Justin Ivey, Co-Editor & NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Toronto Rock (0-2) hosted the Saskatchewan Rush (1-0) on Saturday, December 16. Saskatchewan, playing their first game of the season, ruined Toronto’s first home game at the Air Canada Centre with a one-sided affair. This disappointing loss puts Toronto in an early hole in an East division which is showing championship strength. Final Score: Saskatchewan 17—Toronto 9.
The Rock did not start the game on the right foot. Just 45 seconds in, Brad Kri was sent to the box for an illegal cross check giving the Rush an early power play opportunity. Just over a minute into the man advantage, Ben McIntosh (5G, 1A) beat Nick Rose for the first score of the game. Almost immediately after the ensuing faceoff, Curtis Knight (2G, 3A) extended the lead to two. Former Rush forward Adam Jones (1G, 3A) answered for the Rock diving across the crease to beat Evan Kirk only 18 seconds later. Toronto had their first power play opportunity, but failed to capitalize on the too many men bench minor called on Saskatchewan at the 6:12 mark. After nearly seven minutes of scoreless lacrosse, Tom Schreiber (1G, 1A) evened the score at two. In the next two and a half minutes, the Rush got both goals back. Robert Church (3G, 3A) scored the first; and Adrian Sorichetti (1G, 2A) scored the second. On their second power play opportunity in the first quarter, Toronto capitalized with Brett Hickey (3G, 1A) getting his first of the night. Every time the Rock got close, Saskatchewan had an answer. With under a minute left, and the extra attacker on, Matthew Dinsdale (2G, 2A) put the Rush up two again. At the end of one quarter, Saskatchewan led Toronto 5-3.
The second quarter started just like the first. An early penalty by Toronto gave Saskatchewan yet another power play opportunity. Church was the scorer just over a minute into the man advantage. Under a minute later, Mark Matthews (1G, 4A) extended the lead to four. Rob Hellyer (1G, 3A) would temporarily halt the onslaught with his only goal of the game, but Saskatchewan answered right back with another two-goal run. McIntosh scored first, and just over a minute later, Jeff Shattler (2G, 6A) scored his first goal as a member of the Rush. Facing a five-goal deficit, Toronto brought in Brandon Miller to replace Nick Rose between the pipes. It proved an excellent choice for the rest of the quarter, as Saskatchewan was held scoreless. Hickey scored the last two goals of the quarter, the first unassisted to bring Toronto back into the game. At halftime, Saskatchewan led Toronto 9-6.
The Rush got right back on the horse to start the second half with another two-goal run. Knight scored just 29 seconds in with McIntosh following it up just under four minutes later. Saskatchewan once again found themselves up by five. Reid Reinholdt (1G, 1A) scored for Toronto on the power-play four minutes after that, but again Saskatchewan answered with two. Shattler scored first, just 22 seconds after Reinholdt; and Dinsdale got his second of the game giving the Rush a six-goal lead. Damon Edwards (1G) would get one back for Toronto to wrap up the scoring in the third. At the end of three quarters, Saskatchewan led Toronto 13-8.
Toronto needed to come out strong in the fourth to have any chance, but instead it was Saskatchewan coming out strong again. A late bench minor in the third, allowed the Rush to start the quarter on the power play and Ryan Keenan (1G, 6A) found the net just 1:02 in. Church would complete his hat-trick at the 6:41 mark extending the Rush lead to seven. At this point tempers flared over for Toronto’s Billy Hostrawser and he started a fight with Mike Messenger. Hostrawser was given the major for fighting; a ten-minute game misconduct; and a two-minute instigator penalty in return. On the power play, McIntosh scored and put the game even farther out of reach. Stephan Leblanc (1G), kept in check all game, scored 18 seconds after McIntosh, but it was too late. Toronto was held scoreless for the rest of the game, and McIntosh would score his fifth with 2:17 remaining to bring us to our final. Final Score: Saskatchewan 17—Toronto 9.
UP NEXT
The Saskatchewan Rush (1-0) will host the New England Black Wolves (1-0) on Saturday, December 23 at 8:30 PM EST at the Sasktel Centre. Meanwhile, the Toronto Rock (0-2) will host the Buffalo Bandits (1-0) on Saturday, December 30 at 7:00 p.m. EST at Air Canada Centre.
Justin Ivey, Co-Editor & NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome