The game is set to start in a couple of minutes!
1:03 p.m.
Jeff Snider and Anthony Kelly set to faceoff and Kelly wins the faceoff. Big Save by Ghitelman but Charlotte turns it over
1:04 p.m.
Denver Outlaw’s rookie Eric Law scores on the rebound from Adam Ghitelman off a shot from Jeremy Sieverts
1:06 p.m.
Jake Tripucka gets the Charlotte Hounds on the board with a dodge from the right side and beats Jesse Schwartzman stick side high to knot things up at 1 with 11:50 left.
1:29 p.m.
End of the first quarter as the Charlotte Hounds are up 8-2 over the Denver Outlaws.
1:08 p.m.
Charlotte Hounds unassisted goal by Peet Poillon to put the Hounds up 2-1 with 9:25 left.
1:12 p.m.
Timeout here at PPL Park in Philadelphia. Charlotte Hounds up 2-1.
1:15 p.m.
Charlotte Hounds goal: Mike Sawyer with the two point goal and beats Schwartzman offstick hip to put the Hounds up 4-1.
1:17 p.m.
Denver Outlaws respond as Eric Law scores his second goal assisted by Chris Bocklet with 7:45 left to cut the deficit to two. Hounds up 4-2.
1:18 pm.
Charlotte Hounds goal by Matt Danowski. Danowski records the Hounds second two point goal of the game to put the Hounds up 6-2 with 5:20 remaining.
1:20 p.m.
Jesse Schwatrzman makes a nice off-stick save on Matt Danowski to keep the Outlaws down four. Denver now on offense.
1:20 p.m.
Will Mangan hits crossbar as Charlotte gets the groundball.
1:21 p.m.
Charlotte Hounds goal by Mike Sawyer, his second of the day as the Charlotte Hounds are now up 7-2 as we head to an official timeout.
1:26 p.m.
Jesse Schwartzman makes two big saves to keep the game at 7-2.
1:28 p.m.
Charlotte Hounds goal by Mike Sawyer who eeks one past Schwartzman as he falls to the ground. Hounds up 8-2 with 30 seconds left in first quarter!
1:31 p.m.
Geoff Snider is 4-7 on faceoffs. Sawyer leads all scorers with four points so far on three goals, one of which was a two pointer. Matt Danowski has a two pointer as well. Eric Law has the two Denver goals. Schwartzman has four saves on 10 shots and Adam Ghitelman has three saves on five shots.
1:33 p.m.
Second quarter is underway and Snider with another faceoff win but Charlotte turns it over.
1:35 p.m.
Jesse Schwartzman with the big save up close on Ryan Young as Denver clears and draws a penalty on Charlotte. Ryan Young with a two minute cross checking penalty.
1:37 p.m.
Ghitelman makes a nice save to keep the Hounds lead at six. Charlotte clears and turns it over while killing the penalty.
1:38 p.m.
Denver Outlaws goal as Eric Law gets the hat trick on an assist from Justin Pennington to make the score 8-3 with 10:28 left.
1:39 p.m.
Charlotte Hounds goal by Jake Tripucka as he dodges down the right side and beats Schwartzman top shelf for his second goal to put the Hounds by 9-3.
1:41 p.m.
Charlotte Hounds goal by Matt White who beats Schwartzman on a nice up and under move on the right post to push the Hounds lead to seven at 10-3 as we head to timeout.
1:44 p.m.
The action starts back up as Denver turns it over off the faceoff as Young assists Danowski to put the Hounds up 11-3 with 8:09 left.
1:46 p.m.
Charlotte penalty on Ryan Flanagan for a push as Denver goes on a 30 second power play, their second of the day.
1:47 p.m.
Eric Law with his fourth goal of the game off a pass from Chris Bocklet but pays for it as Joe Cinosky delivers a big hit. 11-4 Hounds.
1:49 p.m.
Law with his fifth goal of the game off the assist from Chris Bocklet with 5:47 remaining to cut the Hounds lead to six. Denver on a little run here.
1:50 p.m.
Charlotte’s Geoff Snider owning the faceoff ‘X’ as he wins another faceoff as Charlotte sets up in the half field offense.
1:51 p.m.
Young records his third point of the day as he snipes one past Schwartzman off stick high. Hounds come back and responds as Josh Hawkins passes to Matt White who finishes on the doorstep. Score is now 13-5.
1:53 p.m.
Snider with another faceoff win as Charlotte calls timeout with 2:53 remaining with the Hounds up 13-5.
1:55 p.m.
Young almost converts a one handed goal coming around the right side. Denver clears and Jeremy Sieverts scores an unassisted goal to cut the Hounds lead to 13-6.
1:57 p.m.
Denver wins the faceoff and has control now looking to cut the deficit even further. Brendan Mundorf attempts the shot but Ghitelman continues to stand on his head and makes another save.
1:58 p.m.
Eric Law scores in transition off a pass from Brendan Mundorf with 35.9 left. His sixth of the day to cut the lead to 13-7.
1:59 p.m.
Joe Cinosky misses a wide open net from half field after intercepting a Schwartzman pass. The half ends with the Hounds up 13-7.
2:01 p.m.
First half stats: Geoff Snider 11-15 on faceoffs and Tim Fallon is 4-5 for a total of 15-20 from the ‘X’. Mike Sawyer four points on three goals, Danowski two goals and a two pointer, White and Tripucka with 2 goals each.
Denver Outlaws has six of their seven goals from rookie Eric Law and Sieverts has the other goal.
Jesse Schwartzman has six saves on 17 shots and Adam Ghitelman has six saves on 13 shots.
2:12 p.m.
Brian Megill brings it down and goes high to high on Ghitelman who mankes the save. Denver gets the ball back as we are underway in the third quarter.
2:13 p.m.
Zack Greer shoots low on Ghitelman but hits him in the leg as it goes out of bounds. Ghitelman now has eight saves on the afternoon as Charlotte gets it over midfield before turning it over.
2:15 p.m.
Denver turns it over and Charlotte comes back down with 30 on the shot clock.
2:16 p.m.
John Haus turns it over trying to drive to the net as Denver clears.
2:17 p.m.
Eric Law open on the doorstep but his shot it deflected/saved by Joe Cinosky as he slides to Law and the Hounds pick up the ground ball and score. Matt White scores his third goal of the afternoon off a pass from Jake Tripucka. The rookies are really carrying this team, dont seem fazed by championship weekend. Hounds up a touchdown at 14-7 with 8:15 left.
2:19 p.m.
Justin Turri attempts a two pointer and low stick side save by Ghitelman as Danowski comes right down and gets stuffed by Schwartzman on a two point attempt as well.
2:20 p.m.
Brendan Mundorf scores to cut the lead to 14-8 with an assist from Sieverts as we take a timeout here at PPL Park.
2:24 p.m.
Fallon and Robarge set to faceoff as we come back from break. Hounds LSM Michael McCormack picks up the loose ball but turns it over on an over and back. Denver ball.
2:26 p.m.
Eric Law scores his seventh goal of the game off a pass from Terry Kimener, i repeat his seventh goal. Guy is having a game right now.
2:26 p.m.
Schwarztman had a big save to set up that Law goal and took it right off the chest protector. He had his hands on his hips for a little bit of time. He is also battling an issue with his calf from a shot taken yesterday in practice.
2:28 p.m.
Timeout here as the Hounds are up 14-9 over the Outlaws. The pace has picked up here and both goalies are starting to make saves and get some fastbreaks going. Outlaws need to take advantage as they are not wining the battle at the faceoff ‘X’. Charlotte is 17-23 from the ‘X’.
2:31 p.m.
Denver set to restart action as Kimener starts by the box and gets the Outlaws into their half field set.
2:32 p.m.
Sieverts attempts a two pointer by Ghitelman gets a piece and then Ghitelman makes another save as Charlotte clears successfully to keep the score at 14-9 in favor of the Hounds.
2:34 p.m.
Ghitelman has looked like the best goalie in the game right now as he has 14 saves today.
2:34 p.m.
Ryan Flanagan gets a penalty for interference as Denver goes on the power play.
2:35 p.m.
Ghitelman with his 15th save of the afternoon but the Hounds give it right back as they are offsides. Denver with another chance. Schwarztman to Greer right as the quarter ends. Absoutely amazing play! Officials aren’t reviewing it even though it looked like it might have been late. Denver now down four at 14-10.
2:38 p.m.
Fourth quarter to start here with Charlotte’s Geoff Snider and Denver’s Anthony Kelly about to faceoff. This game has gotten really interesting with that last second goal to end the third. Great back and forth action.
2:40 p.m.
Snider wins it but loses the ball on the ground then gets it after a scrum and finds Eric Lusby who has his shot saved by Schwartzman as Denver comes back down on O.
2:42 p.m.
Shot clock violation on Denver as Mundorf loses pass on crease, now Charlotte settles on O.
2:42 p.m.
Schwartzman comes up huge again with a stuff on Sawyer. Really hurting on the play as he got hit in the chest protector again. Really making a good adjustment since the first quarter as he is really cutting off the angle. Now has five saves this half.
2:45 p.m.
Denver holds strong on defense still 14-10 Hounds with 9:30 mark approaching as Denver has the ball.
2:46 p.m.
Denver goal scored by Eric Law, his eighth goal as he picks up the trash in front of the crease. I REPEAT 8 GOALS. New postseason record as the Outlaws are down 14-11 now.
2:47 p.m.
Sawyer hits pipe on a roll dodge from right side and ball goes out of bounds. Timeout here at PPL Park, score is still 14-11 Hounds.
2:48 p.m.
Charlotte has gone over 15 minutes of game time without a goal. Their last goal was with 5:41 left in the third quarter.
2:50 p.m.
Mike Sawyer about to set things up on offense as the game restarts
2:51 p.m.
Schwartzman with another big save offstick hip on Tripucka from 5 and 5 which leads to Justin Pennington recording his second point on the afternoon, an unassisted goal to cut the Hounds deficit to two with seven minutes left.
2:53 p.m.
Denver with a missed opportunity in transition as Mundorf steps in the crease. Charlotte takes over on O and setlles and Sawyer works from X and scores high on Schwartzman. Their first goal in 20 minutes of gametime, score is now 15-12 Hounds with 5:46 left.
2:55 p.m.
Faceoff violation on Charlotte and Denver calls timeout. 15-12 here at PPL Park with a little over 4:30 left in the quarter
2:56 p.m.
Denver has scored 7 of the last 8 goals
2:58 p.m.
Ryan Young beats O’Dougherty from behind the net and scores a goal even as Schwartzman comes out of the net to put the Hounds up 16-12 with three minutes to go. Young has his third point of the day. That could be the nail in the coffin considering how well the Hounds have faceoffed today. Hounds are 21-28 on the day.
3:02 p.m.
Snider wins the initial faceoff but Kelly gets the ground ball and then Denver turns it over and Charlotte comes back down and Geoff Snider rips a goal through Schwartzman’s five hole to put the Hounds up 17-12.
3:03 p.m.
Denver answers off the faceoff to cut the lead to 17-13 as Mundorf scores his second goal of the day.
3:04 p.m.
Flanagan and Fallon make a great hustle play in the Denver end to get the ball back and then call a timeout on offense with 1:25 left. Charlotte definitely wanting it more as the game ends and most likely the Outlaws undefeated season.
3:07 p.m.
Schwartzman makes an incredble save on Young and then a flurry of exchanges and guys talking to one another occur between Hawkins, Young, Schwatrzman and rest of defense.
3:09 p.m.
Cross check and 5 minute misconduct penalty on Young and penalty on Hawkins which leads to a Denver goal by none other than Eric Law. Jeremy Sieverts on the assist.
3:10 p.m.
Denver wins faceoff still two men up. Ghitelman with a big save on a two point attempt which may end this game. Flag now on Lee Zink as he tried to get ball out from McCormack.
3:11 p.m.
Schwarztman is livid at the referee it seems
3:11 p.m.
Flanagan with the interception and the Hounds run out the clock and pull off the largest upset in MLL history. Hounds win 17-14!
3:13 p.m.
Mike Sawyer earns Player of the Game honors as he records four goals on the afternoon. One was a two pointer so he had five points in total.
3:18 p.m.
Final thoughts from today. Denver started slow again and it really hurt them. Danowski and Sawyer’s two point goals got the Hounds going and proved to be the difference.
3:18 p.m.
Hounds were 22-32 on faceoffs including 17-25 from Geoff Snider. Sawyer had four goals, Ghitelman 17 saves including nine in third quarter, Danowski and Young with three points each. Tripucka had three points and White had four points in the win.
Eric Law was nothing short of impressive with NINE GOALS. Sieverts, Bocklet, and Mundorf all had three points on the afternoon. Schwartzman had 13 saves, seven in the second half.
3:21 p.m.
That will do it for the first game. Stay tuned as I will live blog the second semifinal between the Hamilton Nationals and Charlotte Hounds as well!
