Photo Credit: Di Miller
After an exciting season of Major League Lacrosse, the time has finally come and it’s game day. The Denver Outlaws (10-4) and the Number Two Seed will face the Rochester Rattlers (11-5) the Number One Seed, in Atlanta, GA at Kennesaw State University on August 23, for the 2014 MLL Championship game. Some are saying that this is a rematch of the 2008 MLL Championship game when the two teams went head-to-head and Rochester defeated the Outlaws 16-6. At that time, B.J. O’Hara was coaching the Rattlers, now he coaches the Outlaws and is the only head coach who has coached two teams to MLL Championship games.
Will this be a rematch as some people think? Absolutely not. There are very few remaining players from that infamous game and over the past seven years the game has changed dramatically. The Outlaws are making their fifth run at the championship (2006, ’08, ’09, ’10 and ’14), and Rochester is here for the second time (2008 and ’14). This time around, the game is being played in a neutral location where neither team will have the advantage of a home-town crowd.
Last week the Outlaws played one of their best games of the season. It was obvious from the get go that they wanted to make it to the championship game, and home-field advantage made the difference as evidenced by looking at the records the two teams held during the regular season. Both teams finished 6-1 at home and 3-4 away.
The Outlaws have figured out how to win those close games and their team work is top-notch. The Rattlers also had a tough game against the Ohio Machine who were on a five-game winning streak going into the semi-final. Until the fourth quarter, it looked as though the Machine were going to find themselves in the championship game, but Rochester came alive in the fourth to defeat the Number Four Seed and advance to the MLL Championship game.
So, let’s take a look at where the two teams ended up at the end of the regular season in Scoring Leaders:
Denver Outlaws
John Grant Jr. #24 Attack—T-3rd with 28 G, 26 A, 1 PPG, 1 GWG, 9 GB, 80 Shots, .350 SPCT, 56 SOG
Eric Law #15 Attack—T-5th with 36 G, 16 A, 2 PPG, 1 GWG, 9 GB, 72 Shots, .500 SPCT (2nd in the league), 62 SOG
Jeremy Sieverts #20 Midfield—Tenth with 23 G, seven 2ptG (1st in the league), 18 A, 3 PPG, 4 GWG, 12 GB, 84 Shots, .274 SPCT, 51 SOG
Drew Snider #23 Midfield—T-21st with 27 G, 5 A, 2 PPG, 17 GB, 78 Shots, .346 SPCT, 44 SOG
Rochester Rattlers
Justin Turri #12 Midfield—16th with 19 G, two 2ptG, 13 A, 1 PPG, 13 GB, 69 Shots, .275 SPCT, 42 SOG
Jordan Wolf #32 Attack—T-17th with 21 G, 12 A, 1 PPG, 2 GWG, 5 GB, 49 Shots, .429 SPCT, 34 SOG
Dave Lawson #2 Midfield—T-21st with 23 G, 9 A, 3 PPG, 3 GWG, 16 GB, 75 Shots, .307 SPCT, 43 SOG
2014 Regular Season Team Stats
Denver Outlaws—369 GB, 582 Shots, .323 SPCT, 377 SOG, .648 SOCPCT, 196-414 FOW, .473 FOPCT; Power Plays—13 PPGF, 38 PPAdv, 34.21 PPPCT; Penalty Killing—14 PPGA, 41 TSH, 65.85 PKPCT
Rochester Rattlers—469 GB, 592 Shots, .318 SPCT, 375 SOG, .633 SPCT, 196-403 FOW, .486 FOPCT; Power Plays—13 PPGF, 48 PPAdv, 27.08 PPPCT; Penalty Killing—13 PPGA, 46 TSH, 71.74 PKPCT
Goalie Match-up
Denver Outlaws—Jesse Schwartzman #19: 142 GA, five 2ptGA, 12.13 GAA, 93 Saves, .560 SV%
Rochester Rattlers—John Galloway #15: 155 GA, four 2ptGA, 11.16 GAA, 194 Saves, .556 SV%
In the two semi-final playoff games last Saturday, two players stood out from the rest and the defensive lines need to keep a close eye on John Grant Jr., Denver Outlaws (4 G, 3 A); and Kevin Leveille, Rochester Rattlers (6 G).
Who does Denver need to watch out for on the Rattlers offensive side? They’ve got Justin Turri #12 (19 G, two 2ptG, 13 A, 13 GB, 69 Shots, .275 SPCT, 42 SOG); Jordan Wolf #32 (21 G, 12 A, 2 GWG, 5 GB, 49 Shots, .429 SPCT, 34 SOG); Dave Lawson #2 (23 G, 9 A, 3 GWG, 16 GB, 75 Shots, .307 SPCT, 43 SOG); Jordan MacIntosh (17 G, 11 A, 13 GB, 51 Shots, .333 SPCT, 32 SOG); Kevin Leveille #19 (17 G, 8 A, 1 GWG, 18 GB, 47 Shots, .362 SPCT, 33 SOG); Mark Cockerton #41 (24 G, 6 GB, 50 Shots, .480 SPCT, 41 SOG); and John Ranagan #31 (13 G, 9 A, 6 GB, 49 Shots, .265 SPCT, 31 SOG).
Rochester needs to keep an eye on these Outlaws. John Grant Jr. #24 (28 G, 26 A, 1 GWG, 9 GB, 80 Shots, .350 SPCT, 5 SOG); Eric Law #15 (36 G, 16 A, 1 GWG, 9 GB, 72 Shots, .500 SPCT, 62 SOG); Jeremy Sieverts #20 (23 G, seven 2ptG, 18 A, 4 GWG, 12 GB, 84 Shots, .274 SPCT, 51 SOG); Drew Snider #23 (27 G, 5 A, 17 GB, 78 Shots, .346 SPCT, 44 SOG); Chris Bocklet #10 (19 G, 6 A, 2 GWG, 6 GB, 55 Shots, .345 SPCT, 37 SOG); and Justin Pennington #14 (12 G, 2 A, 12 GB, 41 Shots, .239 SPCT, 22 SOG).
What about the FOGO position? A couple of weeks ago, Anthony Kelly #47 (Denver Outlaws) suffered a slight tear in his Achilles and missed two games. Rookie Brent Hiken #30 filled in for Kelly during that time, and that experience gave him what he needed to go up against the best FOGO in the league Greg Gurenlian (New York Lizards). At the end of the regular season, the Outlaws finished 196-414 FOW (.473 FOPCT). The Rattlers have had one FOGO the entire season, John Ortolani #30 with 183-373 FOW (.491 FOPCT).
Because the Outlaws have made the play-offs each of their nine seasons in the MLL of course they have more experience in making it to the big show. However, Rochester is a much improved team than what they were in 2013 when they ended the season in fifth place with a record of 6-8.
There’s no doubt in anyone’s minds that these two teams deserve to be in the championship game. Both teams have stellar players on both the offensive and defensive side, as well as strong goal-tenders. What it comes down to is who plays the tightest game, wins the most face-offs, ground balls will be key, and the goalies are going to be in for a barrage of shots from multiple players on each side.
Who do I think will win? Denver has been itching to bring home the Steinfeld Cup to their fans and what I saw on the field last week was nothing less than amazing. They played an extremely strong team in the Lizards, but they did what they needed to do at the right time and it paid off. If Rochester lets Denver go up on them like they did the Machine, it’s going to be next to impossible for them to dig themselves out of a hole.
I believe that the fans will see the type of game that Denver fans witnessed first-hand in last Saturday’s contest. I don’t see a lop-sided score.
