Heading into their game Saturday with the Toronto Rock, the Philadelphia
Wings knew they needed to win or have the Buffalo Bandits lose to clinch a spot
in the National Lacrosse League’s 2013 postseason. Jordan Hall made sure that Wings fans would
not have to stay up late to watch the Bandits in Washington against the Stealth
when he scored his second goal of the day just 61 seconds into overtime to give
the Wings a thrilling 10-9 victory over the Rock before 7,437 at Wells Fargo
Center.
The game started as many have this season with the Rock
taking a 2-0 lead on goals from Josh Sanderson.
Kevin Buchanan got the Wings on the board with 1:59 left in the first
and Hall tied the game 54 seconds into the second quarter before the Rock added
another pair of scores to go up 4-2. The
Wings kept themselves in the game as goals from Mike Manley and Buchanan tied
the game at halftime. Each side got a
goal in the third quarter and the game would go to the final 15 of regulation
even at five.
Just 21 seconds into the fourth the Wings took their first
lead of the night courtesy of Paul Rabil.
Just as quickly though Toronto would tie and reclaim the lead when
Blaine Manning and Sanderson tallied goals just 15 second apart. Kyle Hartzell, off a feed from Ned Crotty,
tied the game again before a breakaway goal by the Rock’s Damon Edwards put
them back up at 8-7. Kevin Crowley and Brendan
Mundorf would give the Wings a 9-8 lead and the defense looked like they would
be able to hold the one goal lead. But
with 1:12 left in regulation the Wings were called for too many men on the
floor and as this occurred with under two minutes left in the game Toronto was
awarded a penalty shot and Kasey Beirnes did not miss. Neither team could score in the game’s final
minute thus bringing on the extra time. After winning the faceoff the Rock were
kept from scoring setting up the heroics of Hall on the Wings Fan Appreciation
Day.
Mundorf led the Wings with a pair of goals and four assists
while Buchanan and Hall each scored twice.
The Wings held the league’s leading scorer, Garrett Billings, to a pair
of assists. Brandon Miller stopped 48
saves and picked up his 4,000th save in the victory. The Wings can finish at 8-8 if they can win
next weekend at Washington and could earn a home playoff game depending on how
the Rochester Knighthawks finish their season.
As it is, the Wings can relax tonight knowing they have their ticket to
the dance.
