After their undefeated season came to an end in Week 5, Charlotte got back to their winning ways, defeating the Ohio Machine, 14-12. The victory not only kept Charlotte undefeated at home (4-0), it also meant the Hounds earned an important sweep of the season series with the defending champion Machine.
Charlotte got off to a hot start, taking an 8-3 lead at halftime behind five different goal scorers, including two apiece from Kevin Cooper, Kevin Crowley, and Matt Rambo. Charlotte extended the lead again in the third quarter, but the Machine did not go away quietly.
Ohio scored the first three goals of the fourth quarter – including two power-play goals from the returning Peter Baum – to cut the deficit to 13-10. Rambo scored his third of the game, but Ohio responded with a two-point goal from defender Steven Waldeck to get within two with 1:17 remaining.
Charlotte sealed the deal, however, as Michael Ehrhardt intercepted a Machine pass with 12 seconds remaining. According to Lax Sports Network, it’s the second time this season Ehrhardt has caused a last-second turnover to help Charlotte win.
Ehrhardt is a big reason for Charlotte’s success this season, says Charlotte general manager Mike Cerino.
“Michael Ehrhardt is a dominant player,” he said. “You won’t find him in anybody’s top 25, but I think he’s in the top 10. Six-foot-five, can cover anybody, and one of the best offensive long poles in the league.”
“It’s 13-12 against Dallas [in Week 2], we lose the faceoff [and] Michael tracks down the offensive player, tracks down the ball," he added. "You go to the next game against Chesapeake – it’s 12-12, we win the faceoff and … he takes a two-pointer to win the game 14-12. There are two ways to dominate the game, taking the ball away and scoring the ball. You start getting in close games [and] there’s your game changer. He’s the piece that makes us go.”
Dallas Beats Florida
The Rattlers topped the Launch, 19-13, earning its fifth win of the season and sitting a half-game behind Charlotte for the top spot in the standings.
For the fifth time this season, Jordan Wolf totaled at least five points, and he did so by scoring five goals, four of which came in the second half.
It was the first time he’s scored five goals in a game since July 16, 2017, in a game against the Boston Cannons. He also took the league lead in goals (20, tied with Rattlers teammate Ty Thompson, who scored two goals against the Launch) and points (30).
“It was definitely a full team effort, offense, defense,” Wolf said in a postgame interview on Lax Sports Network. “I thought we played a lot better together in the second half, especially offensively, sharing the ball, getting out of each other’s way. We knew it wasn’t our best half in the first half and lucky enough to come out firing in the second.”