Comeback win in OT puts Barrage in finals

By Tom Hoffman

They needed a fourth quarter comeback and 51 seconds of extra time but the Philadelphia Barrage are headed to their second consecutive MLL title game and third in four seasons. Roy Colsey's overtime marker gave the Barrage a 13-12 win over the Denver Outlaws today, sending the Barrage to the Championship Game to face the Los Angeles Riptide, who were 15-14 winners over the hometown Rochester Rattlers. The game will be telecast live on ESPN2 at 1 PM Sunday afternoon and will feature the leagues top two goaltenders in Philadelphia's Brian Dougherty and LA's Mickey Jarboe. The Barrage and Riptide have met just once, an 18-6 Philly win last season in LA's first MLL game. They will see a much different Riptide squad in tomorrow's final.

After leading 4-2 after the first quarter, the Barrage were outscored 6-1 in the second and trailed 12-9 after three. Then the comeback, led by former Rattlers Seth Goldberg and Kevin Cassese, along with Ryan Boyle. Cassese tied the game with 59 seconds remaining in regulation to set up Colsey's game winner though the Barrage needed a big save on Denver's Geoff Snider at the start of overtime in order to get Colsey to his heroics.

Colsey earned Game MVP with six points (4 goals, 1 two point goal, and an assist), his second one against the Outlaws.

Barrage Notes: Five members of the Barrage were named to the All-MLL team for 2007. Earning spots on the team were Ryan Boyle, Brian Dougherty, Brian Spallina, Kyle Sweeney and Matt Striebel.

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