Photo courtesy of Christian Bender/NLL
The San Diego Seals faced the Toronto Rock in the rubber match of their semi-final at the TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario.
With their backs to the wall last Sunday, the Seals played their most dominant game of the season, beating Toronto in every category. Wes Berg, Tre Leclaire, and Dylan Watson all were superb in the victory, with Cam Dunkerley looking sharp in the San Diego net.
After a strong victory last Friday, Toronto just wasn’t able to close out a fiesty Seals team on Sunday in the west coast. The offense was having trouble getting space, and couldn’t solve San Diego’s defense.
The goaltending match-up had Cam Dunkerley in net for the Seals facing Nick Rose in net for Toronto.
The Toronto Rock stormed out of the gate and never truly lost control, using a dominant first quarter and a huge late third-quarter surge to defeat the San Diego Seals 14-8. Toronto opened the game with four unanswered goals, getting early offense from Brad Kri, Sam English, Dan Craig, and Hugh Kelleher while Nick Rose anchored the defense with steady play in transition and in net. San Diego responded in the second quarter behind the dynamic play of Zach Currier, who factored into four straight Seals goals as San Diego erased the deficit and tied the game 4-4 before Currier himself gave the Seals their first lead at 5-4 late in the half.
The Rock answered emphatically after halftime. Following an early third-quarter equalizer from Hugh Kelleher, Toronto seized momentum with a devastating closing stretch of the frame, scoring four times in the final 4:16. CJ Kirst and Chris Boushy each struck twice during the run as the Rock turned a tight 6-6 battle into a commanding 9-6 lead entering the fourth. Toronto kept rolling in the final quarter with goals from Sam English, Mark Matthews, and a pair from Owen Hiltz to put the game out of reach. San Diego managed fourth-quarter markers from Trevor Baptiste and Tre Leclaire, but Toronto’s balanced attack and timely scoring proved too much as the Rock closed out a convincing 14-8 victory.
To The Game:
Toronto opened the scoring on a great individual effort from Brad Kri going coast to coast off a Nick Rose feed at 2:14, followed by a blast from Sam English that just trickled over the line after Dunkerley originally stopped it at 7:59.
Dan Craig then found the top corner off a perfect pass from Bill Hostrawser at 9:04, followed by Hugh Kelleher diving across the crease on another great individual effort at 9:41 to open a four goal lead.
San Diego finally got on the board when Zach Currier scored from in close off a Noah Armitage pass at 10:56.
After one quarter, Toronto 4 San Diego 1.
Second Quarter:
Wes Berg opened the second quarter scoring with an outside screen shot that went low to low off a Zach Currier pass at 2:44, followed by Ben McIntosh on the power-play from in close off a Wes Berg feed at 10:51.
Ari Steenhuis then tied the game going coast to coast in transition at 11:29, followed by Zach Currier fighting his way in front off a Connor Robinson pass at 13:18.
At the half, San Diego 5 Toronto 4.
Third Quarter:
The Rock opened the second half scoring with a high to low laser from Hugh Kelleher off a Sam English pass at 2:12 to tie the game, but San Diego regained the lead on the power-play when Zach Currier finished a Connor Robinson pass from in front at 9:56.
A low to low bouncer from CJ Kirst at 10:44 tied the game once again, followed by Chris Boushy with a howitzer from the outside off a CJ Kirst pass at 13:12 to give the Rock the lead once again.
Kirst then added to the lead with a shot from the outside beating Dunkerley to the shortside at 14:11, followed by Chris Boushy with a laser from in close off a Mark Matthews pass at 14:56.
After three quarters, Toronto 9 San Diego 6.
Fourth Quarter:
On an over and back play, the Rock’s Sam English took it in all alone making no mistake at 1:55, followed by Mark Matthews with a bounced shot off a Dan Craig pass at 6:10.
Trevor Baptiste got one back for the Seals fighting his way to the net off the draw 0:10 seconds later, but a blast from Owen Hiltz at 6:59 gave Toronto a five goal lead once again. Toronto kept pressing with Owen Hiltz scoring again off a Mark Matthews pass at 7:28.
The Seals scored on the power-play with Tre Leclaire firing a low to low laser off a Connor Robinson pass at 8:37, but an empty net goal from Josh Jackson sealed the deal at 13:47.
Final score, Toronto 14 San Diego 8.
The Three Stars:
1. Nick Rose
2. Sam English
3. CJ Kirst
Game Stats:
- Shots on goal favored San Diego 61-47
- The faceoff battle went to the Seals 15-12.
- The loose ball battle was won by the Rock 71-62.
- San Diego went 3 for 4 on the power-play
- Toronto went 1 for 2 on the power-play.
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