(Photo courtesy of the Georgia Swarm)
Written by Gary Groob – Executive Director of All Lacrosse All The Time
The Toronto Rock (0-3) traveled south to Georgia to face the Swarm (2-0) in NLL action Saturday night at the Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia.
The Rock have had a rough time so far this season dropping their first two games by a combined 26-9 score. For the Rock to be successful, Mark Matthews (0g,3a), Corey Small (0g,1a), Chris Boushy (1g,2a), and Dan Craig (0g,0a) are going to have to step up and lead the offense. A banged up defense will be happy to see Brad Kri return to add some toughness to the back end.
Georgia was coming off a hard fought overtime victory over the San Diego Seals and were looking to build on it. Brett Dobson is looking in mid-season form in net. Lyle Thompson (4g,2a), Andrew Kew (2g,2a), Seth Oakes (2g,1a), Brendan Bomberry (0g,5a), and Bryan Cole (1g,3a) had great games, and were looking to build on the momentum.
The goaltending match-up had Nick Rose in net for the Rock facing Brett Dobson in net for the Swarm.
While the Rock’s defense was much better in the first half of this game, the offense for the most part was still MIA. To add to the woes, undisciplined play gave the Swarm a power-play goal as well as a shorthanded goal in the half. Georgia led 6-3.
In the third quarter the Rock started to get inside more often. They were rewarded scoring three goals while only giving up one. This set the stage for a dramatic fourth quarter.
Toronto kept pushing, tying the game a couple of times in the quarter. With just over a minute left, Lyle Thompson turned the defense inside out, finding the shortside for the game winner. Georgia outlasts Toronto 10-9 for their second straight nail-biting victory of the year.
To The Game:
The Swarm opened the scoring with Bryan Cole bouncing a shot past Nick Rose off a Lyle Thompson pass at 1:46, but Josh Dawick responded for Toronto from in close diving across the crease at 4:19.
Georgia regained the lead when Seth Oakes beat Rose with a bounced shot to the far corner off a Bryan Cole feed at 11:00, followed by Lyle Thompson diving across the crease on a great individual effort 0:37 seconds later.
https://twitter.com/NLL/status/1868097761607922079?t=pS84_wmUcxaL0o7-azd3MA&s=19
After one quarter, Georgia 3 Toronto 1.
Second Quarter:
Chris Boushy got the Rock within one goal with a shot to the shortside off a Josh Dawick pass at 3:14, but Lyle Thompson answered with beautiful shot from behind the net at 4:19.
https://twitter.com/NLL/status/1868107127103131676?t=6LkG8n1VyCDpuVEf5Rj0Jw&s=19
Andrew Kew added to the Swarm lead with a blast from the outside shorthanded off an Adam Wiedemann pass at 6:55, but Corey Small got his first goal of the NLL season with a bounced shot to the far side off a Mark Matthews pass at 7:58.
Andrew Kew scored his second of the game on a two man advantage off a Lyle Thompson feed with a sidearm bounced shot at 10:35.
At the half, Georgia 6 Toronto 3.
Third Quarter:
Toronto opened the second half scoring with Chris Boushy scoring from in front, diving across the crease off a Josh Dawick pass at 4:27, but Jordan MacIntosh answered with a quick stick off an Andrew Kew pass at 6:36 to re-establish the three goal Swarm lead.
Corey Small got the Rock close again with a sidearm shot that just dribbled over the line after Dobson made the initial save at 8:02, followed by Chris Weier being sent in all alone off a long lead pass from Nick Rose in transition at 12:05.
After three quarters, Georgia 7 Toronto 6.
Fourth Quarter:
Chris Boushy tied the game when he recovered a rebound off the back boards for his third of the game at 0:23 seconds, but Shayne Jackson gave Georgia the lead once again in transition off a long lead pass from Brett Dobson at 2:43.
Toronto thought they tied the game, but it was waved off for Aaron Woods being in the crease. On the ensuing play Andrew Kew scored for the Swarm off an Adam Wiedemann pass at 3:48 in transition. The Rock challenged the play but it was deemed inconclusive.
Dan Craig got the Rock within one, diving across the crease finding the top corner off a Brian Cameron pass at 10:11, followed by Jake Darlison intercepting a Swarm pass going coast to coast to tie the game at 11:58.
With just over a minute left, Lyle Thompson turned the Toronto defense inside out then catching the shortside corner at 14:00 to give the Swarm the win.
https://twitter.com/NLL/status/1868125846428398046?t=yNiveDh0nMKHAdWl4LNVZA&s=19
Final score, Georgia 10 Toronto 9.
The Three Stars:
1. Lyle Thompson
2. Andrew Kew
3. Chris Boushy
Game Stats:
- Shots on goal favored Toronto 55-45.
- The faceoff battle went to Georgia 16-7.
- The loose ball battle was won by the Rock 90-75.
- Toronto went 2 for 4 on the power-play, while Georgia went 1 for 6, also scoring a shorthanded goal.
Don’t forget to check us out every Sunday night at 8pm (ET) on StreamPunkEnt.com
