Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Steve Hiscock
The No. 6 Seed Toronto Rock (1-0) traveled to Saskatoon to face the No. 3 Seed Saskatchewan Rush (0-1) in one of four 2025-26 Quarterfinal games this weekend. The victor would face the winner of the No. 7 Seed San Diego Seals versus No 2. Seed Colorado Mammoth game. Oddly enough, Toronto and Saskatchewan have not faced each other in the playoffs, but this would be the third time the two faced each other in the last four weeks with both teams winning a game on their home floor. Saskatchewan was looking to get back to the Championship Final like they did last year while on the other side, the Rock were finally back in the playoffs for the first time in two years. Mark Matthews, who was tied for the lead in points for the team was also back in the lineup for Toronto after missing the last couple of games. The Rock came out firing and had an early five-goal lead, but the Rush would chip away at the score, taking an early lead in the third quarter at 9 – 8. But a four-goal run by the Rock late in the third and another three-goal run in the fourth helped them defeat the Rush. Final Score: Rock 16—Rush 13 allowing them to move onto the semifinal round as the home team against the San Diego Seals.
The Rock opened the scoring just over two minutes into the first quarter. Josh Dawick (3G, 3A) came across the top and his mid to low sidearm shot beat Frank Scigliano (31 saves) to the stick side for the early 1 – 0 Rock lead. Saskatchewan would tie it up just over a minute later. Austin Shanks (3G, 4A) came off the bench, received a pass from Robert Church (3G, 3A) and his high to high over hand shot beat Nick Rose (49 saves) over the shoulder to tie the game at one. With just over eight minutes left in the first, CJ Kirst (3G) took the ball from center around the back of the net, turned back and with one hand, tucked the ball in short side to make it 2 – 1 for the Rock. A minute later Sam English (1A) found a cutting Chris Boushy (5G, 1A) and his backhand twister went five-hole and the lead for Toronto was 3 – 1. A little over 30 seconds later, Church came across the top and with one second left on the shot clock, with a side arm shot he put one stick side to make it a one goal game at 3 – 2 for the Rock. Over the next two minutes, the Rock would put up three in a row. On the give and go between Dawick and Boushy, Boushy was able to beat Scigliano to the glove side with a quick shot after receiving the pass to make it 4 – 2 for the Rock. Boushy would complete his first quarter natural hat trick with the next tally. He came to the middle and fired a low-to-low bounce shot through the legs to make it 5 – 2 with 3:44 left in the first. Twenty seconds later Dawick fired a high to low shot that also went five-hole, and the Rock were up 6 – 2. The Rush would pull Scigliano to let him to regroup and put Thomas Kiazyk in (1 save). After one offensive possession for Toronto, Scigliano headed back to the net. The shots at the end of the first quarter were Toronto 14 and Saskatchewan 11.
The second got off to a slow start with the first tally not going up on the board until the halfway mark and it would by the Rush getting on the board first. Levi Anderson (1G, 2A) fired a low to high shot that beat Rose over the shoulder cutting the Rock lead in half, 6 – 3. This was the first goal for the Rush in over 10 minutes. Less than a minute later Ryan Keenan (2G) received a pass from Shanks, and his quick stick went short side to make it 6 – 4 for the Rock. Saskatchewan would go man down on a Delay of Game call giving Toronto their first man up opportunity on the night. Challen Rogers(2A) would make a behind the back pass to a cutting Kirst, it hit his stick and bounced in behind Scigliano, and the Rock had reestablished the three-goal lead, and the board showed 7 – 4. Off the ensuing faceoff Connor McClelland (1G) got the ball on the left side, and he was able to put a bounce shot through Rose’s legs to make it 7 – 5 with just over five minutes left in the first half and this would start their three goal run. A little over a minute later, while in transition, Ryan Barnable (1G, 1A) would run the length of the floor and fire a high to low shot glove side, and it was a one goal game at 7 – 6. This time it would be Toronto who headed to the sin bin. Off an illegal substitution, Church fired a high-to-high shot that went over Rose’s shoulder on the stick side, and we were all tied a 7’s. But as the quarter was winding down, Latrell Harris(1G) would pick a shot out of the air, run the full floor and his low shot to the far side found the back of the net regaining the lead for the Rock. Score at the end of two: Rock 8—Rush 7. The shots at the end of the second quarter were Saskatchewan 32 and Toronto 22.
Right off the opening faceoff in the second half just 17 seconds in, Brock Haley (1G, 1A) came in on the cage and tied the game once again and it was 8-8. Church would give the Rush their first lead of game 3:13 into the frame. He beat his defender to the outside, took a high to low bounce shot that went five-hole giving him his hat trick goal and it was 9 – 8 for the Rush. Saskatchewan would be nabbed with their second penalty on the night. While on the power play, Dawick received a pass from Matthews and his high to low shot beats Scigliano to the low short side giving him a hat trick and tying the game once again 9 – 9 and just under 10 minutes left in the third. Just past the halfway mark of the frame, Owen Hiltz (4A) picked up a loose ball near the restraining line, he made a cross floor pass to a cutting Boushy and his quick stick went short side to give the Rock a 10 – 9 lead, which they would take to the final buzzer. After almost 6 minutes of scoreless lacrosse, Toronto was in transition and with less than five seconds left in the frame, Billy Howstrawser (1A) passed to Matthews and his quick stick found the far bottom corner increasing the Rock lead to 11 – 9. The shots on goal at the end of the third quarter were Saskatchewan 41 and Toronto 39.
The fourth would turn out to be high scoring with Toronto leading the charge. Hugh Kelleher (1G) picked up his own rebound in front of the net and fired a low-to-low backhand shovel shot through Scigliano’s legs increasing their lead to 12 – 9. The Rush would respond immediately. Zach Manns (1G, 3A) fired a high-to-high shot over the shoulder cutting the Rock lead to 12 – 10 with just under 13 minutes left in the fourth. But, Toronto would put up another three. The first came while in transition. Elijah Gash (1G) went in all alone and put a high to low bounce shot through the legs and it was 13 – 10 for the Rock and plenty of time left on the clock. Four minutes later, Boushy fired a low-to-low shot short side for his fifth goal of the game, and it was 14 – 10. A minute and a half later, Kirst came above his defender, and buried a jump shot high to high over the shoulder also giving him a hat trick goal to make it 15 – 10 for the Rock. With just under five minutes left in the frame, the Rush would pull their goalie in favor of the extra attacker. Keenan got the pass from Shanks, took a quick stick shot far side and the lead was 15 – 11. Saskatchewan would keep pulling the goalie for their offensive possessions, they put Kiazyk back in net because he had more speed than Scigliano and could run to the bench each time they got possession. With the goalie pulled for the extra attacker, and 3:08 left in the contest, Brad Kri (1G, 1A) picked up the loose ball, ran the floor and put the ball into the empty net to make it 16 – 11. The Rush knew it was do or die at this point and with a little over a minute left in their season, Shanks fired a side arm high shot that beat Rose over the shoulder cutting the Rock lead to 16 – 12. As stunned Rush fans watched the season slipping away, Shanks would tally his hat trick goal with just 43 seconds left before the final buzzer. Anderson passed across the floor and Shanks’ quick stick beat Rose to the short side for the final Rush goal of the 2025-26 season. Final Score: Rock 16—Rush 13.
The three stars of the game were:
Chris Boushy – Toronto Rock: 5 goals and 1 assist
Josh Dawick – Toronto Rock: 3 goals and 3 assists
Austin Shanks – Saskatchewan Rush: 3 goals and 4 assists
GAME STATS:
Toronto Rock—SOG 48; Saves 49; Sv% .790; FO 14-33; PP 2-2; PIM 4
Saskatchewan Rush—SOG 62; Saves 32; Sv% .667; FO 19-33; PP 1-2; PIM 4
NEXT UP:
As the winners of their quarter final match ups, the Rock will advance to the best-of-three semifinal round, set to begin the weekend of April 30th, 2026. As the higher seed, the Toronto Rock (1-0) will play host to the San Diego Seals (1-0) to start off next weekend.
The Georgia Swarm (1-0) were also victorious over the reigning 2025 NLL Champs the Buffalo Bandits (0-1), and they will also host the Halifax Thunderbirds (1-0) next weekend.
Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©