Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Christian Bender
The undefeated Buffalo Bandits (6-1) visited the Toronto Rock (5-3) in Hamilton for an early evening game on Saturday February 12, 2022. This should be the last game in Toronto without fans as the restrictions should be completely lifted when their next home game happens in March. Buffalo was trying to extend their winning streak to seven games to start the season, while Toronto was trying to win their third in a row. The last time these two teams met in Week 6 the Bandits came away with a 12 – 6 win but the Rock were without Tom Schreiber and Dan Dawson. On Saturday, Toronto had their full offense available and it made a difference. In a game where Buffalo never led and the Toronto played their most complete game of the season at both ends of the floor, their effort paid off and moved them into third place in the Eastern Conference. Final Score: Toronto 12—Buffalo 10.
Toronto opened the scoring during the third minute of play when Challen Rogers (1G, 1A) passed the ball to Reid Reinholdt (2G, 3A) whose low to low shot beat Matt Vinc (36 saves, 1A) between the legs giving the Rock the early lead 1-0. Buffalo tied it up four minutes later when Josh Byrne (1G, 1A) beat his defender low and jumped over the crease and beat Nick Rose (37 shots, 3A) to the outside top corner for a highlight reel goal. Less than a minute later the Rock regained the lead when Rogers set a pick got the pass from Rob Hellyer (2G, 4A) in front and with a low fake he then dunked the ball over Vinc into the top corner to make it 2 – 1 for the Rock. That moved Hellyer into fifth place on the all-time Toronto Rock assist leaders list. While the Rock were on the power play Tom Schreiber (4G, 2A) had the ball at the top and his high to low shot beat Vinc through the legs to double the lead to 3 – 1. With just over a minute left in the first, Toronto went on another power play and Schreiber went to the stick side with an outside shot for his second goal in a row. The shots were even at 11 for the quarter. Score at the end of one: Toronto 4—Buffalo 1.
Buffalo started the scoring in the second quarter when Matt Spanger (1G, 1A) had the ball in transition and on a two-on-one decided to keep the ball and his bounce shot beat Rose through the legs. This cut the Toronto lead to 4 – 2. Two minutes later Buffalo scored again when Connor Fields (3G) was wide open in front of the net, faked a BTB, and beat Rose over the shoulder to cut the lead to one. The Bandits kept their run going when Kyle Buchanan (2G, 2A) passed across the floor to Fields and beat Rose with a quick stick through the legs tying the game at four with under five minutes left in the first half. Twenty second later the Rock answered back when Reinholdt took an outside side arm shot that beat Vinc between the legs restoring the Rock lead at 5 – 4. Toronto extended their lead when Schreiber came over the top with an over hand bounce shot through the legs to the top corner for this hat trick goal. Seventeen seconds later Schreiber would notch his fourth and second in a row coming off the bench, he received a pass from Dan Dawson (2A) and dove across the crease beating Vinc over the shoulder making it 7 – 4 Toronto. The Rock ended the scoring in the second in the last minute of play when Brandon Slade (1G) received a pass from Rose in transition and went in all alone on Vinc and beat him high to the glove side. Shots at the end of the first half favored Toronto 28—Buffalo 24. Score at the end of two: Toronto 8—Buffalo 4.
Buffalo came out in the second half and had made changes in their defensive play which seemed to have had an effect on the Rock offense as they were unable to find the back of the net in the third quarter. A lot of their offensive possessions ended with turn overs or outside shots that Vinc was able to handle. The Bandits also took advantage of the Rock lack of scoring when Dhane Smith (2G, 3A) passed cross crease to Buchanan who was on his wrong side and his quick stick beat Rose into the top corner to cut the Toronto lead to 8 – 5. Half way through the quarter while on the power play Fields from the outside shot and beat Rose to the inside for his hat trick goal cutting the lead to two. Shots after three quarters still favored Toronto 38—Buffalo 35. Score at the end of three: Toronto 8—Toronto 6.
Buffalo again opened the scoring in the final quarter four minutes in when Buchanan tossed the ball to Tehoka Nanticoke (1G) who had two defenders draped all over him and he beat Rose over the shoulder making it a one goal game. Toronto got that one back a minute later when Hellyer unloaded a high to low shot from the top that beat Vinc through the legs restoring the two goal lead at 9 – 7. Smith would answer back 30 seconds later off a pass in transition and he took a shot over a defender that beat Rose through the legs to make it 9 – 8 for Toronto. Just past the halfway mark of the final frame while on the power play Buchanan received a cross crease pass from Chris Cloutier (3A) and his quick stick beat Rose to the short side to tie the game at nine’s. The Rock defense who have played great the last two games came through in this game with a huge goal as Mitch DeSnoo (1G, 1A), on transition received a breakaway pass from Rose and beat Vinc to the far side to restore the Rock lead. Dan Craig (1G, 2A) added an insurance goal from the outside with an over hand shot that beat Vinc to the far side to make it 11 – 9 for the Rock. With just over a minute left in the game Hellyer was holding the ball to kill time and with little time on the shot clock he took a shot that beat Vinc to the far side extending the lead to 12 – 9. Buffalo didn’t quit as Smith ended the scoring with less than 30 seconds left on an over hand shot that beat Rose through the legs. Final Score: Toronto 12—Buffalo 10.
For the first time in Toronto Rock history they have a legitimate faceoff guy and on Saturday night it proved to be a big advantage in the game as TD Ierlan went 25 for 26 in the faceoff dot for a 96% win percentage as well as collecting a game high 16 loose balls.
The Three stars of the game were:
Tom Schreiber—Toronto Rock: 4 Goals, 2 Assists
Connor Fields—Buffalo Bandits: 3 Goals
TD Ierlan—Toronto Rock: 25-26 faceoff wins and 16 loose balls
NEXT UP:
The Toronto Rock (5-3) will head to MVP Arena in Albany, NY to face the Albany Firewolves (4-4) on Saturday February 19, 2022 game time 7:00 p.m. EST. The fans in the USA can catch the action on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the game on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
The Buffalo Bandits (6-1) will host the Albany Firewolves (4-4) at the Keybank Center on Friday February the 18, 2022, game time 7:30 p.m. EST. This is the Game of the Week on ESPN so fans in the USA can catch the game for free. Fans in Canada can watch the game on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©