Attack escapes Express train, 14-13
Montreal rallies back from 13-7 deficit, can't close the deal
Bob Cochrane (Outsider's Guide Game Correspondent)

Mike Regan scored five goals and Gary Rosyski chipped in four of his own as the Albany Attack defeated the Montreal Express, 14-13, Friday night at Molson Centre before an announced crowd of 7,146.

For the Express, it was the final home game of the season, and the fans were treated to a thrilling lacrosse game from the beginning to the end. Kelly Sullivan got the first Express goal, with a beautiful over-the-shoulder shot from the edge of the crease just as he reached the goal line. Nick Trudeau started the Attack on a four-goal run five minutes later with a brute strength effort to beat Express goaltender Curtis Palidwor.

Mike Regan scored the next two Attack goals -- the first on a long pass from Rob Blasdell that Regan caught while in full stride, sending him in on a breakaway; the second goal, a few minutes later, when the Attack regained possession in its end after strong Express pressure. Dan Teat got a nice pass from Josh Sanderson and scored the final goal of this quarter with just under three minutes to go. The score after one was 4-1, but the Express was in this game; shots on goal were Albany 16, Montreal 12.

Montreal got right into it in the second quarter. Ted Dowling scored eighteen seconds in and Bruce Alexander 41 seconds later with a reflex shot after picking up the ball at the top of the crease. Albany was then assessed a penalty and Dowling tied the game at four about eight seconds later. Three goals for each team rounded out the half with the teams tied at five, then six, then seven at the end of the first half. Regan scored two of these, one after some hard work which earned him an unassisted goal, the other when he shot after losing his balance, recovered and scored. Aime Caines' efforts to get possession and the ensuing hard shot resulted in a big rebound to Eric Pacey who scored to finish off the scoring in the half with 41 seconds remaining. Montreal led in shots on goal at the break, 30-28.

Rosyski scooped the ball on the opening faceoff of the third and streaked down the floor, scoring just ten seconds in. That started what became a bad quarter for the Express. Nick Trudeau scored later when the Express was defending a two down power play by the Attack. Rosyski scored two more to finish the scoring in this quarter, with the second goal coming while the Express was shorthanded. The third quarter was bad for Trudeau as well. He was tossed from the game for leaving the bench during a fight; I do not think he got involved in the fight but he did come off the bench. Albany held the Express scoreless in this quarter and outshot it, 17-8. Score at the end of three quarters: Albany 11, Montreal 7.

Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Regan scored while rolling off of an Express defender. Teat put the Attack up by six goals with a neat passing play goal about 30 seconds later. Nine seconds later, Tracey Kelusky picked up a rebound from a shot taken by Brad MacArthur to start a five-goal run by the Express. Todd Richard and Ted Dowling got two of those while the Attack was killing a five-minute major penalty. This run got the score to 13-12, but Rosyski soon made it 14-12 with just 1:12 left to go in the game. On the ensuing faceoff, an Attack player scooped the ball and had a clear breakaway on Palidwor, who met the challenge, made the save, and got the ball before a timeout was called with 12 seconds remaining. Exciting stuff! Kelusky started the final play of the game deep in the Express end, initiating a couple of sharp passes to move the ball to the crease area but the final pass went bad and there was no shot.

I am sure the fans at the game will be talking this one up. It was a great game and, although the home team lost, they loved the game. The crowd was really into the game in the last six or seven minutes, when the Express rallied to within one goal. These fans will be back next year.

Game Report reprinted with permission from The Outsider's Guide to the NLL. (Original text is here.)