Chrome defeats Atlas in Championship Series Finale, 24-23, on late-game comeback
For Atlas, goalie Jack Concannon made 10 saves (32.3%). Midfielder Dan Bucaro (4G, 1A), Romar Dennis (1G, 2T, 1A) and Carraway (2G, 1T, 1A) each tallied five points.
Dennis leaves The St. James having buried 15 two-point goals and four singles to post a tournament-high 34 scoring points and capture the Golden Stick Award.
After being sidelined as a healthy scratch for a few games in 2022, Dennis said he wanted to prove to his team and coaches that he belonged in the lineup for every game in 2023. Looking at Dennis’ Championship Series performance, Atlas interim head coach Steven Brooks said Dennis “absolutely, 100%” deserves to.
“Romar’s dedication to the game is above and beyond and I think the biggest thing you don’t realize is his passion… Brooks said. “He showed [Sunday] how much of a threat he is. His level of passion and care about this game goes a long way and the guys see it.”
In the first quarter, Atlas jumped out to a 7-3 lead while playing a fast-paced, breakaway-reliant game. Chrome started pressuring out and taking away settled shots beyond the arc, dictating more of the second quarter. It slowed down the game with a full-field press and unhurried use of the shot clock.
Atlas headed into halftime with a 14-13 lead, despite taking fewer shots than Chrome.
“We were right where we needed to be [at half],” Chrome acting head coach Jacques Monte said. “We didn’t put some balls in the net which we could’ve. I thought the pace was going to slow down as the game went on, we communicated that to the guys… Atlas can shoot it from anywhere and you have to get out and play them and that’s what our guys did, they got out and played them and took away space.”
The 2023 season opens up in June in Albany.
