Tonight the CILL Cup will go to either the Chicago Outlaws or the winner of the day’s Pittsburgh Octane vs Grand Rapids Dragonfish game. Pittsburgh and Grand Rapids will meet at 4:30pm and the winner will face Chicago at 8pm.
Grand Rapids is the only team who has defeated Chicago this season. One of the stronger teams in the league, they have 2013 NLL draft pick Zach Palmer leading their squad. On the other side, Pittsburgh has contended this season as the next best team at 20-2 on the year. They will have a shortened bench, however, giving the Dragonfish an advantage.
Chicago has scored the most goals this season at 172 and given up the least at 50, other than Cleveland who played just four games and Detroit who played just two. Chicago played eight games and finished at 7-1.
The Outlaws have been in the CILL since the beginning, since it was the Midwest Indoor Lacrosse Association, and they have been in two other title games. In the first season in league history, 2011, they were granted a chance at the finals due to Columbus pulling out. Chicago fell to Grand Rapids 13-7.
Joe Opron led Chicago with 35 goals this season and behind him was Stew Kerr with 22. Opron also had 24 assists while Lance Yapor had 13.
Just last season the Outlaws battled the Colorado Sabertooths in the finals. Colorado withdrew from the league this season but had been the back to back defending champion. Now the Outlaws will either have a 2011 rematch with the Dragonfish or a new rival with Pittsburgh.
