Best of Both Worlds for Blaze Riorden in USA Win at Atlas Cup

SPARKS, Md. — Blaze Riorden burst onto the national lacrosse scene more than a decade ago when, as a goalie, he scored a Sportscenter-worthy end-to-end goal for UAlbany in a NCAA playoff win over Cornell.

Since then, he’s scored plenty of goals as a forward in the National Lacrosse League, but he’s made more of a name as arguably the best goalie of his generation. He’s been a Premier Lacrosse League MVP and earned All-World honors in leading the U.S. Men’s National Team to a world championship in field lacrosse in 2023.

But, the chance to do both – scoring goals and stopping them – in the same game?

Sixes might have designed specifically for Riorden.

Riorden got to show off both sides of his game as the United States beat Ireland 35-14 to close out the opening night of the Atlas Cup at USA Lacrosse headquarters. Riorden played two quarters in goal, making five saves, but also played the field for two quarters, scoring goals on both of his shots.

“I’m the oldest guy out here by a lot and it just reminded me of being in the backyard, having a goalie stick behind the net, having my shortstick emulating John Grant Jr and getting in cage and emulating Brett Queener,” Riorden said. “To do both with USA across my chest is just a dream come true at this point in my career.”

In a sport like sixes, with limited roster sizes, a player that can do both is an extremely valuable and unique asset. U.S. head coach Andy Shay first took a look at Riorden outside of the cage during a training camp in Buffalo in late September when they were short a field player. Riorden wasn’t expecting to get the opportunity, but never hesitated when asked. He used Pat Kavanagh’s backup stick and more than held his own.

Shay made sure that Riorden brought both sticks to the Atlas Cup this weekend.

“It’s a lot easier – the nets are a lot bigger than I’m used to [playing box lacrosse] and I also like the small elbow pads,” Riorden said. “The range of motion feels a lot better than when you’re with the clunky box pads.”

The U.S. offense was on fire most of the night, scoring on 35 of its 46 shots. Joey Spallina, who made his sixes debut earlier this month leading the Pan-American Sixes Lacrosse Championship in scoring while leading the U.S. to a gold medal, continued to shine in the discipline with a team-high 11 points (6g, 5a). 

Xander Dickson and Matt Traynor both added six goals and three assists and Chad Palumbo also had nine points with three goals and six assists.

The U.S. will be back in action on Saturday night – facing archrival Canada in a showdown at 7 p.m.

Will Riorden do both again? It doesn’t matter. He’ll do whatever Shay asks him to do.

“I’ve always been a guy that lacrosse is lacrosse,” Riorden said. “Whatever stick I have in my hands, I feel comfortable. I play with joy and I play with a clear mind and I think I have more to show. I’m just grateful to be out here. If they told me to take the face off and get off, I’d take the face off and get off.”

In the opener, the Haudenosaunee Nationals led 4-3 after the opening quarter and had chances to stretch the lead, but Canada got on track and pulled away for a 25-14 victory.

Canadian goalie Brett Dobson made six of his 10 saves in the second quarter and also had a pair of assists in the frame. Canada dominated the quarter, 7-1, to flip the momentum.

Zach Currier and Thomas McConvey each scored four goals for Canada with Currier adding four assists to earn Capelli Sport Player of the Game honors. Canada also got hat tricks from Ty Banks, Finn Thompson and Casey Wilson while Clark Petterson had two goals and three assists.

Winter Rivera paced the Haudenosaunee offense with four goals and Jameson Bucktooth (2g, 2a) and Zed Williams (1g, 3a) each had four-point efforts as well.