It was going to be tough for the Boston Cannons to make the playoffs in 2015. They needed to defeat the first-seeded Rochester Rattlers and have the Ohio Machine fall to the Florida Launch at home.
The Cannons did score the first goal of the contest, a shot from Matt Striebel, but it all went downhill from there. The Rattlers scored six straight, including a two-pointer, to gain a seven-goal lead. Boston broke this streak for just a moment as Stephen Berger put one in, but then Rochester would go on to score five more before the half and hold a 12-2 lead.
By the half, Miles Thompson already had four goals. It was more of the same in the third as Thompson scored again and while the Cannons scored two in a row to lower their deficit to 13-4, they still couldn’t close the Rochester lead.
All game the Rattlers were playing an aggressive defense on the Cannons with hard hits. Without Paul Rabil, Boston was forced to be creative on offense and they couldn’t push through the Rattlers D down the middle and were hit hard.
Frustration built up in the third as Brent Adams and Eric Martin wrestled down Mike Lazore and Martin then exchanged words—and punches—with Lazore. The entire game had a physical feel as both Kevin Buchanan and Mike Manley were decked at different times in their offensive end.
None of it mattered in the end as the Cannons would fall 18-8 to Rochester and they were eliminated from a shot at the playoffs. Even with a win they would have been out as Ohio defeated Florida as well.
To improve for 2015, the Cannons need to get younger and faster. Meanwhile, Rochester is hosting a playoff game against Ohio next week.
