The two-time Major League Lacrosse MVP felt like a 10-year-old boy changing schools, yet played like a cunning veteran.
Ryan Powell shook off the “new boy” label, scoring two goals and making three assists in the Denver Outlaws’ 19-11 pounding of the New Jersey Pride on Saturday night at Invesco Field at Mile High.
“I had jitters. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but everything was cool. They welcomed me with open arms,” said Powell, who was acquired along with Nate Watkins in an offseason trade with San Francisco.
Powell’s debut with Denver (2-1) was delayed one week by his participation in the indoor pro championships and another week by fatigue.
He made his first mark with a pass to Matt Hanna to tie it 1-1, then set up Watkins early in the second quarter. New Jersey (0-2) answered with its second power-play goal of the half, and after Matt Brown’s high shot from the slot, Denver led 6-4 at halftime.
Following a passionate speech by coach Brian Reese, the Outlaws outscored the Pride 8-2 in the third quarter.
Geoff Snider dominated faceoffs, including an astounding 3-minute, 18-second span in which Denver scored six consecutive goals.
“Last week I was a little unprepared, maybe a little cocky,” Snider admitted. “I think I let the guys down. It was important tonight not to do that, and with Ryan Powell, Matt Brown and Brendan Mundorf on attack, it makes my job a little easier. It was a total team effort.”
Powell backed down Damien Davis and then shot from a difficult angle for his first goal in an Outlaws uniform.
Brian Langtry, ranked second in MLL in points, followed with a low laser shot from beyond the 2-point line.
After Drew Westervelt’s scoop shot, Snider scored two of the next three.
“When you have guys like Powell, Brown and Mundorf, defenders might hesitate to slide over to me,” Snider said. “I just have to bury my chances.”
New Jersey 2 2 2 5 — 11
Denver 3 3 8 5 — 19
N.J. — Thomson 4-1-5 (goals-assists-points), Boland 1-2-3, Peyser 1-1-2, Urick 1-0-1, Chemotti 1-0-1, Unterstein 1-0-1, Parengkuan 1-0-1, Rekowski 1-0-1, Ford 0-2-2, Treubig 0-1-1.
Denver — Powell 2-3-5, Langtry 2-1-4, Westervelt 3-0-3, Sonke 3-0-3, Brown 2-1-3, Snider 2-0-2, Mundorf 2-0-2, Watkins 1-0-1, Hanna 1-0-1, Ethington 0-1-1, Erwin 0-1-1.
2-point goal — Langtry. Goalies — New Jersey: Scherr 20 saves; Denver: Schwartzman 18 saves, Smith 1. A — 8,127.
