Chicago Storm 0-13 Baltimore Blast

by Dan Gaichas

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL--There were a bunch of zeroes for the Storm, not just on the stat sheet.  The Storm, minus Carlos “Chile” Farias (two yellows vs. New Jersey), were shutout, 13-0, for the first time in over two years by the Baltimore Blast at the Sears Centre.  (Last shutout:  2/4/06 vs. St. Louis)  The loss means that the Storm (14-13) are just two games clear of 7th place Philadelphia (12-15) with three to play. 

Last time the Blast came to the Sears Centre, they scored five seconds into the match.  This time, the waited until 51 seconds in after Lucio Gonzaga put the Blast ahead.  Gonzaga would turn provider seven minutes later as he fed Machel Millwood who roofed a shot into Jeff Richey’s net

Things got no better for the hosts as Mike Lookingland’s shot slipped under Richey’s feet to make it 6-0 Blast three minutes into the second quarter.  Lookingland would then get a three-point goal from the yellow line off the restart following a two-line violation on the Storm.  (Goalkeeper cannot kick the ball across two lines, nor throw it across three.)

Millwood would get his second of the match seven minutes into the third quarter as he capitalized on a Storm turnover.  Then, Denison Cabral headed in a power play goal 85 seconds later to make it 13-0. 

The Storm had 16 shots on goal, but none came closest than Fabinho’s three-point effort just hitting the post.  Blast keeper Sagu would finish with eleven saves on the evening.

Storm head coach Steve Morris said that they have to find their way out of the quicksand having now lost eight of their last eleven.

“We’re absolutely struggling right now,” said Morris.  “My job is to get these guys out of it, somehow.  And the more they struggle, the more they fall deeper into the quicksand.  I have go to reach out, find a branch, try to find a stick, a lifeline they can hang on to.”

The Storm next host the California Cougars on Friday night in the last regular season home game of the year.  Kickoff at the Sears Centre is at 7pm. 

SCORING SUMMARY:

(1st) BAL-Gonzaga (Garcia) :51

(1st) BAL-Millwood (Gonzaga) 7:58

(2nd) BAL-Lookingland (Todd) 3:07

(2nd) BAL-Lookingland (unassisted)(3PT) 5:33

(3rd) BAL-Millwood (Bascome) 7:03

(3rd) BAL-Cabral (Lookingland)(PPG) 8:28

PENALTY SUMMARY:

(1st) BAL-Marcel (blue, holding) 5:18

(3rd) CHI-Bennett (blue, tripping) 8:16

(4th) CHI-Armstrong (blue, 4th foul of half) 12:48

SHOTS:  CHI 16-18 BAL

SAVES:  CHI 6-11 BAL

BLOCKS: CHI 6-5 BAL

FOULS:  CHI 13-14 BAL

POWER PLAYS:  CHI 0-1; BAL 1-2

A:  3,248

Man of the Match:  Mike Lookingland (BAL) with two goals and an assist.

Second Star:  Sagu (BAL) with 11 saves and a clean sheet.

Third Star: Machel Millwood (BAL) with two goals.