Towson, Md. – Attackman Conor Gill scored the game-tying and game-winning goals in the final five minutes to lead the Boston Cannons (2-0) to an exciting 22-21 Major League Lacrosse victory over the Baltimore Bayhawks (1-1) at Johnny Unitas Stadium on Thursday evening.
Gill, who finished the game with three goals and three assists, scored the tying tally with just over five minutes left in regulation before sending home the game-winner off a Mike Regan feed with 1:16 remaining.
Boston went on a game-opening 5-0 run in the first 8:28 of the game, forcing Player-Coach Gary Gait to pull starting goalkeeper Justin Sussman. Sussman, who was making his second career start, gave up the five goals on just 11 shots. Regan was instrumental during the rally with two goals, while Gill opened the game with a tally off a pass from Michael Watson just 10 seconds into the first stanza.
A goal by midfielder Kip Fulks ended the Cannons’ momentum, an unassisted tally with 5:46 left in the period. A two-pointer by Chris Leveille upped the Boston lead to 7-1 before the Bayhawks rallied with three straight goals, cutting the deficit to 7-4 with 42 seconds remaining. Midfielder Steve Dusseau scored before the end of the quarter, giving the Cannons a four-goal lead after 15 minutes.
Chris Fiore and Dusseau sandwiched goals around a Gait tally before the Bayhawks went on a 4-0 spurt, narrowing the score to 10-9 with 6:07 left on a power-play goal by Mark Frye. The Cannons answered with a 6-1 run of their own, extending their gap to 16-10 on a two-point goal by David Evans off a Gill assist. Attackman Mark Millon scored back-to-back goals before Regan scored a short-handed tally with just four seconds remaining in the period, giving Boston a 17-12 advantage at intermission.
Sussman returned to the goal in place of John Horrigan for the second half and was greeted with a goal by Leveille with 13:10 remaining in the period, but the Bayhawks rallied with six straight goals, tying the game at 18-18 with 5:07 left in the third period. Jeff Sonke led the charge by scoring twice for Baltimore.
After a Regan goal gave the Cannons a brief 19-18 cushion, Millon teamed up with Sonke for consecutive goals, giving the Bayhawks their first lead at 20-19 with 43 seconds remaining in the stanza.
Early in the fourth quarter, Leveille tied the game with a power play goal off a Gill feed before Frye regained the lead at 21-20 with 12:21 left in regulation off a Gait feed. Gill gave Boston the win by scoring the final two goals.
“That’s the way it is in this league,” Gill said. “We went up early. [Baltimore] came back. They’re a great team. It’s always going to be a close game against them.”
Gill was named the Bud Light Game MVP for his three goals and three assists. Goalkeeper Chris Garrity made 20 saves in picking up his second win of the season.
Millon led all scorers with five goals and four assists, extending his streak of consecutive games with a goal to 14 straight. Gait has scored in 18 straight games after recording a three-goal, four-assist performance. Sussman made nine saves, while Horrigan recorded four saves in the first half.
The Bayhawks return to action on Saturday, June 5, traveling to Invesco Field at Mile High to face the New Jersey Pride, while the Cannons return home to face the Rochester Rattlers next Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
Boston 22, Baltimore 21
ONE-POINT GOALS: BOS – Chris Leveille 4, Mike Regan 4, Conor Gill 3, Steve Dusseau 3, Michael Watson 2, Brent Rothfuss, Chris Fiore; BAL – Mark Millon 5, Jeff Sonke 5, Gary Gait 3, Mark Frye 3, Josh Sims 2, Paul Cantabene 1, Kip Fulks 1, Dan Marohl 1.
TWO-POINT GOALS: BOS – Chris Leveille 1, David Evans 1.
ASSISTS: BOS – Conor Gill 3, David Evans 2, Steve Dusseau 1, Peter Inge 1, Kevin Leveille 1, Mike Regan 1, Michael Watson 1; BAL – Gary Gait 4, Mark Millon 4, Paul Cantabene 1, Danny Cocchi 1, Mark Frye 1, Tom Marechek 1.
SAVES: BOS – Chris Garrity 20 (60:00, 20 goals allowed); BAL – Justin Sussman 9 (38:28, 10 goals allowed), John Horrigan 4 (21:32, 10 goals allowed).
