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WK
1
Fri, Dec 1
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Halifax
Fri, Dec 1
22:00:00
Albany
Las Vegas
Fri, Dec 1
22:00:00
Panther City
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Sat, Dec 2
19:00:00
Calgary
Rochester
Sat, Dec 2
19:30:00
Philadelphia
New York
WK
2
Sat, Dec 9
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Dec 9
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Dec 9
19:30:00
Colorado
Georgia
Sat, Dec 9
20:00:00
Rochester
Saskatchewan
Sat, Dec 9
22:00:00
Calgary
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Sun, Dec 10
16:00:00
Las Vegas
Panther City
WK
3
Fri, Dec 15
22:00:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
Sat, Dec 16
13:00:00
Albany
Philadelphia
Sat, Dec 16
19:30:00
Halifax
New York
Sat, Dec 16
19:30:00
San Diego
Buffalo
Sat, Dec 16
22:00:00
Georgia
Vancouver
WK
4
Fri, Dec 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Panther City
Fri, Dec 22
21:00:00
Georgia
Colorado
Sat, Dec 23
19:00:00
Vancouver
Rochester
WK
5
Fri, Dec 29
18:30:00
Philadelphia
Halifax
Fri, Dec 29
19:30:00
Georgia
Buffalo
Fri, Dec 29
22:00:00
Rochester
San Diego
Sat, Dec 30
16:00:00
New York
Toronto
Sat, Dec 30
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Sat, Dec 30
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sun, Dec 31
20:00:00
Albany
Saskatchewan
WK
6
Sat, Jan 6
19:00:00
Halifax
Albany
Sat, Jan 6
19:30:00
Panther City
Georgia
Sat, Jan 6
19:30:00
Colorado
Buffalo
Sun, Jan 7
15:00:00
New York
Philadelphia
WK
7
Fri, Jan 12
18:30:00
Toronto
Halifax
Fri, Jan 12
22:00:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
Sat, Jan 13
19:00:00
Buffalo
Rochester
Sat, Jan 13
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Philadelphia
Sat, Jan 13
19:30:00
Panther City
New York
Sat, Jan 13
19:30:00
Albany
Georgia
Sat, Jan 13
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Jan 13
22:00:00
Calgary
Vancouver
WK
8
Fri, Jan 19
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Jan 20
19:00:00
Georgia
Toronto
Sat, Jan 20
19:00:00
San Diego
Albany
Sat, Jan 20
20:00:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sat, Jan 20
21:00:00
Calgary
Colorado
WK
9
Fri, Jan 26
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Jan 27
18:00:00
Rochester
Halifax
Sat, Jan 27
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Jan 27
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Jan 27
19:30:00
San Diego
Philadelphia
Sat, Jan 27
22:00:00
Panther City
Las Vegas
WK
10
Fri, Feb 2
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Fri, Feb 2
19:30:00
Vancouver
Georgia
Fri, Feb 2
21:00:00
New York
Calgary
Sat, Feb 3
19:00:00
Las Vegas
Albany
Sat, Feb 3
19:30:00
Rochester
Buffalo
Sat, Feb 3
20:00:00
Panther City
Saskatchewan
Sat, Feb 3
21:00:00
Toronto
Calgary
Sun, Feb 4
18:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
WK
11
Fri, Feb 9
18:30:00
Las Vegas
Halifax
Fri, Feb 9
20:00:00
Colorado
Panther City
Sat, Feb 10
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Feb 10
19:00:00
Calgary
Toronto
Sat, Feb 10
19:30:00
San Diego
New York
Sat, Feb 10
22:00:00
Saskatchewan
Vancouver
WK
12
Fri, Feb 16
18:30:00
Buffalo
Halifax
Fri, Feb 16
22:00:00
Philadelphia
Las Vegas
Sat, Feb 17
19:00:00
Colorado
Albany
Sun, Feb 18
19:00:00
Halifax
Calgary
WK
13
Fri, Feb 23
21:00:00
New York
Colorado
Fri, Feb 23
22:00:00
Georgia
San Diego
Sat, Feb 24
19:00:00
Las Vegas
Rochester
Sat, Feb 24
19:00:00
Vancouver
Toronto
Sat, Feb 24
19:30:00
Albany
Buffalo
Sat, Feb 24
20:00:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Feb 24
21:00:00
Philadelphia
Calgary
Sun, Feb 25
16:00:00
Georgia
Panther City
WK
14
Fri, Mar 1
19:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Fri, Mar 1
20:00:00
San Diego
Panther City
Fri, Mar 1
22:00:00
Toronto
Las Vegas
Fri, Mar 1
22:00:00
Buffalo
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 2
13:00:00
Calgary
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 2
19:00:00
New York
Albany
Sat, Mar 2
21:00:00
Saskatchewan
Colorado
Sat, Mar 2
22:00:00
Toronto
San Diego
Sun, Mar 3
16:00:00
Rochester
Panther City
WK
15
Fri, Mar 8
19:00:00
Vancouver
Albany
Fri, Mar 8
19:30:00
Calgary
Georgia
Fri, Mar 8
19:30:00
Saskatchewan
Buffalo
Sat, Mar 9
17:00:00
Colorado
Toronto
Sat, Mar 9
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Mar 9
19:30:00
Las Vegas
New York
Sat, Mar 9
22:00:00
Halifax
San Diego
Sun, Mar 10
15:00:00
Panther City
Philadelphia
WK
16
Fri, Mar 15
18:30:00
Panther City
Halifax
Fri, Mar 15
21:00:00
San Diego
Calgary
Fri, Mar 15
22:00:00
Las Vegas
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 16
19:00:00
Rochester
Albany
Sat, Mar 16
19:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Mar 16
19:30:00
Philadelphia
Georgia
Sat, Mar 16
20:30:00
New York
Saskatchewan
WK
17
Fri, Mar 22
20:00:00
Buffalo
Panther City
Fri, Mar 22
21:00:00
Albany
Calgary
Sat, Mar 23
19:00:00
Halifax
Toronto
Sat, Mar 23
19:00:00
Vancouver
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 23
19:30:00
Saskatchewan
New York
Sat, Mar 23
21:00:00
Rochester
Colorado
Sat, Mar 23
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Mar 24
17:30:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
WK
18
Sat, Mar 30
13:00:00
Buffalo
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 30
19:00:00
Halifax
Rochester
Sat, Mar 30
19:30:00
Toronto
New York
Sat, Mar 30
22:00:00
Vancouver
Las Vegas
WK
19
Fri, Apr 5
21:00:00
Saskatchewan
Calgary
Fri, Apr 5
21:00:00
Buffalo
Colorado
Fri, Apr 5
22:00:00
Panther City
San Diego
Fri, Apr 5
22:00:00
Halifax
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 6
19:00:00
New York
Rochester
Sat, Apr 6
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Apr 6
19:30:00
Las Vegas
Georgia
Sat, Apr 6
20:00:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 7
16:00:00
Philadelphia
Panther City
WK
20
Fri, Apr 12
21:00:00
Philadelphia
Colorado
Sat, Apr 13
19:00:00
Rochester
Toronto
Sat, Apr 13
19:30:00
Calgary
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 13
20:00:00
San Diego
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 13
22:00:00
Colorado
Las Vegas
Sat, Apr 13
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sun, Apr 14
16:00:00
Albany
Panther City
WK
21
Fri, Apr 19
19:30:00
Rochester
Georgia
Fri, Apr 19
22:00:00
Vancouver
San Diego
Sat, Apr 20
18:00:00
Colorado
Halifax
Sat, Apr 20
19:30:00
Albany
New York
Sat, Apr 20
20:00:00
Toronto
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 20
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 20
22:00:00
Buffalo
Las Vegas
Sun, Apr 21
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
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Rush Ahead! Edmonton Takes Game 1 From Toronto, 15-9

Spoiling Toronto’s first Champion’s Cup Finals home game since 2011, the Edmonton Rush topped the Toronto Rock by a score of 15-9 at Air Canada Centre on Saturday night to take a 1-0 series lead as the teams head out west for Game 2 next weekend.

Mark Matthews, Robert Church and Ben McIntosh combined for 18 points to help the lift the Rush past the Rock. The win for Edmonton has them just one win away from taking the league crown for the first time in team history.

“We like our game plan, I thought we executed it well tonight,” said Rush general manager and head coach Derek Keenan. “It terms of our compete, we were hard tonight, but we have to even harder next week because the stakes are even higher. We got to keep that high tempo.”

The Rock opened the game’s scoring by potting a pair of goals (Kasey Beirnes, Brock Sorensen) just over three minutes after first whistle. Edmonton sharpshooter Matthews answered back however, snipping a pair of goals over a five-minute span. Over the frame’s final 5:12, the Rush exploded for three-straight (McIntosh, Church, Jarrett Davis) to push their lead to 5-2 heading into the second quarter.

“We shouldn’t have been [surprised],” said Rock veteran Colin Doyle, who had just a goal and an assist on the night. “We knew what they were capable, I certainly hope it wasn’t a case of us underestimating them.”

Riley Loewen capped a 6-0 Edmonton run with a tally a couple minutes into the second frame. Stopping the Rock drought, Beirnes and Rob Hellyer each scored on rocket shots to shrink the deficit to 6-4 with 9:12 reaming in the half. The Rush, continuing their aggressive play, went on to score the next three en route to a 9-4 halftime lead.

“I think being down 2-0 early, we were good defensively for the rest of that quarter,” said Keenan. “And we got things going on the other end. Tonight we had guys make plays – Greer, Matthews, the whole group.”

Playoff heroes Brett Hickey and Josh Sanderson were each held pointless over the first half.

“I can’t point the finger on any one guy,” said Rock head coach John Lovell. “There were 16 guys who made mistakes tonight.” 

“That was a total team effort in terms of lack of what we do well,” he added.

Kevin Crowley and Matthews trade goals before the Rock went on a 3-1 mini run to shrink the Rush advantage to 11-8. Zack Greer, with 45 seconds left in the frame, scored Edmonton’s twelfth in the slot.

Edmonton continued what eventually became a 4-0 run to start the fourth frame before Hickey scored his first and only tally of the night. The late 15-9 deficit held solid until the game’s final whistle.

A week following a defensive gem against Rochester, the Rock allowed a season-high 15 goals on Saturday night for the third time this season. Edmonton scored 15 against the Rock Feb. 27, a game where the Rock actually came away with a 16-15 OT win. 

But on Saturday night the Rock struggled mightily to find any rhythm as 6-0, 4-1 and 3-1 Rush runs killed any chance for sustained momentum.

“That’s what happens when you play a good team like that,” said Lovell. “They forced a lot of the mistakes we made.” 

The Rush on the other hand found huge success on transition. Transition specialist Jeremy Thompson put up a couple goals and an assist in the victory. His three point total is his highest this playoff.

“I thought we shot the ball well, we payed attention to a shooting plan,” Keenan said. “We created a lot of chances on transition as well as five-on-five.” 

Rock goalie Brandon Miller got the call in net, but was pulled on two different occasions. Miller played 38:20 total on the night and allowed 12 goals on 35 shots for a .657 save percentage. Backup Nick Rose played nearly 22 minutes in the loss and made 16 saves on 19 shots.

“I don’t think he made the saves that Brandon Miller normally makes,” said Lovell.

On the other end of the floor, Aaron Bold stood tall and made 39 saves 48 for a .812 save percentage. Bold, over four playoff games is now 3-1 with a 9.20 goals against average, good enough for tops in the league.

“They’re talented shooters, they can put the ball in the net,” said Bold of the Rock offense. “But we were lucky enough to have our defense to keep the shots from the outside. Work ethic paid off tonight.”

Matthews (3+3), Church (3+3) and McIntosh (2+4) led all scorers with six points a piece on the night. 

Crowley (2+2) and Hellyer (1+3) each scored four points on the night, while Leblanc (0+3) followed up with three assists.

The Rock now have their backs against the wall, and in less than a week they will be fighting for their playoff lives on the road. Lovell said he takes solace in his teams’ 7-3 road record this season.

“Certainly, absolutely we [look at our road record],” said Lovell. “I’ll start with our goaltending, we’ve got two pretty good guys here and one of them is going in the net next week and he’s going to give us a game.

“Everything that went wrong here tonight, we normally do well…it’s up to our guys to get their game going. We didn’t lose because Edmonton is so great, we lost because what we normally do well, we didn’t do tonight.”

Toronto is 5-0 this year following a loss.

Game 2 will take place on Friday at Rexall Place in Edmonton at 9:30 p.m. ET with Edmonton looking to clinch its first-ever NLL title. If the Rock even the series with a win, Game 3 will return to the Air Canada Centre on Saturday, June 13.

Three Stars of the Game as selected by the media:

1) Mark Matthews
2) Aaron Bold
3) Robert Church

By Justin Millerson (@RockBeatToronto) for NLL.com. Photo by Graig Abel.

NLL