The March to May is officially upon us and Saturday night featured two young teams with their eyes set on the ultimate prize. The red-hot Albany FireWolves played host to the equally dynamic New York Riptide. The future of lacrosse and the NLL would be on full display in this game, and I’m sure I can speak for most in saying that we are so here for it.
Albany took control of this game virtually from the opening draw. With the use of eight different goal scorers, the FireWolves remained atop the NLL standings, en route to a 14-8 victory. To the action we go.
Albany wasted no time jumping out to an early lead as they scored the first three goals in less than four minutes. Tye Kurtz continued his white-hot play with his first and was followed up by two-straight from Travis Longboat. New York crept back with two power play goals in a row, one from Connor Kearnan and the other from Jeff Teat. Once again, Albany answered in the form of the final three goals of the quarter. Scorers were Ethan Walker twice and the other from Alex Simmons on the power play. Walker’s second goal was also on the power play and was a slick dunk from behind the net. 6-2 ‘Wolves after one.
Kurtz started the second the same way he started the first with his second of the game, but New York, nay, Stephen Keogh had the answer with two straight goals of his own. Double the turf swipe cellys, double the fun. Nathan Grenon stopped the Riptide momentum with his first, but Teat got it right back with his second of the game. Marshall Powless got the last laugh of the quarter with his first. 9-5 Albany going into the break.
The goaltender battle was an interesting one as we had one goaltender who was already solidified as one of the best in the game and the other is a youngster who is certainly on his way. Doug Jamieson was outstanding in the first half, stopping 24 of 29. He’d be the one who is already solidified. Cameron Dunkerley, the one on his way, was nothing to scoff at either, stopping 25 of 34.
Powless’ goal was the first of four-straight for Albany and boy, they were feeling themselves. Albany completely took any control leftover from the first as they scored three in the third quarter and completely bled the clock down. Walker got his third about thirty seconds in, and the next goal wasn’t until Sam Firth buried one on the power play at the 5:06 mark. The third of the quarter and fourth of the run was by Simmons, his second. Kearnan finally got New York back into the goal column with his second, but this one was shaping up to be done and over with. 12-6 Albany after three.
New York made it interesting to begin the fourth quarter as they rattled off the first two goals, one from Larson Sundown on a 5-on-3 penalty kill, and the other from Kiel Matisz on the power play. Albany must’ve said that was enough because another defensive masterpiece ensued, along with the final two goals of the game. Colton Watkinson buried his first into an empty-ish net (Dunkerley was on his way back into the net), and Simmons got his third from half field into the empty net. Your final from MVP Arena, 14-8 FireWolves.
Players of the game for Albany were Simmons (3+4), Walker (3+2), and Kurtz (2+4). Jamieson was unreal for the full sixty minutes, stopping 45 of 53 in total. For New York, Teat (2+3), Keogh (2+1), and Kearnan (two goals) led the way. Dunkerley had his shining moments, but ultimately came up short. He made 50 saves on 62 shots.
“That’s been our whole identity all year,” said Walker about the eight different goal scorers. “We come into these games and we don’t have a single guy that needs the ball the whole time, it’s an effort from all five guys on the floor.”
Albany (9-2) just keeps on rolling. They look to stay atop the NLL standings as they stay on their home floor and prepare for Vancouver (3-8) to come to town. That game is Friday night at 7pm. New York (5-7) seems to be sputtering a bit, but their resiliency has been very evident all year long. They look to get back into the win column as they host Las Vegas (4-7) this Saturday at 7:30pm.
