By: Marcelo A. Sagüez, Beat Writer Calgary Roughnecks
After losing to the Rochester Knighthawks last week in Calgary in sudden death overtime (9-8), it was time for a road trip to Eastern Canada to play the Toronto Rock. With over eight thousand lacrosse fans at the Air Canada Centre Roughnecks Defeat the Rock in regulation time 15-10.
This win broke the Roughnecks four game losing skid (4-7), moves them past the Vancouver Stealth (3-6) moving Calgary into third spot in the NLL Western Division.
Keeper Mike Poulin (#30) stood solid and determined between the pipes for the Roughnecks. Returning to the active roster was Dane Dobbie (#44) for the Roughnecks as he has missed the past four games with an ‘upper body injury’. (Dobbie’s return results in two goals and three assists).
Tyson Bell (#94) puts the Roughnecks up early into this game with only 44 seconds off the clock. Within four minutes, Wesley Berg (#14) puts the Roughnecks up 2-0 in the first quarter. Brett Hickey (#11) and Rob Hellyer (#10) of the Rock score a couple of goals to tie the game at two, these goals coming only a couple minutes apart. Rounding off the first quarter Curtis Dickson (#17) scores on a pass play with Tyler Digby (#23) and Jeff Shatller (#77) moving the score in favor of the Roughnecks 3-2.
Reflecting the first quarter Tyler Digby (#23) opens with a low shot 29 seconds in. Two minutes later Karsen Leung (#14) scores a short-handed goal assisted by Dan MacRae (#3). On the power play Toronto’s Brett Hickey (#11) scores 20 seconds after Leung, to complete the half Curtis Dickson(#17) completes the hat-trick moving the score 7-4 in favor of the Roughnecks.
Pulling the Rock within two goals Rob Marshall (#14) gets one by Mike Poulin 1:38 into the third quarter. Dobbie adds two and a breakaway goal by Dickson (his fourth of the game). Finishing the quarter Josh Sanderson (#19) and Kasey Beirnes (#33) score for the Rock bringing them to within three heading into the final quarter 10-7.
Curtis Dickson having a ‘super’ season adds to the Roughnecks lead by scoring two goals by the 3:31 mark of the fourth quarter, making six goals in total for the sock trick. Toronto not giving up easily scores three of the next four goals, two by Hellyer and one by Colin Doyle to move within three goals of the Roughnecks. That would be the closest the Rock would get as Leung seals the deal with two straight empty net goals. A new life for the Roughnecks as the post season closes in. Final Score: Calgary 15—Toronto 10.
Coming to Calgary will be the Western Division leading Colorado Mammoth (8-2) Saturday March 19, 2016.
Marcelo A. Sagüez, Beat Writer Calgary Roughnecks
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