Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: H. Barry
The Toronto Rock visited the Philadelphia Wings for a matinee game on Saturday January 21, 2023 in a game that was originally scheduled for 7:00 p.m. It was changed once the Philadelphia Eagles play-off game was posted and in order to give Eagles fans a chance to watch the game and attend the Wings game as well. The Toronto Rock gave up the first goal of the game and then responded with 13 in a row to cruise to a 14 – 5 win. Nick Rose went over 35 minutes without giving up a goal as he and the Rock defense shut down the Wings offense for a big East Division win.
After 12 minutes of no goals Philadelphia broke the ice when Blaze Riordan (1G) cut to the net and as he dove his shot beat Nick Rose( 43 saves) just below the stick for the 1 – 0 lead. While shorthanded the Toronto Rock went on a two on one and Challen Rogers (2G, 1A) passed to Mitch deSnoo (1G, 2A) whose sidearm shot picked the top corner over Zach Higgins (25 saves) to tie the game at 1-1. Both goalies played well in the first quarter as the shots at the end of the first were Toronto 14—Philadelphia 9.
To start the second, Toronto while on transition TD Ierlan (1G) picked up a loose ball and went in on Higgins and his over hand shot beat him to the short side to give the Rock their first lead at 2 – 1. A few minutes later Tom Schreiber (5G, 2A) dodged inside around his defender and reached around to the far side and it was 3 – 1 for the Rock. Less than a minute later Dan Craig (3G, 3A) with an over hand shot went over the shoulder increasing the lead to 4 – 1. With less than five minutes left in the first half Corey Small (1G, 1A) got the pass from Schreiber and his over hand bounce shot went to the short side 5 – 1 Toronto. With the shot clock winding down Schreiber fired a low side arm shot around his defender and went to the short side and it was 6 – 1 Rock. Toronto kept it coming while in transition Rogers got a pass from deSnoo and his over hand shot hit bottom corner below the stick to extend the run to seven goals and it was 7 – 1. But they weren’t done yet and with 10 seconds left in the first half Rogers would cut through three defenders, reached around Higgins and beat him to the far side and they’d end the first half 8 – 1 for the Rock. At the end of the first half the shots on goal were Toronto 32—Philadelphia 23.
Toronto would shut out the Wings in the third. While shorthanded early on, Craig cut through the middle, received a pass from Zach Manns (2A) and his shot beat Higgins under his stick for the ninth straight Rock goal and it was 9 – 1. The Rock had some great ball movement while on the power play, Craig received a cross crease pass from Stephen Keogh (1A) and his quick stick shot went short side to make it 10 – 1. The Wings Bench Boss Paul Day had seen enough and Philadelphia changed goalies at this time and put Angus Goodleaf (18 saves) in for the rest of the game. Schreiber greeted Goodleaf with a run down the left side and his twister bounce shot went through Goodleaf’s legs to make it 11- 1. Schreiber would notch back-to-back while on the power play from the top with a bounce shot to the top corner over the shoulder for his fourth of the game to make it 12 – 1 for the Rock. After third quarter buzzer sounded, the shots on goal were Toronto 48—Philadelphia 37.
Toronto would continue the run into the fourth with Schreiber notching his third in a row coming across the top and his sidearm low to low shot beat Goodleaf to the short side to make it 13 – 1. The Wings fans finally got to see, with just over 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter Matt Rambo who would finally break the Toronto run when he fired a sidearm shot from the top that beat Rose to the stick side to make it 13 – 2. The Wings would get another with a lucky shot that went off of the post hit Joe Resetarits (2G, 2A) in the leg and rolled in past an unsuspecting Rose to make it 13 – 3. It took a little over a minute, while on transition Adam Jay (1G) would run the floor, he faked up high and put a bounce shot through Goodleaf’s legs to make it 14 – 3 for the final Rock goal on the night. Philadelphia responded back 30 seconds later when Taite Cattoni (1G, 1A) passed to the far side of the crease and Resetarits beat Rose to the short side with his quick stick shot to make it 14 – 4 for the Rock. Cattoni moved around his defender and beat Rose to the short side for his first goal as a Philadelphia Wing after he came over from the Albany Firewolves in a trade this week to make it 14 – 5. Toronto decided to rest Nick Rose and put in Troy Holowchuk (1 save) for the rest of the game.
The Toronto Rock won the game 14 – 5 over the Philadelphia Wings and the shots at the end of the game were Toronto 58—Philadelphia 51.
The Three stars of the game were:
Tom Schreiber – Toronto Rock: 5G, 2A
Nick Rose – Toronto Rock: 43 saves & only 5 goals against
Dan Craig – Toronto Rock: 3G, 3A
Dan Craig Post Game Interview 1/21/23
STATS:
Toronto Rock—SOG 58; FO 9-23; PP 2-4; Saves 46; Sv% .901
Philadelphia Wings—SOG 51; FO 14-23; FO 14-23; PP 0-4; Saves 44; Sv% .758
NEXT UP:
The Toronto Rock (3-2) will head to Scotiabank Saddledome to face the Calgary Roughnecks (3-2) on Saturday January 28, game time 9:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. This is the Game of the Week for fans in Canada & they can catch the game on TSN or the TSN app.
The Philadelphia Wings (2-3) will play host to the Buffalo Bandits (4-2) at Wells Fargo Center on Friday January 27, 2023, gametime 7:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the action on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the game on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©