It took them a while to get going, but once they got under way, the Baltimore Thunder was relentless last night.
Before a crowd of 7,671 at the Baltimore Arena, the Thunder fell behind the Boston Blazers, 6-4, at the end of the first quarter, JTC then rallied for a 21-14 Major Indoor Lacrosse League season-opening victory.
Jeff Jackson and Matt Kerwick scored four goals each to lead the Thunder's scoring and Tom Manos and Steve Dietrich played superbly in the Baltimore goal. Walt Cataldo paced Boston with three goals.
Fred Haas, John Holthaus, Tony Millon and Ricky Sowell each scored two goals. Sowell, Pat Welsh and Todd Curry each had three assists.
The Thunder also had four goals disallowed because of players in the crease.
Boston had taken a 2-0 lead in the first one minute, 45 seconds on unassisted goals by Cataldo and Chris Cameron. Goals by Fred Haas and Matt Kerwick tied the game for the Thunder.
The Blazers retaliated with a pair of goals for a 4-2 lead and Boston maintained its two-goal margin the rest of the first period, leading 6-4.
Ricky Sowell's shorthanded goal at 2:43 of the second period cut the Boston lead to 6-5 and Kerwick's power-play goal tied the score at 7 with five minutes remaining in the first half. Jeff Jackson's unassisted goal gave the Thunder its first lead of the game, 8-7. Jackson's third goal of the game boosted Baltimore into a 9-7 lead and Jackson's fourth goal in seven minutes gave the Thunder a 10-7 halftime lead.
Goals early in the third period by Haas, John Holthaus, Kerwick and Todd Curry gave the Thunder a 14-7 lead. Boston rallied with five consecutive goals to reduce the deficit to 14-12 at the end of the quarter.
NOTES: Game officials last night were Scott Boyle, Tom Young and Mike Ventura. . . . The Thunder's next game will be Jan. 4 against the Detroit Turbos in Joe Louis Arena. The Thunder's next game at the Baltimore Arena will be Jan. 25 against the New York Saints.