Eric Law brings veteran savvy, leadership in Denver Outlaws return
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Two goals and no assists is a solid, if inauspicious start for an attackman. But for the Outlaws and new signing Eric Law, it was the plays that the scorekeepers don’t count and the moments between them that made his Denver return special.
Nothing sums up the Law experience like an exchange in the third quarter of last Friday’s win over the Philadelphia Waterdogs. As a premier off-ball attackman, he slips to the crease for an open look. The pass is deflected, though, and it turns into a loose ball situation.
Law isn’t deterred and keeps moving his feet, fighting for possession on the ground before slapping the ball to the stick of Josh Zawada. Denver keeps the ball and eventually finds an open shooter for a game-altering goal.
Heady plays are what the Outlaws needed from Law, but he’s still an asset in the flow of the offense. His aforementioned off-ball cutting is a skill Denver lacked entering this past weekend, and even with limited practice time, he’s already developing chemistry with his teammates.
Early in last Thursday’s practice, Law introduced himself to the team and immediately got to work. His experience and leadership made him an instant voice in the Outlaws offensive huddle.
“It was kind of Eric Law school, and just kind of hitting the reset button and listening to our veteran players out there,” rookie midfielder Graham Bundy Jr. said postgame.
Midfielder Justin Anderson and attackman Logan Wisnauskas -- who’s been on the PUP list since Week 2 -- are Denver's only offensive players with more than a season of pro experience on their resumes. Law, a 12-year veteran and three-time champion, immediately provided a steady hand in his Outlaws debut.
The game was Denver’s best offensive performance of the season. While the Outlaws scored more goals in their win over the Utah Archers, they were far more efficient in their 15-13 victory over the Waterdogs.
The Outlaws shot a season-high 31.6% from the field. None of the key contributors, including Bundy and first overall pick Brennan O’Neill, went missing for long stretches of the game. Denver also only turned the ball over 13 times.
Even if Law only scored twice, his presence helped the Outlaws finally put the pieces together.
“I think he helped the tempo of our offense and kept guys moving and did all this kind of stuff for us,” head coach Tim Soudan said.
For the rookies, Law is a role model and source of knowledge. Dalton Young -- who broke out with a five-point game (3G, 2A) -- noted Law’s presence as a boon for himself as he finds his feet in the PLL.
“He was constantly just telling me, ‘This is a look,’ or what I should be doing,” Young said. “Every time he was talking to me, not one negative word out of his mouth, even at practice the day before.”
As Denver looks to make it back to the postseason, Law’s steady hand will help unlock the young talent. The pieces may shuffle as Wisnauskas and Jack Myers return to the lineup, but Law proved that his ageless game is a seamless fit for the Outlaws.