Titans Succeed in Newark Debut

The New York Titans defeated the Boston Blazers 19-14 at Prudential Center in Newark on Saturday night. Casey Powell and Pat Maddalena each registered nine-point games for the Titans playing its first contest in Newark. Blazers rookie and top overall draft pick Daryl Veltman had a goal and six assists in his National Lacrosse League debut.

New York stormed out to a 5-1 lead in the first quarter on goals by Jordan Hall (2), Brendan Mundorf, Greg Peyser and Maddalena. Brendan Thenhaus scored the first goal for the Blazers on a power play with 7:49 remaining in the quarter. Dan Dawson assisted on the franchise’s first goal.

The teams basically played even the rest of the game. Both scored four goals in the second quarter, giving New York a 9-5 halftime lead.

Scoring really picked up in the third quarter, with the clubs combining for 14 goals, which was the combined total scored in the Toronto-Buffalo game (8-6 Buffalo). Powell registered the natural hat trick (three goals in the quarter). The Blazers got their offense going, as Dawson and Gary Bining scored two goals each in the frame.

In the fourth quarter, the Blazers got to within three as a Thenhaus goals made it 16-13 with eight minutes remaining. The Titans responded quickly with goals from Maddalena and Powell to secure the lead for good.

Blazers goaltender Anthony Cosmo, who saved 31 out of 49 shots faced. Matt Vinc made 33 saves on 47 shots faced for the Titans. New York improves to 1-1 on the season, while Boston is 0-1. The two teams face each other again next Saturday in Boston at TD Banknorth Garden in the Blazers’ inaugural season home game.

NLL Titans To Perform At The Rock

Published reports have announced that Major League Lacrosse’s New York Titans are planning to play five of their seven home games at the Prudential Center in Newark this season.

 

The Titans, which are going into their third year of play in the 13-team National Lacrosse League, consider their home to be Madison Square Garden where they played all of their games in their inaugural year. Last season the team played at MSG, but also played a few of its contests at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island.

 

It would be the third time an indoor lacrosse team has used a regular venue in New Jersey. The New Jersey Saints were one of the four original teams to start what was to become the MLL. They played in the Meadowlands in 1987 and 1988 before moving to Long Island for its long run as the New York Saints.

 

The New Jersey Storm began as an expansion team in 2002 and was owned by former New Jersey Nets basketball star Jayson Williams. Poor attendance and then later a tragic shooting at Williams’ estate doomed the prospects of the franchise which played its games at Continental Airlines Arena in the Meadowlands. They would eventually be sold and move to Anaheim in 2004 before going out of business in 2005.

 

The New York Titans team is led by Casey Powell, a former three-time All-America for Syracuse University. They are scheduled to play at the Prudential Center on Jan. 10 against Boston; Feb. 8 against Chicago; March 14 against Calgary; April 4 against Philadelphia and April 11 against Buffalo.

 

Last year, the Titans finished at 10-6 and had an exceptional season that ended with a 19-12 loss to Buffalo Banditsin the league semifinals.

 

The team also plans to provide instruction and equipment to local schools as part of a community outreach project.