Orlin & Cohen Postgame Report: Riptide Defeat Warriors 16-8

The New York Riptide closed out the 2023 season on a high note with a 16-8 win over the Vancouver Warriors at Rogers Arena. Jeff Teat recorded 10 points on 5 goals and 5 assists to clinch the NLL scoring title, while Steve Orleman made 57 saves in his first start since March 4. Connor Kearnan added 9 points, while Scott Dominey caused 3 turnovers, picked up 10 loose balls, and scored a goal.

The game started as a goalie duel, with Orleman and Aaron Bold combining for 19 saves in the first quarter. Kearnan scored the first goal of the game after a heroic save from Orleman, and after nearly 8 scoreless minutes, Matt Marinier doubled the advantage. And New York took the 2-0 lead into the second quarter.

Vancouver scored five straight goals in the second quarter before Kearnan got his second of the game off an assist from Marinier, and then Teat got his first of the game late in the quarter to make it a 5-4 game going into halftime.

British Columbia native Tyler Digby tied the game off a Teat feed in front of his home crowd, and then Teat restored the Riptide lead himself with a perfectly placed shot in the top left corner. Larson Sundown picked up his 20th goal of the season with a five hole goal, and Reilly O’Connor also reached that mark after fooling Bold with a hidden ball trick. Teat and Curtis Conley tacked on breakaway goals, with Conley’s being the first goal of his NLL career, and the Riptide headed into the final quarter of the season with a 10-5 lead.

Dean Fairall pulled one back for the Warriors early in the fourth, though Ron John responded for New York with just his second goal of the season. Kearnan picked up his hat trick off a Teat feed, which clinched the NLL scoring championship for Teat, who then got his fourth of the game with a 4-on-3 goal. Ryan Martel scored a breakaway goal after coming out of the penalty box, although Dominey responded for the Riptide with an open net. Kearnan tacked on one more, his 30th of the season, and Vancouver responded with a shorthanded goal from Tyler Codron before Teat scored one more on the power play to end the season for New York with a 16-8 victory.

Teat finishes his sophomore campaign with 136 points, the second highest total in league history, and as the league’s leading goalscorer, having found the back of the net 56 times, and he finished second on the Riptide with 105 loose balls to Jay Thorimbert’s 113. Ron John and Scott Dominey finish tied for the team lead with 20 caused turnovers. Orleman recorded a 0.755 save percentage, while Cam Dunkerley had a 0.774. New York finishes with a 5-13 record.