Years of frustration ended for the Denver Outlaws on Saturday, as they overcame a four-goal fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Rochester Rattlers 12-11 to win the Major League Lacrosse championship for the first time.
The winning goal came from Drew Snider, who blasted one past Rochester goalkeeper John Galloway from just inside the two-point circle with 56 seconds left. The comeback was sparked by veteran John Grant Jr., who had three goals and an assist.
Denver was playing in the postseason for the ninth consecutive year, but had never won the Steinfeld Trophy. On Friday at Kennesaw State’s Fifth Third Bank Stadium, the Outlaws trailed 10-6 after the third period, but they outscored the Rattlers 6-1 in the final quarter.
The game was a success for the league, which has further evidence that the Atlanta will support a professional lacrosse team. The attendance was announced at 8,149, and most of the reserved seats were filled.
Denver (11-5) scored 19 seconds into the game when Chris Bocklet found the net; it was the fastest goal scored in the championship game since 2005. Rochester answered with unassisted goals by Michael Lazore and Miles Thompson.
Rochester (11-5) went ahead 4-1 on an unassisted goal by John Ranagan at 9:14 and an unassisted goal by Mark Cockerton, who picked up a rebound in front of the net and fired it home at 11:07. David Lawson broke through the right side to score at 13:10 and put the Rattlers ahead 5-1 at the end of one period.
Denver got back in the game with a strong second period. The Outlaws scored three times in the period, getting goals from Domenic Sebastiani, Bocklet (on a power play) and Grant while the Rattlers could counter with only a lone goal by Ranagan and led 6-4 at halftime.
Rochester regained the momentum early in the fourth period with a goal by Justin Turri, who scored after a feed from Jordan Wolf behind the net, and Ranagan, who fought past defender Sebastiani to beat goalkeeper Jesse Schwartzman and make it 8-4.
The two teams exchanged goals before the end of the third quarter, with Rochester leading 10-6. Jordan Wolf and Dave Lawson scored for Rochester, with Eric Law and Jeremy Sieverts scoring for Denver.
Denver drew to within 10-9 on two consecutive goals from Grant and another from Law on a pass from Grant. Rochester got some breathing room when Lawson scored on a pass from Cockerton. But Denver tied the score 11-11 on a two-point goal by Sieverts, the league leader in that category, with 5:35 left.
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