Game Night: The Rochester Rattlers (1-1) will play their first road game this week as they travel to Massachusetts to face the Boston Cannons (2-0) on Saturday, June 5th at Nickerson Field. The 7:00 p.m. game will be broadcast live on News Talk 950 WROC and webcast at SportsJuice.com.
Last Week: The Rochester Rattlers evened their season record at 1-1 by defeating the Philadelphia Barrage 24-17 on May 29th at Bishop Kearney Field. The victory by the Rattlers earned Head Coach B.J. O'Hara his first Major League Lacrosse win. The Rattlers were led by six-point nights from Casey Powell (3+3), Ryan Ward (4+2) and Kevin Cassese (4+2). The Cannons have been the story of Major League Lacrosse in the early part of the schedule. The Cannons picked up an impressive 22-21 victory on the road against the Baltimore Bayhawks on May 29th.

All-Time Series: Last season, these two clubs split their two games, with each team capturing a win on the road. Attackman Casey Powell picked up 16 points (4+12) for Rochester, while Mike Regan paced the Cannons with 13 points (4+1, 4 2-pt goals). The Rattlers are 4-2 all-time against Boston, with a 3-0 record on the road. This season, the Rattlers lead the MLL in goals scored with 41. The Cannons are third with 35.

Rochester Notes: The Rattlers are led by Casey (6+4) and Ryan Powell (7+3), who both have 10 points this season and are tied for fourth in the league in points. Last week, goalie Jake Coon made 16 saves and was named the MLL Defensive Player of the Week. The Rattlers enter the game in a three-way tie for first place in the National Division. Rochester has an all-time record of 10-10 on the road.

Big Deal: Rochester also bolstered its lineup yesterday in the 2004 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft and via a four-player trade with Philadelphia. Rochester acquired goalie Tillman Johnson, midfielder Steve Vallone and a 2005 Third Round Collegiate Draft Pick from the Philadelphia Barrage for attackman Ryan Boyle and midfielder Mike Mollot.

Johnson was the Barrage’s first-round selection (3rd overall), but now brings his impressive resume to Rochester. In 2003, he was named a First Team All-American after leading Virginia to the national championship. This past season, he was named a Third Team All-American for the Cavaliers. In addition, the senior captain from Annapolis, Md., was named to the All-ACC team for the third time, the first goalie in league history named three times. He has a .591 save percentage this season and is allowing 9.01 goals per game. He has 683 career saves, tops in school history and fourth in ACC history.

Orange in the middle: The Rattlers drafted midfielders Sean Lindsay and Kevin Dougherty from the 2004 Syracuse Orange National Championship team. Rochester also added Steve Vallone from SU through the trade with Philadelphia.

Another Defenseman of the Year: In the fourth round, the Rattlers added their fifth defenseman of the year in Eric Martin. Martin played for the two-time defending Division III National Champion Salisbury State. In 2003, he was named the best defenseman in the nation and is up for the honor again this year. Rochester also boasts four Division I Defensemen of the Year: Michael Howley (2003), John Glatzel (2002), Ryan Mollett (2001) and Marshall Abrams (2000). Abrams, however, will miss the entire season because of an injury he sustained for the Rochester Knighthawks.

Boston Notes: This marks the third straight season the Boston Cannons have started 2-0. The Cannons are led by attackman Conor Gill, who has collected 11 points (4+7). That total ranks Gill third in the MLL among point leaders. Gill is also tied for the league lead in assists with seven. Gill is the franchise’s all-time assist leader with 63. The Cannons are full of firepower, literally. Attackmen Michael Watson (5+1) and David Evans (4+3, 2 2-pt goals), along with snipers Mike Regan (4+1) and Steve Dusseau (4+1), bring some of the hardest and precise shots that the Rattlers will face on the field this year.

Two for Regan: Former Rochester Rattler Mike Regan is the league’s all-time leader with 19 two-point goals. The Boston Cannons midfielder played for the Rattlers during the 2001 season.

A legend retires: Rochester Rattlers General Manager Jody Gage announced today that Fairport native Tim Soudan has announced his retirement. Soudan was a fixture on the Rattlers since the inaugural 2001 Major League Lacrosse season. He ends his career with 32 goals, three two-point goals, and nine assists for 47 points in 31 games. On the all-time team lists, he ranks seventh in games played, goals and points. He is also tied for first for the most two-point goals in Rattlers’ history.

“He has meant a lot to the organization and helped build the Rattlers,” said Gage. “He was a great leader and I wish him the best of luck.”

The midfielder also plays for the Rochester Knighthawks of the National Lacrosse League and said he still intends to train for the 2004-05 season. He once played in 138 consecutive pro lacrosse games with the two teams, appearing in 110 straight with Knighthawks and 28 with the Rattlers. The streak ended last season, as Soudan played in only three games and collected two goals with the Rattlers.

Also announcing his retirement is goalie Mark Spruyt, who started the 2004 season opener for the Rattlers on May 22nd in Seattle. Spruyt played two seasons with the Bridgeport Barrage before being selected by the Rattlers in the 2004 Supplemental Draft.

Next Week: The Rattlers will travel to play the Baltimore Bayhawks on Sunday, June 13th at 4:00 p.m. at Johnny Unitas Stadium. The game will be broadcast on News Talk 950 WROC and SportsJuice.com.

Next Home Game: Rochester returns to Bishop Kearney Field on Friday, June 18th to host the New Jersey Pride at 7:30 p.m.