Rock Clip Wings
April 2, 2005 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Toronto Rock News Release
Philadelphia, PA â The Toronto Rock endured another tumultuous day of travel to the City of Brotherly Love for the first of three games in the next 10 days. The Rock were coming off of a 16-10 win over the Calgary Roughnecks last night at the Air Canada Centre. With 4 straights wins behind them, the Rock were ready for another tough battle with a feisty Eastern Division squad. The game was fast paced and intense from the first face off until the final buzzer sounded. When all was said and done, the Rock walked away from their highest scoring game of the year with a 17-15 victory over the Wings.
The first quarter was intense from the get-go as both teams took shot after shot to no avail. The Wings' Jeff Spano took a penalty for checking from behind giving the Rock the man-up opportunity. Toronto opened the scoring at 4:26 with a power play goal from Matt Shearer. Philadelphia answered with a goal of their own just 50 seconds later. The teams traded goals one more time as Manning dropped one in for the Rock followed by one by Tom Marechek at 7:55.
The Wings would pot three more giving them a 3 goal advantage before the Rock would put another goal on the board in the 2nd quarter. Matt Shearer netted his second of the night on a 30 ft. bounce shot that landed in the top corner of the net, to bring the Rock within 1. Both teams continued to build momentum and rack up the goals as the final minutes of the 2nd quarter disappeared from the clock and at the half, the Wings held the 8-5 lead over the Rock.
Not being strangers to the come back scenario, the Rock rolled back into the 3rd quarter with a new found drive. Manning and Shearer both completed their hat tricks on the night to bring the Rock within 1 once again. Philadelphia's Jeff Ratcliffe slipped one past Watson with the help of Cromwell and Bergey to keep the Rock in check but that would be the starting point to a rash of goals by the Rock's offensive and defensive players that would give them the 14-11 advantage heading into the 4th.
Despite a goalie change by the Wings in the 3rd, the Rock surged ahead to a 17-11 lead in the 4th. At 7:30 the Wings' Jeff Ratcliffe netted his 2nd of the night, sparking a 4 goal come back attempt by Philadelphia but it was too little too late. The Rock took an important 17-15 Eastern Division win that would secure them a spot in the 2005 playoffs and allowed them to maintain first place overall in the East. Rock high scorers were Colin Doyle (3G, 8A), Josh Sanderson (2G, 8A) and Blaine Manning (4G, 3A).
The Toronto Rock will face off against the Philadelphia Wings in their second of three games next Saturday April 9 at the Wachovia Centre at 8:00pm. Fans can listen to the broadcast live on AM 640 Toronto, with pre-game coverage starting at 7:30pm.
National Lacrosse League Stories from April 2, 2005
- Rock Clip Wings - Toronto Rock
- Philadelphia Falls To First Place Toronto - Philadelphia Wings
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