Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Ryan McCullough
The Toronto Rock (1-5) welcomed the Saskatchewan Rush (4-2) on Saturday night January 18, 2025, as they were trying to avoid going 0 – 6 for the second time in their history while the Rush were looking to continue their hot start after winning four of their first five. Toronto is starting to get healthy and welcomed their faceoff specialist TD Ierlan and one of their top offensive players, Tom Schreiber (3G, 4A) back to the lineup. After a close first half, the Rock went on a four-goal run in the third quarter to hold on for the 11 – 8 win to finally get into the win column and send the 5,011 Rock fans home happy.
The Rush opened the scoring four minutes into the first quarter when Brock Haley (1G) beat his defender low and took a low-to-low bounce shot that beat Nick Rose (41 saves, 1A) through the legs for the early one goal lead. Two minutes later while on the power play the Rock responded when Schreiber passed to Josh Dawick (2G, 2A) behind the net, and he dove in front to beat Frank Scigliano (43 saves) to the short side to tie the game at one. Twenty-three seconds later the Rush would retake the lead. Robert Church (2G, 2A) cut along the top and fired a high to low shot over his defender glove side for the Rush. They would double their lead a couple of minutes later. Ryan Keenan (2G, 4A) fired a low shot from way outside that went five-hole and it was 3 – 1 for Saskatchewan. Toronto would strike back less than a minute later. Schreiber beat his defender across the top and his low-to-low shot beat Scigliano to the stick side bottom corner cutting the Rush lead to 3 – 2. With less than three minutes left in the first, Chris Boushy (2G, 3A) went in on the net and instead of shooting he passed to Schreiber behind the net, he dove in front and went short side for the second goal scored this way for the Rock and it was tied at three. The shots at the end of the first quarter were Saskatchewan 17—Toronto 12.
Fans would see the two teams match goal for goal again in the second. Five minutes into the second Schreiber sent a pass Boushy who came from behind the net, spun away from his defender and went far side giving the Rock their first lead of the game at 4 – 3. Just over a minute later the Rush would tie it up while on the power play. Zach Manns (1G, 1A) took a high to low shot that beat Rose to the short side, and it was tied at four. A minute later Clark Walter (1G) would cut to the net, got the pass from Keenan and his quick stick went low stick side restoring the Rush lead at 5 – 4. Two minutes later after an eight second violation, Boushy was coming off the bench and got the pass from Chris Corbeil (1A) and he beat Scigliano over the shoulder to end the half tied at five. The shots at the end of the first half were Rush 27 and Rock 26.
Toronto would completely dominate the third and less than a minute in, Challen Rogers (1G, 1A) made a swim move on his defender down low, dove across the crease and his shot beat Scigliano over the right shoulder to give the Rock a 6 -5 lead. Two minutes later they would double their lead. Brian Cameron (2G) picked up a loose ball and shot high to low and went short side to make it 7 – 5. A minute later after Rogers missed a shot high off the glass Corey Small (1G, 2A) caught the rebound and his quick shot went short side, and the Rock had a three-goal lead at 8 – 5. For the next seven minutes, the defenses stood tall before the stalemate broke. Toronto would be the one to heat up the crowd and continue their run when Cameron would notch his second of the game. He came around his defender and fired a high to low shot that beat Scigliano to the low stick side and the score was 9 – 5 for the Rock with 3:55 left in the frame. Forty-five seconds later the Rush would end the run and close out the quarter. Church crossed along the top and his high to low shot beat Rose to the low glove side cutting the Rock lead to 9 – 6. The shots at the end of the third quarter were Toronto 39 and Saskatchewan 37.
It took half of the fourth quarter for the first goal to go up on the board. Bobby Kidd (1G) while in transition took it straight to the net and his high to low beat Rose to the far side to make it 9 – 7 for Toronto. Two minutes later Dawick got a pass from Boushy behind the net and for the third time in the game he dove forward and beat Scigliano to the far side and it was 10 – 7 for the Rock. With less than two minutes left in the game and the Rush goalie pulled in favor of the extra attacker, Keenan received a pass from Church and his quick stick beat Rose to the short side and they were within two 10 – 8. The Rush would stay with the EA and the goalie on the bench trying to get closer, but on the shot, Rose would make the save, fired a pass down the floor to Schreiber who put it in the empty net for his hat trick goal which preserved the first win for the Rock 11 – 8. The shots at the end of the game were Toronto 54 and Saskatchewan 49.
The three stars of the game were:
Tom Schreiber – Toronto Rock: 3G, 4A
Ryan Keenan – Saskatchewan Rush: 2G, 4A
Chris Boushy – Toronto Rock: 2G, 3A
GAME STATS:
Saskatchewan Rush—SOG 49; Saves 43; Sv% .796; FO 9-23; PP 1-3: PIM 6
Toronto Rock—SOG 54; Saves 41; Sv% .836; FO 14-23; PP 1-3; PIM 6
NEXT UP:
The Toronto Rock (1-5) will travel to Scotiabank Saddledome to face the Calgary Roughnecks (3-2) on Friday January 24, 2025. Game time 9:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. The is an NLL Friday on TSN so fans in Canada have three options, TSN1; TSN4; and TSN+.
The Saskatchewan Rush (4-2) will host the Albany Rush (2-5) at Sasktel Centre on Saturday January 25, 2025, game time 8:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can catch the action on TSN+.
Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©