The Denver Outlaws (5-4) defeated the Florida Launch (3-6) in a dominating 26-15 fashion on Saturday night, extending their winning streak to four straight games.
During the game, Outlaws attackman and Colorado native Eric Law achieved the milestone of 150 career goals, as Law finished the game with 11 points (7 goals, 4 assists) to lead the Outlaws to another victory. With another multi-point performance, Law extends his scoring streak five games, a streak where Law has notched 26 points in five games.
“It is a cool record to have, just when you think about all of the absolutely incredible players that have played in this organization. Even to be in the same conversation as them, it is very special to me,” Law said, “But all of the credit goes towards my teammates for finding me and making my night pretty easy.”
“Eric just continues to be a leader on and off the field. He is so smart, and he does everything so well and I am really happy about the game that he had tonight,” Coach O’Hara said following the game.
Along with Law, Outlaws rookie attackman Chris Cloutier continued his solid start to his MLL career with an 8-point (4 goals, 4 assists) performance of his own to help lift Denver to victory.
“The chemistry of the offense is amazing right now, and we are all just clicking and finding each other when everyone is open and the minute someone is open we are getting them the ball,” Cloutier said. “Our chemistry is just through the roof right now, and when someone misses a game and they come back in it is seamless and that is largely in part to the chemistry that we have on the offensive end.”
Watch out the Chris Cloutier 🚂 is coming through! He backs down Tucker Durkin and scores and has 2G & 4A in the first half WATCH FREE @DenverOutlaws vs @Florida_Launch at https://t.co/oJkK8CQ2nw or download the LSN app pic.twitter.com/h3mMxrEEft
— Lacrosse TV (@WatchLacrosseTV) June 17, 2018
Denver Outlaws rookie defenseman Connor Keating would also notch his first goal of his career, converting on a two-goal score in the first quarter to help the Outlaws keep pace with the Launch after falling down 2-0 to start the game.
1st career goal for rookie LSM @connorkeating41 from @PennMensLax and it's a 2-pointer! WATCH FREE @DenverOutlaws VS @Florida_Launch at https://t.co/oJkK8CQ2nw or download the LSN app pic.twitter.com/LaAM5K6sfb
— Lacrosse TV (@WatchLacrosseTV) June 17, 2018
Following the tying two-point goal from Keating, the Launch would continue to be able to make things difficult for the Outlaws with a three-goal scoring run. However, the Outlaws would score two goals to close out the first period to keep the game tied at five goals per-team.
Despite the Launch being able to replicate their first quarter performance in the second quarter, a large difference-maker would be the Outlaws going on a seven-goal scoring run to head into halftime with the 14-11 lead.
“Obviously, we were pretty concerned that we gave up so many goals in the first half,” Denver Outlaws head coach B.J. O’Hara said after the game. “We knew that we were going to have to score a lot, but I was really proud of how our defense rallied shut them down in that second half because they are tough to stop”.
The Outlaws continued to dominate in the third quarter, holding the Launch to only two goals and running on two scoring streaks of their own that included a two-goal conversion from Outlaws midfielder Romar Dennis, who would finish the game with three points (2 goals, 1 assist).
Heading into the final quarter of the game with a firm 20-13 lead, the Outlaws continued to keep the foot on the gas pedal to close out the game. Denver’s offense put the game out of hand in the fourth quarter with a five-goal scoring run, with the Outlaws defensive unit limiting the Launch to only two goals.
Whats next for the Outlaws?
After extending their winning streak to four straight games, the Outlaws will look to conquer their road demons when they visit the Ohio Machine on June 23, looking to extend their winning streak to five straight games.
“It is going to be a battle. Everytime that we play Ohio, we know that it going to be a tough one,” Law said. “They are definitely going to want revenge after coming out here (Outlaws won 17-6). We have to keep playing Outlaws lacrosse and compete like we have been, but we have to keep this momentum going and keep doing the little things that we have done so well in the past couple of weeks”.