With Drew Westervelt scoring three of his career- high six goals in a 94-second span, the Denver Outlaws figured to give their largest crowd a victory to go with their postgame fireworks.
Instead, the Boston Cannons answered Westervelt’s spree with a game-tying goal by Paul Rabil and a go-ahead goal by newly acquired midfielder Justin Smith with 89 seconds remaining.
Denver coach Brian Reese used a timeout to set up a play for the last possession, but it fizzled Saturday night along with the Outlaws’ six- game winning streak in a 17-16 loss before a crowd of 21,952 at Invesco Field at Mile High.
“I didn’t expect us to go 11-0 the rest of the way,” Reese said of running the table after an opening-game loss. “Sometimes a loss will help us refocus attention to all the little things.”
A defense that has been stingy all season was not as feisty and missed Mike Ward, who was out during the waning minutes because of a hamstring strain.
Rabil, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse draft after capturing two NCAA titles at Johns Hopkins, presented a difficult matchup for the Outlaws. At 6-feet-3 and 225 pounds, his size, speed and stick-handling were superior.
“We just let him run through our defense,” Reese said.
The Outlaws (6-2) remain atop the Major League Lacrosse standings. Boston, which lost a one-goal game to Denver in Week 2, extended its win streak to four games and is second at 5-3.
“Obviously, we’d like a better outcome,” said Westervelt, a third-year attackman from Maryland-Baltimore County.
The team assist leader with 14, Westervelt used a low shot to repeatedly beat Cannons goaltender Mike Levin.
“The guys kept getting me the ball,” said Westervelt of his unprecedented scoring prowess.
With Westervelt scoring his first 2-pointer of the season, the Outlaws shook off a one-goal second quarter to post eight points in the third quarter and tie it 13-13 going into the final quarter.
The visitors struck early in the final quarter, building a 15-13 lead, but Brian Langtry’s behind-the-back pass to a cutting Westervelt started his trio of goals and created a momentum swing to Denver that Boston surprisingly regained.
Boston 4 3 6 4 — 17
Denver 4 1 8 3 — 16
Boston — Goals: Rabil 3, Morris 3, Boyle 3, Smith 2, Cassese, Downing, Sweeney, Alrich, Corp; 2-point goals: Cassese; Assists: Boyle 2, Morris, Poskay. .
Denver — Goals: Westervelt 6, Langtry 3, Mundorf 2, Brown 2, Sims, Hardy. 2-point goal: _ Westervelt; Assists: Langtry 2, Hardy 2, Watkins 2, Ward, Sims, Westervelt, Walterhoefer.
Goaltenders — Levin 8 saves; Schwartzmann 12 saves.
