The story of the Boston Cannons’ season perhaps could be summed up in one frustrating sequence with just under five minutes to go in their campaign. Already out of the Major League Lacrosse playoff race, Boston still was engaged in a tight contest against the second-year Atlanta Blaze franchise Aug. 5 at Harvard Stadium. The Cannons jumped out to a 7-2 lead, yet trailed 14-11 through three quarters in the type of dramatic momentum swing that had become symbolic of the summer.
Boston was back within two on a Brodie Merrill goal as the clock ticked down with the Blaze in possession. Forty-five, 50, 55 seconds wound off the 60-second shot clock before the ball found its way through the Boston crease and John Uppgren deposited it into the net with two seconds left on the shot clock to effectively end the game and the Cannons’ season.
It was the same John Uppgren whom the Cannons drafted out of Tufts University last season, had on the roster almost the entire summer, and was claimed off Boston’s practice squad the day before so Atlanta didn’t have to fly in somebody new to finish out the year.