Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Christian Bender
On Friday February 20, 2026, the Toronto Rock (6-4) hosted the second half of a home and home contest against the Colorado Mammoth (8-3) after Colorado routed the Rock last week 16 – 8. Colorado was on a franchise high seven game win streak and were looking to add to the team record of wins in a row, while the Rock were hoping to put forth a better effort compared to last week. The game was close as Colorado led at the half 5 – 3, but it was tied at sevens heading into the final quarter until the Rock’s defense and offense stood tall, winning the quarter 6 – 2 and the game 13 – 9. This was definitely the best all-round game the Rock have played in the last two seasons. After being manhandled last week, the Rock defense caused several 30 second shot violations on the Mammoth, Troy Holowchuk (41 saves) was outstanding and able to shut the door in the last minutes to seal the victory.
This week, the Rock were the ones to open the scoring less than a minute in. Mark Matthews (2G, 4A) fired a laser from the top that beat Dillon Ward (47 saves) to the short side for the early 1 – 0 lead for Toronto. Less than two minutes later, Colorado would tally two in a matter of 26 seconds. Will Malcom (1G, 2A) would be the first as he spun away from his defender, took a high to low shot and beat Holowchuk between the legs to tie the game at one. They’d take their first lead when Andrew Kew (2G, 3A) passed to Dylan McIntosh (2G) who was cutting through the middle and he went short side for the 2 – 1 Mammoth lead. Neither team found twine for the next eight and that’s when Thomas Vela was nabbed for a holding stick call putting Toronto on their second man up opportunity in the frame. They’d tie the game with just under four minutes left. Matthews passed to CJ Kirst (3G, 1A), who was held to no goals last week, and his bounce shot beat Ward five hole. The shots on goal at the end of the first quarter were Colorado 12 and Toronto 9. Score at the end of one: Toronto 4—Colorado 4.
The second got off to a slow start with both teams firing on cage and both netminders holding strong. Toronto would finally regain the lead just over five minutes into the quarter. Isiah Moran-Weekes (1G, 1A) cut from the top, headed right down the middle of the floor, and took a bounce shot that beat Ward through the legs for his first career NLL goal to make it 3 – 2 Rock. A minute later Colorado tied it up again. Owen Rahn (2G) picked up a rebound off a Holowchuk save, deposited it over his shoulder and into the back of the net to tie it at three. This was the first of their three-goal run. Four minutes later while in transition, Robert Hope (1G) came down the floor, he took a high to low shot stick side and it was 4 – 3 Colorado. The Mammoth would go on their first power play opportunity on the night off a Brad Kri illegal cross-checking penalty and in turn added to their lead. Kew took a high to low bounce shot that went through the legs giving Colorado the 5 – 3 lead at the end of the first half. The shots on goal at the end of the second quarter were knotted up at 26.
For the third time, Toronto would again open the scoring. Heading into their fifth man up opportunity on the night, Rogers fired a sidearm shot from the top that went stick side cutting the Mammoth lead to 5 – 4. Just over a minute later Owen Hiltz (2G, 3A) came around his defender and his quick low shot beat Ward through the legs tying the game at five. Once again, off another Toronto penalty, Colorado would restore the lead on their final man up tally on the night. McIntosh took a pass from Jack Hannah (6A), and his high-to-high shot beat Holowchuk over the shoulder and the Mammoth had retaken the lead, 6 – 5. Less than a minute later Kew would come across the top, take a mid to low shot stick side to increase the Colorado lead to 7 – 5. A little over three minutes later, Toronto would answer back. Josh Dawick (1G, 1A) fired a high-to-high laser that found the top corner over the stick side shoulder for a power play tally, and they were within one at 7 – 6. With less than a minute on the ticker in the third, the Rock would tie it back up. Rogers spun around his defender, dove across the crease and went far side and it was 7-7 with fifteen minutes left to play. The shots on goal at the end of the third quarter were Toronto 43 and Colorado 39.
The fourth started out the same as the previous three frames, with Toronto opening the scoring. Less than two minutes in, Sam English (1G) picked up the ball at half on an over and back call, went in on the cage, faked low, dropped the ball over Ward’s shoulder and into the net to give the Rock an 8 – 7 lead. At the halfway point of the fourth, Colorado would once again tie the game. While in transition, TJ Comizio (1A) passed to Thomas Vela (1G, 1A), he fired a shot stick side, and it was 8 all. Less than 30 seconds later, Hannah flipped a pass to Rahn and he took a high-to-high shot over the shoulder, and it was 9 – 8 Colorado. This would turn out to be the last time the Mammoth would find the back of the net as the Rock would close out the game on a five-goal run. They tied it up 30 seconds later when Hiltz came out of the corner, shot around a screen and went high to the stick side and it was nine all. A minute later on their seventh power play opportunity, Matthews fired a high to low shot stick side to regain the lead for the Rock at 10 – 9. With just under three minutes left in the game Rogers picked up a rebound off the boards, saw Kirst was wide open in front, passed and Kirst’s jump shot beat Ward glove side, and they were up by two at 11 – 9. It took no time for Toronto to add to their lead. Twenty seconds later Matthews passed to a cutting Rogers, he dove across the crease and put one short side for his hat trick goal to make it 12 – 9 for the Rock. With just over a minute left in the game as Colorado was trying for a comeback, Holowchuk made two Sports Center highlight saves to keep his team in the lead. In the last minute of the game, Colorado Bench Boss Pat Coyle would pull Ward in favor of the extra attacker, and it backfired. Kirst beat the two defenders who were on him and put the ball into the empty net for his hat trick goal to close out the night. The shots on goal were Toronto 60 and Colorado 50. Final Score: Toronto 13—Colorado 9.
The three stars of the game were:
Mark Matthews – Toronto Rock: 2 goals, 4 assists
Challen Rogers – Toronto Rock: 3 goals, 2 assists
Jack Hannah – Colorado Mammoth: 6 assists
GAME STATS:
Colorado Mammoth—SOG 50; Saves 47; Sv% .783; FO 19-26; PP 2-2; LB 56; PIM 16
Toronto Rock—SOG 60; Saves 41; Sv% .820; FO 7-26; PP 7-26; LB 71; PIM 6
NEXT UP:
The Toronto Rock (6-4) will host the Buffalo Bandits (4-6) on Saturday February 28, 2026, at TD Coliseum, game time 7:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+, while fans in Canada get to catch the action on TSN and TSN+. The game can also be seen on NLL+.
The Colorado Mammoth (8-3) will play host to the San Diego Seals (5-4) ON Friday February 27, 2026, at Ball Arena, game time 9:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+, while fans in Canada get to catch the action on TSN+. The game can also be seen on NLL+.
Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©