The Toronto Rock have defied expectations by advancing to the National Lacrosse League Cup final for the first time since 2015. After missing the playoffs last year, the Rock retooled their roster with young talent and now find themselves one step away from the championship.
Rock Dominate Deciding Game
In a decisive Game 3 of the semifinal series, the Rock defeated the San Diego Seals 14-8 at TD Coliseum in Hamilton. Goaltender Nick Rose, the longest-serving member of the team, expressed his excitement about returning to the final after years of playoff disappointments.
“You go to a finals early in your career, you think you’re going to the finals all the time,” Rose said. “We’re ready for the moment. And we’re excited to go to the NLL final.”
Rookies Embrace the Moment
Rookie forward CJ Kirst, a likely candidate for NLL Rookie of the Year, also shared his thoughts on the team’s achievement. “I was learning a lot about the culture of this organization and all the people that have come through,” Kirst said. “From the top down, all the people who have stuck around, we’re doing this for everyone who has worn the Toronto Rock logo.”
The Rock will face either the Georgia Swarm or the Halifax Thunderbirds in the final, with the deciding game of that series scheduled for Sunday. The championship series is set to begin on Friday.
Game Recap: Rock Overcome Early Deficit
The Rock started strong with transition goals from Brad Kri, Dan Craig, Sam English, and Hugh Kelleher. However, the Seals responded with a late goal by Zach Currier to end the first period. The second quarter saw the Seals dominate, with goals from Currier, Wes Berg, Connor Robinson, and Ari Steenhuis, giving San Diego a 5-4 lead at halftime. The Seals outshot the Rock 33-18 in the first half.
In the third quarter, the Rock’s offense came alive. Kirst scored two goals, and Chris Boushy added two more, including one with 3.2 seconds left in the period, giving Toronto a 9-6 lead. English extended the lead with a breakaway goal in the fourth quarter, and Mark Matthews added another to make it 11-6. After a Seals goal, Owen Hiltz scored twice, assisted by Kirst. The Seals managed two more goals, but Rose sealed the win by stopping a penalty shot from Wes Berg, which hit the crossbar, igniting the crowd.
Swarm Force Game Three
In the other semifinal, the Georgia Swarm rebounded from a 12-7 home loss to the Halifax Thunderbirds with a commanding 21-10 victory in Game 2. Nolan Byrne and Lyle Thompson each scored four goals, while Shayne Jackson and Kaleb Benedict added hat tricks. Jason Knox led the Thunderbirds with four goals. The deciding game will be played Sunday in Halifax, with the Swarm as the designated home team due to arena issues in Duluth, Ga.
The Rock are now focused on capturing their first championship since 2011, and the team is ready for the challenge ahead.
