Ratcliff Earns Reebok Championship Game MVP

In front of a sellout crowd of 8,609, the Washington Stealth (14-5) defeated the Toronto Rock (11-8) 15-11 to win the Champion's Cup in a wild back and forth battle up and down the floor. Reebok Championship Game MVP Lewis Ratcliff - a Second Team All-Pro selection - tallied five goals and an assist to help deliver the season-ending victory.

Ratcliff led the league with 46 goals during the regular season and finished second with 97 points.

"Lewis Ratcliff deserves to be on the First Team All-League list, no question. Second scoring leader, top goal scorer in the league and he proved that tonight as well," said Stealth head coach Chris Hall.

Ratcliff came out firing, netting two quick goals. A third goal from transition player Paul Rabil put the Stealth up 3-0, while goaltender Tyler Richards made several superb point-blank saves on the Rock offense to help maintain the early lead.

"After that first one snuck by, it was a big monkey off my back. It just opened the gates for me to have a good night, to shoot with confidence and play with confidence," said Ratcliff, who scored his first goal of the 2010 Playoffs Saturday.

Near the end of the first quarter, Toronto picked up their intensity and surged back with two goals from forward Kasey Beirnes and one from forward Garrett Billings to tie the game at three. Toronto found their momentum at the ten minute mark in the second quarter, taking a three goal lead at 6-3 as Beirnes tallied a hat trick.

"We got away from what was making us successful like off ball movement, cutting and just keeping the ball hot. We tried to do too much on our own and you can tell when the ball wasn't going in the back of the net," said Ratcliff on the second quarter slump.

Stealth forward Rhys Duch capitalized on a rebound and scored a behind-the-back put-back goal, bringing the crowd back into the game. It was a similar play on the next possession, as Ratcliff picked up a rebound and snuck it past Rock goaltender Bob Watson for his third goal of the game.

The teams went into the locker rooms at halftime with the score 7-5 in favor of the Rock.

Toronto's defense stepped up their pressure in the third quarter, forcing poor shots and continually stripping the ball from the Stealth offense. Richards became the anchor for the Stealth, stopping more point-blank shots and one-on-one breakaways.

"(Richards) was obviously on his A-game. We got to him a bit in the second and the third. He shut the door in the fourth. He's a phenomenal goalie," said Rock head coach Troy Cordingley.

A scoring drought plagued both teams for most the quarter until penalties put the Stealth two men down. The Rock took advantage, taking a three goal lead at 8-5 as Beirnes scored his fourth and final goal of the night.

Rabil scored again in a one-on-one situation, curbing the Rock's momentum after receiving an outlet pass from Duch. On the next play, Rabil attempted another crease dive but this time flew straight into Watson. A scrum ensued on the crease resulting in major penalties.

The near brawl in the Toronto crease sparked a commanding Stealth comeback that was kicked into gear by the defense. Defenseman Peter Morgan scored with 13 seconds left in the period. Fellow defenseman Eric Martin then scored with two-tenths of a second left on an empty net, putting the score at 10-8 to start the fourth quarter.

"Our offense went a little dry for a bit. We just need that one goal turnaround and Eric Martin put that one in the empty net. That's huge, any goal you score late in the third quarter or any quarter is a big goal. That turned it around for us," said Ratcliff.

"From a player's perspective it was motivational and inspired them. The players knew we got a break, it was something we desperately needed at the time and it inspired us to play a great fourth quarter," said Hall.

The turnaround was monumental, beginning a seven goal fourth quarter surge for Washington. Out of the gates, the Stealth started a scoring spree led by Duch and Ratcliff. Duch stuck the net twice, the second of which completed his hat trick and tied the game at 10. Afterwards, Ratcliff got a hot stick, scoring two more goals to bring his total to five.

Forward Stephen LeBlanc snapped the spree to try and bring the Rock back into the game. However, an empty net goal by defenseman Eric Grimes sealed the 15-11 win.

"Lacrosse is a game of momentum. They took it from us and never looked back. They proved every bit they were a formidable opponent and fought for that championship," said Rock forward Colin Doyle.

The win marks the first championship for the Stealth franchise and the second time a coach has won the Champion's Cup with two different teams. Chris Hall - co-winner of the 2010 Les Barltey Award, presented to the Head Coach of the Year - joins Bartley as the only other coach to do so.

The game also showcased a new lacrosse market, revealing Washington State and the Northwest as a new hotbed. The sellout crowd at Comcast Arena played a huge role in the Stealth victory.

"I was gassed coming out of halftime," said Ratcliff. "It was fourth quarter when we were tired and (the fans) picked us up and gave us the rest of that game."