Teddy Malone scored the game-winning goal 14 seconds into overtime as the Carolina Chaos won a 13-12 thriller over the Boston Cannons on Saturday afternoon.
The entire game was a back-and-forth battle. Carolina held a two-goal advantage late in the fourth quarter, but Marcus Holman scored a two-point goal with 3:55 remaining to send the game into overtime.
Malone led the Chaos with four goals and two assists for a six-point afternoon. Chad Palumbo, Shane Knobloch and Ross Scott each had three points.
Blaze Riorden was solid in goal, making 20 saves for a 64.5 per cent save percentage.
Faceoffs came by committee for the Chaos. Justin Inacio went down with an injury in the first quarter after going three-for-five at the dot. Christian Scarpello, Ty English and Ray Dearth handled the faceoffs for the remainder of the game.
For the Cannons, Holman led the team with four points, including a goal, a two-point goal and an assist. Mikey Weisshaar had a hat trick, while Jeff Trainor had two goals and an assist. The PLL’s leading point-getter, Coulter Mackesy, was held off the scoresheet.
In goal, Colin Kirst stopped 12 shots for a save percentage of 33.3 per cent.
The Chaos (4-5) remain in fourth place in the Western Division, nipping at the heels of the California Redwoods (4-4), although the Redwoods currently hold the goal-differential tiebreaker.
The loss drops the Boston Cannons to 4-5, but they remain in third place in the Eastern Division. They are ahead of the New York Atlas (3-6) and are chasing the Maryland Whipsnakes (5-4).
First Quarter
The Cannons took control of the game early.
Brian Kelly opened the scoring 6:04 into the game, and Trainor scored 22 seconds later to make it 2-0.
The Chaos rallied to tie the game. Palumbo found the back of the net with 4:53 left on the clock, followed by Malone with 4:09 remaining to knot the game at 2-2.
Palumbo rounded out a three-goal run by Carolina to give the Chaos a one-goal lead.
The Cannons replied with a pair of goals. Jack Regnery and Holman scored to put the Cannons up 4-3.
Malone scored with 21 seconds left to tie the game, but Weisshaar replied with 10 seconds remaining as the Cannons led 5-4 at the first intermission.
Second Quarter
The back-and-forth battle continued into the second quarter.
Knobloch opened the scoring 1:35 into the frame.
However, the Cannons came back with a pair of goals. Weisshaar scored at 2:01, and Logan Ip scored 30 seconds later to restore the Cannons’ two-goal lead.
Goals from Owen Hiltz and Knobloch midway through the second tied the game 7-7.
Weisshaar put the Cannons back in the lead, 8-7, with 3:24 left on the clock, but Scott scored for the Chaos with 2:42 remaining to tie the game 8-8 heading into halftime.
Third Quarter
The Carolina Chaos started to pull away in the third quarter.
After Regnery scored 30 seconds into the third, Carolina replied with three unanswered goals.
Malone found the back of the net 11 seconds later to tie the contest 9-9.
Jackson Eicher gave the Chaos the lead midway through the third, and Eric Spanos gave Carolina an 11-9 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
The Cannons rallied from a two-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Trainor opened the scoring at 3:10, but Palumbo restored Carolina’s two-goal cushion at 5:42.
With 3:55 remaining, Holman let a shot go from beyond the arc for a two-point goal to tie the game 12-12 and send it into overtime.
Overtime
Overtime lasted only 14 seconds, but it was a wild finish.
Andrew McMeekin won the opening draw for the Cannons. As Boston worked the ball up the field, Owen Hiltz picked off a pass.
Hiltz got the ball to English, who found Scott inside Boston’s zone. Scott fed the ball to Malone down low, and he made no mistake, beating Kirst for the game-winner.
Top Scorers
Carolina Chaos
- Teddy Malone, 4g, 2a
- Chad Palumbo, 3g
- Shane Knobloch, 2g, 1a
- Ross Scott, 1g, 2a
Boston Cannons
- Marcus Holman, 1g, 1 2-g, 1a
- Mikey Weisshaar, 3g
- Jeff Trainor, 2g, 1a
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