Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Christian Bender
The Toronto Rock (12-4) hosted the Buffalo Bandits (11-4) in a battle for first place in the Eastern Division on Saturday night April 1, 2023. If the Rock were to win they would leapfrog over Buffalo into first place but if Buffalo wins then they would increase their lead for home floor advantage in the playoffs. The Rock scored the first seven goals of the game and never looked back on their way to an 18 – 7 drubbing of the Bandits in front of 13,127 fans, their largest crowd in ten years.
The Rock would open the game on a seven goal run and less than a minute into the first quarter witha pass from Stephen Keogh (2A) to Corey Small (5G, 5A) and his low to low shot beat Matt Vinc (19 saves) to the far side to make it 1 – 0 for Toronto. A minute later while short handed Latrell Harris (1G, 3A) went in on a breakaway and fired a shot over the shoulder to double the lead to 2 – 0. Just 28 seconds later Toronto would score their second consecutive short handed goal when Challen Rogers (2G, 3A) fired a high to low shot over his defender to the stick side and it was 3 – 0 for the Rock. Halfway through the first Toronto would add to their lead just as their power play had ended. Dan Craig (3G, 4A) fired a side arm shot with another to the stick side to make it 4 – 0. A few minutes later with some great ball movement as passes went from Rogers to Tom Schreiber (4G, 5A) and then onto Small whose shot beat Vinc to the far side and it was 5 – 0. It took less than 30 seconds for Craig to beat his defender and his overhand shot went to the far side to make it 6 – 0. Right then, Buffalo decided to pull Vinc and put Devlin Shanahan (15 saves) in net. The Rock greeted Shanahan a minute later when in transition with their seventh tally. Harris passed to Josh Jubenville (2G, 1A) who dove across the crease and beat Shanahan to the top corner and it was 7 – 0 Toronto. With 13 seconds on the ticker Buffalo would finally get one on the board. Chris Cloutier (2G) took a high to low shot beating Rose to the stick side to end the Rock run and the first quarter ended 7 – 1 for Toronto. The shots on goal in the first quarter were Toronto 15 and Buffalo 13.
The Bandits would open the scoring in the second quarter while on the power pay. Josh Byrne (2G, 2A) picked up a loose ball in front and his high to low shot beat Rose to the glove side cutting the Rock lead to 7 – 2. A minute later Byrne would score his second in a row. This time he took a low to high shot top corner and the lead was cut to four 7 – 3 for the Rock. Toronto would respond two minutes later with Brandon Slade (1G, 1A) grabbing up a rebound off of the back boards and he beat Shanahan with a bounce shot through the legs to increase the Rock lead to 8 – 3. But Buffalo would get that one back with one second left on the shot clock. Kyle Buchanan (1G) beat his defender and went through the legs reducing the Toronto lead to 8 – 4. But Keogh and Small would team up again 20 seconds later when Keogh saw Small cutting and fed him a pass and his quick stick shot went through the legs for his hat trick goal to make it 9 – 4 Rock. Zach Manns (2A) would help to increase the Toronto lead less than 30 seconds later when he faked a dive from behind the net and instead passed the ball to Schreiber at the side of the net who went short side and it was 10 – 4. Buffalo would put Vinc back in net at this time. Then while on a power play, Buffalo would take advantage of the extra man and Dhane Smith (1G, 4A) came right down the middle of the floor and his overhand shot went glove side to make it 10 – 5 for Toronto. In the last two minutes of the half Toronto was on the power play and a delayed penalty was being called when Small bounced a shot through Vinc’s legs extending the Rock lead to 11 – 5 at the half. The shots in the first half were in favor of Buffalo 31 and Toronto 29.
Just over a minute into the third quarter Buffalo would open the scoring again while on the power play with an overhand bounce shot from Cloutier that went five-hole and it was 11 – 6. Then on the ensuing faceoff Jubenville picked up a loose ball and went in on Vinc and beat him five-hole to make it 12 – 6 Toronto. About a minute later Rogers would come down the floor and fired an over hand shot short side and the lead was back up to seven for the Rock at 13 – 6. Harris 20 seconds later while in transition would pass to Small off the bench and his shot went under the arm for his fifth goal of the game and it was 14 – 6. Four minutes ticked off the timer and it was halfway through the third, Keogh passed to Schreiber and his twister shot went short side and the lead was now nine in favor of Toronto 15 – 6. Buffalo would finally get one more with 3:33 to go when Dalton Sulver (1G) went in on a breakaway on Rose and beat him over the shoulder into the top corner and it was 15 – 7 Toronto. The Rock would end the scoring in the frame with less than one second left on the clock while on the power play. Schreiber was behind the net and passed to Craig who faked low and put it over Vinc’s shoulder for his hat trick goal. This made it 16 – 7 Rock after three periods. The shots on goal were Buffalo 41 and Toronto 39.
Shanahan was put back in net to start the fourth quarter. The scoring was almost non-existent in the fourth except for two lone goals from the Rock. It wasn’t until halfway through the period on a nice cross floor pass from Small to Schreiber, that his overhand bounce shot beat Shanahan through the legs for his hat trick goal and it was 17 – 7 for the Rock. A minute later while in transition, Schreiber received a pass from Jubenville and he beat Shanahan over the shoulder to make it 18 – 7. Toronto decided to remove Rose from the net and insert Troy Holowchuk (3 saves) for the rest of the game. The last 40 seconds of the game included four rounds of fisticuffs as Billy Hostrawser (1A) fought Bryce Sweeting, Jubenville fought Carter McKenzie, Adam Bomberry fought Greg Downing and lastly Brad McCully (2A) fought Keogh.
The Three Stars of the Game were:
Corey Small – Toronto Rock: 5G, 5A
Tom Schreiber – Toronto Rock: 4G, 5A
Nick Rose – Toronto Rock: 7GA and 39 saves
STATS:
Buffalo Bandits—SOG 49; Saves 34; Sv% .654%; FO 15-29; PP 3-7
Toronto Rock—SOG 52; Saves 42; Sv% .857%; FO 14-29; PP 2-6
NEXT UP:
The Buffalo Bandits (11-4) have a bye-week and will be in action at home in Key Bank Center when the host the New York Riptide (4-11) on Saturday April 15, 2023, game time 7:30 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the action on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
The Toronto Rock (12-4) also have a bye-week and will be in action at home at First Ontario Centre when they play host to the Philadelphia Wings (6-8) on Saturday April 15, 2023, game time 7:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the action on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©