February 7, 2010
Blazers reach .500 with third straight win
by Phil Shore/
On “Heroes Night” at TD Garden Saturday, it was fitting that Dan Dawson played a leading role.
Last season’s National Lacrosse League MVP scored four goals to lead Boston past the Rochester Knighthawks, 14-8, on a night the Blazers honored members of the US military.
The captain scored three of his goals in the second quarter and added four assists to lead the Blazers to their third straight win after they opened the season with a three-game losing streak.
“It was a huge game tonight,” said coach Tom Ryan. “Unfortunately we dug ourselves a little bit of a hole early on ... but I’m proud of our effort tonight.”
Dawson and his brother, defenseman Paul Dawson, put the team on their backs and combined to score four goals in the second quarter to put the Blazers ahead, 6-2.
Dan Dawson’s first and third goals of the quarter came off bounce shots, to which Dawson said he knew Rochester goalie Aaron Bold would be susceptible.
“We watched a lot of game film and knew bounce shots would work,” he said. “Coming off a screen those shots are hard to stop for any goalie in the league.”
Helping Dawson on offense for the first time was forward Jamie Rooney, who was traded to Boston from Rochester last week.
“I’ve been waiting to play with Dan for a long time,” said Rooney, who signed with the Arizona Sting, Dawson’s home for four seasons, before they folded operations.
“I was really trying to build some chemistry with Rooney,” Dawson said. “He had to learn all the plays last night.”
While Boston’s offense was jelling and scoring at a fast pace, its defense was trying to contain Rochester’s duo of John Grant Jr. (four goals, two assists) and Gary Gait (three goals, one assist). Boston held Rochester to one goal in the third quarter, after which it led, 9-4.
“We tried to take away their inside game and limit them to outside shots,” said goalkeeper Anthony Cosmo. “We had to force them down the lane, down the wall. We did a great job.”
The Knighthawks “made it interesting,” according to Ryan, in the fourth quarter, scoring four of the first five goals to close within 10-8. Three of those goals came from Grant.
A power-play goal from Rooney, his first of the season and as a Blazer, restored momentum to Boston. Dan Dawson cut down the middle and, when the defense slid, dumped the ball to Rooney, who was on the right side of the net.
“He was definitely one of the main looks,” said Ryan.
“In practice we ran it where Dan would draw and dump to Daryl (Veltman),” Rooney said. “When he passed it to me I was like, ‘Oh my God, don’t screw up.’ "
Rooney added another goal before the quarter ended.
Veltman and Nick Cotter added two goals each, and Matt Abbott, Kyle Ross, and Ryan Hotaling also scored for Boston.
The team was glad to be back to .500 and glad to have Rooney as part of the unit.
“I like him as long as he keeps putting balls in the net,” Cosmo said.
The Blazers will travel to Rochester for a rematch with the Knighthawks this Saturday at 2 p.m.
