Matthew Caruk

NLL: Riptide defeat FireWolves for second win in a row

March 23, 2023

The Albany FireWolves (2-9) and New York Riptide (3-9) came into Week 16 at the bottom of the NLL’s East Conference. Despite that, New York was coming off a game against Philadelphia in which seven different scorers combined to beat the Wings. Saturday night, it was eight different players scoring 13 times to beat Albany 13-10. By comparison, the FireWolves got goals from just five different players. One of those,…

NLL: Toronto-Halifax Preview

March 18, 2023

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A blip in a weird Monday matchup with Philadelphia ended a near franchise-record win streak for the Toronto Rock. Last weekend they returned to the win column with a 12-6 home victory over the Albany Firewolves. Toronto now finds itself able to clinch a playoff spot when they travel to Halifax Saturday night. In just his second season, Rock transition player Phil Mazzuca understands the rivalry, saying in the Rock’s…

NLL: Rock tie franchise record for wins with 9-8 W over Rochester

March 7, 2023

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It’s tough to say which fell faster on Saturday night in Hamilton: the records, or the gloves. Either way, the 10,229 fans at the Rock’s Stompin’ Ground (FirstOntario Centre) were Buzz, Buzz, Buzzing and had a Hell Raisin’ Good Time as Toronto won its eighth-straight game, 9-8 over the Rochester Knighthawks. The Rock trailed from Brad Gillies’ opening goal, until Dan Craig made it 8-7 five minutes into the fourth…

NLL: Rock take second consecutive game over Swarm

February 22, 2023

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In just over three minutes of post-game availability, Toronto Rock head coach Matt Sawyer used the word ‘good’ nine times; four in reference to being good every night. His team was good in the second half, using a nine-goal run to down the Georgia Swarm in back-to-back weeks 16-7. Yes, they scored nine goals from six different players in a twelve and a half minute span. But, it followed a first…

NLL: Rock eke out victory in Georgia to keep Swarm winless

February 14, 2023

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Over their five-game win streak, the Toronto Rock have been rolling over teams. That was not the case Friday night as the winless Georgia Swarm battled back from a 7-2 deficit to scare the new Eastern Conference leaders; but in the end, Toronto extended their streak to six straight with an 11-10 victory. Toronto wasn’t lulled into a false sense of security by Georgia’s record. Both Tom Schreiber and Josh…

NLL: Schreiber in on 14 goals as Rock wash away Riptide 22-14

February 6, 2023

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It may have been ‘Kid’s Night’ on Saturday when the Toronto Rock hosted the New York Riptide, but it was the home side’s veterans who stole the show. Tom Schreiber earned his 400th career point, finishing the evening with 14 (three off the NLL all-time record), tying a Rock record with 11 assists, in Toronto’s 22-14 win. Schreiber’s hat trick was just one of five for the Rock offense. Corey…

NLL: Mammoth come out with energy and rally to beat Swarm on Friday night

February 5, 2023

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Chris Wardle did not mince words on Friday night. “We knew we came out slow last game, (a 13-9 loss to San Diego). We knew we had to come out with energy,” Wardle said. The Colorado Mammoth did just that, leading 3-1 after the first quarter against the Georgia Swarm. They would trail for less than four minutes, claiming a 13-10 victory over the still winless Swarm. Georgia took that…

Blue the colour of the day as OJLL, MSL hold drafts at Toronto Rock Athletic Centre

February 1, 2023

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Blue was the colour of the day last Saturday afternoon at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, host of both the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (OJLL) and Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) entry drafts. St. Catharines Athletics head coach Steve Toll took the podium early to remind everyone, “We all know today who would’ve been taken No. 1.” That player was Tucker Williams. The league awarded the Whitby Warriors an honourary first-overall…

NLL: Las Vegas Desert Dogs celebrate first win in franchise history

January 23, 2023

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Ask fans about lacrosse, you’ll eventually hear these answers: it’s a game of runs, anything can happen, no lead is safe (Writer’s Note: for legal reasons, InLax is required to point out this has also been said of another professional sports league.) All of those clichés, and many others, could be used to describe Friday night’s 15-14 Desert Dogs win over the Vancouver Warriors, the first win in franchise history…

NLL: Mammoth pick up where they left off after 2022 championship win; defeat Calgary on banner raising night

January 11, 2023

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The Colorado Mammoth won the 2022 NLL Championship with superior defense, goaltending, physical play and a never-say-die attitude. It’s somehow fitting that on the night they raised the Championship banner to the rafters of Ball Arena, the Mammoth needed all of those traits to come from behind to beat the Calgary Roughnecks 9-8. Trailing 5-2 at halftime, off the heels of Jesse King’s second of the night, the defending champs…

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