Comets Fall Apart Late, Drop Game One to the Blast

Mental lapses cost the Missouri Comets big time late against the Baltimore Blast and could very well end their season. Holding a 3-1 lead against the Blast with under four minutes remaining, the Comets conceded twice to go into overtime and then conceded just six seconds into overtime to go down 1-0 in the series to the Blast. The two teams will meet again on Tuesday in Baltimore for a second game, and mini game if necessary.

The Comets and Blast had played three very tight games this season that were low scoring, but that's not how last night's game started as both teams traded goals in the first two minutes of the game. Lucas Rodriguez put the Comets on top off an assist from Ramone Palmer before Levi Houapeu leveled things less than 10 seconds later. From there though things setteled down in terms of offense as neither team could find the goal for the rest of the quarter. Late in the first though Baltimore forward Andrew Hoxie was penalized for boarding and the Comets took advantage early in the second period as Bryan Perez put the Comets back on top again at 2-1. The Comets weren't able to add to their lead with another power play a minute later and went into the half up 2-1.

The Comets were able to extend their lead less than six minutes into the third quarter as Stefan Stokic scored off an assist from Max Touloute to make it 3-1. From there the Blast picked up the pressure trying desperately to get back into the game. Missouri's defense and Boris Pardo in goal played well though and kept the Blast out of the net for the rest of the third and much of the fourth. In the final four minutes though with the sixth attacker the Blast found their way back into the game. Seconds after bringing on Pat Healey as the sixth attacker Lucas Roque found the net to cut it to a one goal game. Then with just over two minutes left the Blast found the net to equalize again with the sixth attacker, this time wtih Adriano Dos Santos finding net to send the game to overtime. In overtime it took no time at all for the Blast to find the winner as Juan Pereira got onto the end of a long ball over the top by Healey, let it bounce off the wall and beat Pardo to give the Blast the win. The Comets will now have to pull a repeat of the 2013-2014 MASL finals when the Comets went into Baltimore and won game two and the mini-game to win the MASL title if they hope to play for the Ron Newman Cup.