For the Blast, a new season starts Thursday.
The Blast didn?t plan to end the regular season with a 22-21 loss to visiting Detroit, but players were confident the intensity of the high-scoring game was the perfect tune-up for opening the postseason against New Jersey on Thursday at 1st Mariner Arena.
“This was a playoff game,” forward Machel Millwood said. “These guys know we might see them down the road, and they didn?t want us to come away with a victory, and go into the next game with the momentum. It?s a new season, as they say, going into the playoffs. If we see them again, hopefully we do a better job.”
The Blast (19-11) certainly has room for improvement, as the team squandered the lead four times against the Ignition, including when it allowed the game-winning goal with one minute, 26 seconds remaining to lose for just the third time in 15 home games this season.
The Blast finished third in the Major Indoor Soccer League standings to claim homefield advantage in the first round. Blast coach Danny Kelly opted to play the first game at home, despite the potential of playing a series-deciding golden goal session on the road, should each team win once.
“We do well at home. The playoffs are all about winning games,” Kelly said. “My philosophy is get a win. If you get a win at home, you go on the road, and you have a game and a golden goal to get a win. I don?t like the idea to play on the road first. Playing on the road in the regular season is tough, and playing on the road in the playoffs is even more so.”
Still, Kelly wasn?t pleased with the way the Blast enters the playoffs against sixth-seeded New Jersey (14-16), an expansion franchise that went 1-3 against Baltimore during the regular season.
“We had too many defensive lapses,” Kelly said. “You play against quality teams like Detroit and they?ll make you pay. They made us pay tonight.”
Denison Cabral and Millwood each had three goals against Detroit (22-8), which would only face the Blast if both teams advance to the championship game in Milwaukee on April 26. If the Blast defeats New Jersey, they would face second-seeded Milwaukee, which has a first-round bye. Top-seeded Detroit, which also has a first-round bye, will play the winner of fourth-seeded Monterrey (16-14) and fifth-seeded Chicago (15-15).
“Hopefully, we?ll get to see those guys again in the final,” Millwood said. “Maybe then, we?ll come out on top.”
