After a three-game winning streak, the Denver Outlaws dropped their second game of the season to the Boston Cannons in a 17-12 dog-fight the Outlaws were in for three quarters. Cannons all-star Midfielder Paul Rabil was awarded the Bud Light MVP for his seven-point, three-goal, and three-assist performance. Denver Attacker Matt Brown continued his elevated offensive level of play, netting four goals which included one two-point goal while Attacker Brendan Mundorf scored two goals himself. "Matt Poskay hurt us a lot," Head Coach Brian Reese said. "We went into the game trying to take him out of their offense but obviously that didn't work. He is a smart player and a great finisher and he hurt us tonight." Brown started off the first quarter scoring off with a goal three-and-a-half minutes into the quarter, before Rabil found fellow Midfielder Brad Ross for the Cannons inaugural goal. Rabil struck thirty seconds later with a two-point, power-play goal, to start a Boston scoring barrage that saw Midfielder Justin Smith and Defender Kyle Sweeney net a goal each to bring the score to 5-1 ten-minutes into the quarter. Attacker Drew Westervelt nailed a two-point goal eleven-and-a-half minutes into the first, and Brown brought the Outlaws within one to end the first quarter with a 5-4 score. Brown set tone for the second quarter, hitting a two-point goal three minutes into the second to give the Outlaws a one-goal lead before Rabil tied the game up with his second goal of the game. Brown struck again for Denver with his fourth goal of the half to regain the lead for Denver, but the always-pesky Midfielder Matt Poskay tied the game at seven with his first goal of the game half-way through the quarter. Outlaws Midfielder Max Seibald made his presence felt with his first goal, but the lead was short lived as Poskay tied the game up with his second goal to send the game into halftime with an 8-8 score. Boston jumped out of the gates in the second half, as Attacker Max Quinzani scored back to back goals to give the Cannons a two-goal lead, before Midfielder Dan Hardy stopped the bleeding and scored the Outlaws first goal of the half, bring the score to 10-9. Poskay the pest hit his hat-trick goal before Denver Midfielder Steve Giannone answered with his sole goal of the game. Poskay gave Boston the lead again with his fourth goal of the game but Mundorf had seen enough as he hit two goals within one minute to end the third quarter, 12-12. "It's tough to win when you don't score in the fourth quarter," Reese said. " Boston had the ball a lot in the second half and they made all the smart plays. We started forcing plays a little too much when we were down and that is not how we play." The fourth quarter was all Boston, as Attacker Ryan Boyle started the scoring for the Cannons before Paul Rabil hit his hat-trick goal. The Cannons went on to score three more goals, courtesy of Midfielder Pat Heim, Quinzani and Poskay (who scored his fifth goal and final goal of the game), to give Denver their worst loss of the season at 17-12. The Outlaws will look to return to their winning ways June 19, as they continue their month-long road trip versus the Chesapeake Bayhawks at Navy Marine Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, MD. "Boston is a smart, veteran team," Reese explained. "When you make a mistake and don't play smart, they take advantage of it. You have to play solid for four quarters against them. We didn't tonight and Boston earned a victory. I look forward to seeing them on our home field in front of our fans. But for right now, it's on to the Bayhawks."
