NLL roundup: Oshawa FireWolves and Toronto Rock lose

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The Oshawa FireWolves found yet another way to lose.

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A team that has at times lacked offence and at other times lacked defence found itself it early penalty trouble on Saturday. The immediate damage turned into an eventual 13-7 loss to the San Diego Seals at Tribute Communities Centre. It was a new headache for head coach Glenn Clark.

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“We’ve gone back to basics, trying to get ourselves to a position where we can get ourselves back in this thing, and then that happens,” Clark said. “I think we’ve actually been pretty well disciplined this year in terms of penalties.”

Penalties to Alex Simmons and Blake Gibson-McDonald led to goals by Dylan Watson and Tre Leclaire just four minutes in. The Seals took that momentum and dominated the first half, taking a 9-1 lead into the break.

The FireWolves had a little more fight in the second half but aside from a three-goal run in the third quarter, San Diego was in full control. It was the fifth consecutive loss for Oshawa (2-9) and while they are now in the NLL basement, the team is still in a positive mood.

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“We got a locker room full of guys that care, that compete hard, that want to win,” captain Colton Watkinson said. “We have a bye week, which will allow us to rest and watch some film and then head to Ottawa to hopefully get back on track.”

Ben McIntosh led the Seals (5-4) with five goals. Watson had three. Wes Berg and Zach Currier had two each. Tye Kurtz and Dyson Williams had a pair each for Oshawa with Simmons, Mike Burne and Taggart Clark all getting one each.

ROCK GETS CRUSHED IN DENVER

Matthew Paolatto scored off the faceoff seven seconds into the game, igniting a Colorado Mammoth dominance over the Toronto Rock.
Despite being on the second half of a back-to-back weekend, the Mammoth were much more alert and athletic in a 16-8 win at Ball Arena. The home side scored the first five goals in a 10-minute span and the Rock could not recover.

“We weren’t good in all three areas,” Rock head coach Matt Sawyer said. “It’s not the way you want to start the game and we were chasing it from there on out.”

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Colorado carried a 9-4 lead to the half and put it away for good with a six-goal run in the third quarter. Goaltender Troy Holowchuk, who had been good in place of starter Nick Rose the past few games, struggled and was replaced at times by Steve Orleman, who was picked up by the Rock a few weeks back.

Andrew Kew led the Mammoth (8-2) with four goals and 10 points. Braedon Saris had a hat trick. Paolatto, Will Malcom, and Dylan McIntosh had two each. Owen Rahn, Thomas Vela and Jack Hannah also scored.

Mark Matthews had two goals and three assists for Toronto (5-4) as he became the 14th player in NLL history with 1,100 career points.

“We just didn’t have it tonight in all ends of the floor,” Matthews said. “We have to start on time. We have to get out a little hotter and put some (goals) on the board for our D.”

Challen Rogers had a hat trick. Phil Mazzuca, Chris Boushy, and Owen Hiltz also scored. The Rock announced this week that Justin Martin has been placed on season-ending IR while Chris Weier will also miss some time with injury.

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The two teams meet again on Friday at TD Coliseum.

ELSEWHERE IN THE NLL

The Seals opened the weekend with a 13-12 road win over the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. Kew led Colorado in this one as well with five goals. Chris Cloutier had four for Las Vegas (4-5).

Dhane Smith scored with 2:25 left to give the Buffalo Bandits an 11-10 win over the Halifax Thunderbirds. Josh Byrne and Tehoka Nanticoke scored twice each for Buffalo (4-5). Clarke Petterson had a hat trick for Halifax (3-6).

The Ottawa Black Bears picked up a 10-8 road win over the Rochester Knighthawks. Rob Hellyer had three goals for Ottawa (6-5). Graydon Hogg and Zed Williams had two each for Rochester (4-5).

Robert Church scored his second goal 44 seconds into overtime to give the Saskatchewan Rush a 9-8 win over the Vancouver Warriors. Zach Manns led the Rush (9-1) with three goals and three assists. Adam Charalambides had a similar scoreline for the Warriors (6-3).

And the Calgary Roughnecks opened a two-game weekend homestand with a 10-9 win over the Philadelphia Wings. Tanner Cook and Riley Loewen had three goals each for the Roughnecks (2-7). Kyle Jackson had three for Philadelphia (2-7). The Roughnecks hosted the Georgia Swarm (6-3) late Sunday.

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