MASL Eastern Division final
Syracuse Silver Knights at Blast
(Game 2 in best-of-three series)
When: Sunday, 5:05 p.m.
Where: Towson University’s SECU Arena
Tickets: 410-73-BLAST, ticketmaster.com, baltimoreblast.com
Outlook: For a fourth time this season, the Blast were able to grind out a one-goal win against the Syracuse Silver Knights — a 7-6 road victory in Thursday’s playoff opener — and now they are one win away from advancing to the Major Arena Soccer League’s Eastern Conference final. The two-time defending league champions jumped out to a 5-0 advantage early in the second half before holding off the Silver Knights. Vini Dantas and Daniel Peruzzi each scored twice and goalie Joey Kapinos finished with 14 saves. Veteran defender Pat Healey blocked six shots. The Blast went 11-0 at home during the regular season and will have two chances on Sunday to move on to the next round. If they fall in Game 2, a 15-minute mini-game would follow to determine the series winner. Should the Blast advance to the Eastern Conference final, they would next face the winner of the Central Division final, which has the Milwaukee Wave taking on the Cedar Rapids Rampage.