The Boston Rockhoppers are flying high after their win against the Baltimore Bombers last week where they put up 20 goals. They face the 0-2 Rhode Island Kingfish who last played in Baltimore and lost by just three goals.
Leading Boston last week was Mike Stone who scored five goals, and he also scored three against Kentucky the week before. Marty Bowes also scored three last week while Andrew Kirkaldy had a hat trick of his own.
Vince Talbot is expected to get the third straight start between the pipes after solid games against Kentucky and Baltimore. For Rhode Island, they are led by Joe Evans who has had two good games as well, despite losing them both.
Timmy Fallon will be back taking the draws with Boston back at home. Craig Bunker will be taking the draws for Rhode Island, and he is as good as anyone in the dot. This should be a battle to watch for all night.
For the Kingfish, they are led by AJ Laffin on offense and Ryan Licht on defense. Those lacrosse veterans bring the most to the table for the ‘Fish in their traveling season.
Ryan Hotaling has been an offensive leader for Boston this season with six goals two weeks ago against Kentucky. He and Kirkaldy will be keys for the offense tonight.
Mike Maggio is another played who will be key for the Kingfish. The top pick in the NALL draft, he has more points than any Kingfish this season and he would be vital for them to score some goals.
Boston wears teams out, and Rhode Island had not played a lot. This is the type of game where the Kingfish might need to score early and often to jump out and take advantage. If it gets too late and they are down, they might not be able to turn back.
Rhode Island’s defense has struggled despite strong games from Evans in net. Can they tighten up on a strong Boston offense? Will they be up for their first ever game in New England? Those are some big keys, but when it comes down to it, Boston has the scorers and a very tight defense. If Rhode Island plays tight early, they have a chance. If not, this could be a big blowout for the ‘Hoppers.
