Outlaws rip Riptide, 17-7

11 July 2006

Carson, Calif. - The Denver Outlaws (6-2) used a stellar defensive effort and a balanced scoring effort to win Saturday afternoon's contest against the Los Angeles Riptide (2-5) at the Home Depot Center. The win secures Denver's spot atop the Western Conference. With wins in the first two games, Denver wins the three-game season series against Los Angeles. The third meeting will end Denver's regular season on August 12 in Los Angeles.

The Outlaws limited Los Angeles to just two points in the first half - yielding just one goal in each of the opening quarters. Trevor Tierney was an integral to Denver's defensive effort, making 18 saves, including 10 in the first half, for his sixth win of the season. Mike Law led Denver's offensive effort with four goals. Josh Sims (2-1-4) recorded four points, including his league-leading sixth two-pointer of the season.

Rounding out Denver's offensive performance were Brendan Mundorf (2-1-3), Jeff Sonke (2-0-2), Jeff Zywicki (1-1-2), Brian Langtry (1-1-2), Matt Brown (1-0-1), Hunter Lochte (1-0-1), Matt Rewkowski (0-1-1) and Casey Cittadino (0-1-1).

Sims recorded the game's first goal with a two-pointer 1:58 into the fray. Thirty-six seconds later, Mundorf extended Denver's lead with a diving shot off a feed from Jeff Zywicki. Zywicki, acquired last week in a trade with San Francisco, recorded his first point as an Outlaw on Mundorf's tally.

With the score 4-0, the Riptide recorded their first marker with 97 seconds remaining in the first quarter with when Brian Nee leapt across the crease and tucked a shot past Tierney.

Later in the first quarter, Tierney stopped the Riptide's leading scorer, Michael Watson, from point-blank range. The ensuing possession resulted in Mundorf notching his second marker of the game from Erwin. The Outlaws took a 5-1 lead to close the first quarter.

Denver duplicated the first quarter score in the second frame to take a 10-2 lead into the halftime.

The Riptide recorded three of the first four goals of the third quarter after making halftime adjustments to narrow Denver's lead to 11-5. The Outlaws answered with goals by Law, Cercy (first of the season) and Sims in a 17-second span to take a 14-5 lead. The Outlaws added two more goals in the third frame, including one by Sonke with 1.1 seconds remaining, for a 15-5 lead.

Each team recorded one goal in the fourth quarter, with Los Angeles' marker counting for two points. Cittadino recorded his first point as a pro, an assist, on Law's final tally with 6:30 remaining.

Alex Smith relieved Tierney with 7:43 remaining in the tilt and stopped the only two shots he faced.

The Outlaws return to action in two weeks when they host the Chicago Machine at INVESCO Field at Mile High on July 22.

Source: oursportscentral

All trademarks and copyrighted information contained herein are the property of their respective owners.