Photo courtesy of James Bennett NLL
The Toronto Rock (4-8) visited the Halifax Thunderbirds (7-5) at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Rock have been busy in the last two weeks trading Nick Rose, Chris Corbeil, Mitch de Snoo, and Tyler Hendryks, as well as releasing Marley Angus. At 3-8, Rock GM and President Jamie Dawick thought it best to make moves that look to the future of the club.
While the defense was hit, the offense for the most part was left intact. Tom Schreiber (10g, 23a) is still a major force offensively for the Rock. However, Josh Dawick (24g, 16a) and Chris Boushy (23g, 15a) lead the team in scoring through 11 games. Dan Craig (7g, 22a) and Corey Small (15g, 13a) also have also provided the Rock with strong offense.
Halifax has been red hot winning five straight games. Through 11 games this year, Randy Staats (17g, 49a) leads the Thunderbirds in scoring. Clarke Petterson (18g, 33a) has been very solid for the team over this current streak, as has Thomas Hoggarth (18g, 18a).
The goaltending match-up had Troy Holowchuk in net for the Rock facing Warren Hill in net for the Thunderbirds.
For a good part of the first half the teams went back and forth trading goals. The Rock finally put together a much needed run of four goals to take a 9-6 lead to the intermission.
In the third quarter, Toronto kept the pressure up still holding the three goal lead 12-9. The fourth saw Halifax make it interesting. Scoring three quick goals in 0:48 seconds to start the fourth had this a one goal game, bringing the Scotiabank Centre crowd alive.
Brad Kri scored a beautiful behind the back goal to give the Rock a bit of breathing room followed by a Jake Darlison empty net goal to seal the 15-12 Rock victory.
To The Game:
The Rock drew first blood when Dan Craig converted a Chris Boushy pass with a great individual effort going airbourne at 3:00.
Cody Jamieson answered with a pair of goals. The first was on the power-play with a blast off a Jason Knox feed at 4:45, followed by a high to low shot that dribbled in off a Clarke Petterson pass 0:15 seconds later.
After a disallowed goal from Nathan Grenon, Josh Dawick tied the game with a shorthanded goal from in front off a Chris Boushy pass at 6:59. Cody Jamieson regained the Thunderbirds lead with his third of the game on the power-play off a Jason Knox pass at 8:17.
A pair from Josh Dawick gave the Rock the lead once again. Tom Schreiber fed Dawick for the first marker at 10:06, followed by converting a Nathan Grenon feed with a laser to the far corner at 13:37.
Graeme Hossack tied the game again for Halifax in transition scoring unassisted at 13:49, but a dunk shot from behind the net from Chris Boushy on the power-play off a Josh Dawick pass 0:23 seconds later had Toronto up by one after one.
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After one quarter, Toronto 5 Halifax 4.
Second Quarter:
Clarke Petterson opened the second quarter with a pair of goals to get Halifax the lead once again. The first was off a Christian Watts pass at 3:22, followed by converting a a give and go from Thomas Hoggarth 0:40 seconds later.
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Corey Small tied the game with a blast from the side of the net off a Jake Darlison pass at 6:55, followed by Chris Boushy finishing a Challen Rogers pass at 7:38.
Nathan Grenon got his first goal as a Toronto Rock converting a Tom Schreiber behind the back pass from the top of the crease at 11:38, followed by Corey Small adding another power-play goal off a Schreiber feed at 13:55.
At the half, Toronto 9 Halifax 6.
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Third Quarter:
Corey Small started the third quarter picking up a rebound from Chris Boushy off the backboards and fired a shot to the shortside at 0:25 seconds, but Thomas Hoggarth got it back picking the far corner off a Clarke Petterson pass at 2:22.
Chris Weier increased the Rock lead shorthanded finishing a Dan Craig pass at 4:36.
Cody Jamieson got it back with a low to low laser off a Thomas Hoggarth pass at 5:21, followed by Jake Withers winning the faceoff and scoring to the top corner 0:05 seconds later.
Corey Small found the five-hole of Warren Hill off a Dan Craig pass at 6:32. This spelled the end of Warren Hill’s evening.
Drew Hutchison replaced Warren Hill in the Halifax net.
Tom Schreiber welcomed Hutchison to the game with a behind the back shot that found the far corner off a Zack Kearney pass at 7:58.
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After three quarters, Toronto 13 Halifax 9.
Fourth Quarter:
The Thunderbirds started the fourth on a mission scoring three goals in 0:48 seconds.
Thomas Hoggarth scored unassisted at 0:27 seconds, followed by Mike Robinson finishing a Jason Knox pass 0:20 seconds later. Hoggarth added another off a Clarke Petterson pass at 1:15 to bring the Thunderbirds within one goal.
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Brad Kri gave the Rock a bit of breathing room with a behind the back shot to the far corner off a Zack Kearney pass at 5:34, followed by Jake Darlison with an empty net goal off another Kearney feed at 14:09 to seal the deal.
Final score, Toronto 15 Halifax 12.
The Three Stars:
1. Corey Small
2. Zack Kearney
3. Cody Jamieson
Game Stats:
- Shots on goal favored Halifax 52-43.
- The faceoff battle was won by Jake Withers off the Thunderbirds 18-13.
- The loose ball battle went to Toronto 69-62.
- The Rock went 2 for 5 on the power-play, also scoring two shorthanded goals.
- The Thunderbirds went 2 for 4 on the power-play.
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