Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: K. Richelle
The Toronto Rock (6-3) visited the Albany Firewolves (4-6) for their second and final meeting of the season after the Rock won the first game of the season by one goal over the FireWolves. Toronto was hoping to take advantage of a tired team as Albany played on Friday night in Buffalo and dropped a 13 – 8 decision. For the first three quarters of the game it was very close and then Toronto went on a four goal run in the fourth to sweep the season series. Final Score: Toronto 13—Albany 9.
Toronto started the scoring just under five minutes into the first quarter when Rob Hellyer (1G, 5A) took a sidearm shot from the outside and beat Doug Jamieson (44 saves) over the glove to the far side to give the Rock the early one goal lead. A minute later Albany responded when Joe Resetarits (3G, 2A) shot around his defender and his low to low shot beat Nick Rose (32 saves) to the bottom corner to tie it up. Over the last five games Resetarits has been on fire having put up 39 points. Albany took their first lead of the game less than four minutes later when Andrew Kew (3G, 2A) in transition received a pass from Greg Downing (2A) and his over hand shot beat Rose to the top corner to make it 2-1. Toronto got that one back on the power play as they passed the ball around and Reid Reinholdt’s (3G) shot from the outside beat Jamieson to the far side to tie it up at two. Kew scored his second in a row as he came off of the bench and received a pass from Resetarits, cut right in on net and beat Rose to the short side to give the FireWolves a one goal lead at the end of the first. The shots on goal after the first quarter were even up at 11 apiece. Score at the end of one: Albany 3—Toronto 2.
Albany expanded their lead when Kew completed his hat trick on the power play. He was on his wrong side and faked to the far post and shot short side to beat Rose putting them up 4 – 2 just over four minutes into the second quarter. Thirty five seconds later Josh Jubenville (2G) got the long outlet pass from Phil Mazzuca (1A) and his sidearm shot beat Jamieson to the short side cutting the Albany lead to one and giving him his first goal of the season 4 – 3. Reinholdt would tie it up 4-4 when his high to low shot from the restraining line beat Jamieson under the glove to the bottom corner half way through the second quarter. On the power play, Reinholdt would notch his second in a row off the pass from Tom Schreiber (2G, 3A) and beat Jamieson low to the far side for his hat trick goal. This made it 5 – 4 in favor of the Rock. Less than three minutes later Dan Dawson (1G, 2A) caught a pass from Dan Craig (1G, 3A) as he cut through the middle and beat Jamieson over the shoulder extending the Rock lead to two at 6 – 4. With less than two left in the first half, Albany wasn’t ready to give up. Resetarits came down the left hand side to beat Rose with a bounce shot through the legs to cut the Rock lead to one 6 – 5. Albany would go for the extra attacker and pulled their goalie for the last shot in the half, Kew came down with the ball, passed to the middle to Charlie Kitchen (1G) and he’d beat Rose with a quick stick to the open side to tie it up. The shots at the half would favor Toronto 26—Albany 22. Score at the end of two: Toronto 6—Albany 6.
Albany came out quickly in the third and after just 23 seconds, Resetarits took an over hand high to low shot to beat Rose to the bottom corner giving Albany a 7 – 6 lead. Toronto got that one back three minutes later when on transition Brandon Slade (1G) got a pass from Mitch DeSnoo (1A) and his bounce shot beat Jamieson through the legs, bounced up in the air and the backspin put it over the line to tie it up at 7 -7. With less than five minutes left in the third, Hellyer made a skip pass to Craig on the crease and his quick stick beat Jamieson to the short side to restore a one goal lead for the Rock at 8 – 7. Fourteen seconds later Hellyer passed the ball behind the net to Schreiber who beat Jamieson on a dunk from behind to extend the Rock lead to 9 – 7. Reilly O’Connor (1G, 1A) cut through the middle of the floor, caught a pass from Resetarits and his bounce shot beat Rose through the five-hole to complete the scoring in the third quarter. Toronto was still outshooting Albany 39 – 29. Score at the end of three: Toronto 9—Albany 8.
The fourth quarter is when Toronto took control of the game outscoring Albany four to one. Less than five minutes into the final frame, while on transition, Justin Scott (3A) took a shot that was kicked out by Jamieson and Jubenville caught the rebound and deposited in the empty side for his second of the game to make it 10 – 8. With less than five minutes left in the game Schreiber took a low to high sidearm laser shot from the outside that beat Jamieson to the top corner to make in 11 – 8 for the Rock. Albany decided to pull the goalie with just under two minutes left in the game to get closer but Latrell Harris (1G), just back after being injured the last three games, took the ball away from Ryan Benesch (1G, 1A) and went in all alone and shot it into the empty net. Toronto was now up 12 – 8. In the last minute, again with the goalie pulled for the extra attacker, Challen Rogers (1G) was killing time with two defenders on him, broke free and scored on the empty net making it 13 – 8. Albany ended the scoring when Benesch caught a pass from Joe Nardella (1A) and beat Rose with a quick stick to the short side. The shots on goal were Toronto 57—Albany 41. Final Score: Toronto 13—Albany 9.
The Three stars of the game were:
Rob Hellyer—Toronto Rock – 1G, 5A
Andrew Kew—Albany FireWolves – 3G, 2A
Tom Schreiber –Toronto Rock – 2G, 3A
STATS:
Toronto Rock—SOG 57; Saves 32; Assists 18; LB 70; PP 2-2
Albany FireWolves—SOG 41; Saves 44; Assists 12; LB 80; PP 1-2
NEXT UP:
The next game for the Toronto Rock (6-3) is on Saturday February 26th when they visit Uniondale, NY to play against the New York Riptide (1-7) in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, game time 7:30 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can catch the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the game on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
The Albany Firewolves (4-6) will travel to the west coast on February 26th to play the San Diego Seals (6-1) in Pechanga Arena, game time 10:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can catch the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the game on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©