Orlin & Cohen Post-Game Report: Riptide Defeat FireWolves For First Win Of The Season

Jeff Teat recorded 12 points on Saturday night as the New York Riptide picked up their first win of the season, defeating rival Albany FireWolves 16-10 in their first road game of the season. Brett Hickey had 6 points in his Riptide debut, while Connor Kearnan and Reilly O’Connor had five each. Jay Thorimbert had his best performance of the season at the faceoff X, winning 21 of 30 draws, and the defense allowed a season low 10 goals.

The Riptide came out strong, scoring 5 of the first quarter’s 6 goals, with Teat and Larson Sundown each scoring twice, with Sundown scoring a particularly impressive twister while falling down, with a Kearnan bar down shot being the other goal, while Steven Orleman made several big saves, and Thorimbert won all seven faceoffs, becoming the first player to win 2800 faceoffs in NLL.

This momentum continued into the second with Kevin Brownell scoring 30 seconds into the frame, and then Hickey scored from distance to extend the lead to 7-1 and chase Doug Jamieson from the net, then Teat completed the hat trick from the doorstep after an incredible feed from Hickey. Tyler Digby scored his first of the year for New York, and after Albany responded, Teat got his fourth of the night with a close shot in transition, and Connor Kelly scored for Albany with 2.3 seconds left in the half, sending the teams to the locker room with a 10-3 Riptide lead.

Albany scored twice in the first minute of the third quarter with former Riptide member Kieran McArdle and Tanner Thomson getting on the board, but then Teat scored a highlight reel goal to make it 11-5, and then Kearnan scored a transition goal after quick passes from Scott Dominey and Ron John. Thomson got one back before Hickey scored his second of the game and Jamieson returned to the Albany net. Teat and McArdle then traded power play goals to close out the third, and New York went to the final period doubling up Albany, 14-7.

Reilly O’Connor got his first of the night on the power play early in the fourth to give him his fifth point of the night, then Teat got another to extend the lead to 9. John Piatelli, McArdle, and Ethan Walker tried to rally for Albany, but it was too little too late and the Riptide held on for a 16-10 win.

Monday’s after a win are way better. Come behind the scenes with us after our first win of the season vs. @albfirewolves. pic.twitter.com/BfuTfS81D2

— New York Riptide (@newyorkriptide) January 23, 2023