A trio of rookies flourish for the Alberta squads, while Mammoth and Rock newcomers perform despite team struggles during Week 10 of NLL rookie action.
Riley Loewen (2 G, 2 A) had four points in the Edmonton Rush’s 11-10 win over the Toronto Rock; which included one goal and one assist in the final frame to help to Rush solidify the victory and maintain their perfect record. Since being held scoreless in a late January win over the Vancouver Stealth, the Burnaby, BC native has put up 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in four games and has played a consistent role in the youthful yet dangerous Rush offense. Loewen’s 11 goals on the season makes him one of four Edmonton players to hit double-digit tallies along with Mark Matthews (16 G), Curtis Knight (16 G), and Zack Greer (12 G).
Fellow Rush rookie Robert Church had one goal and one assist in the win, bringing his season totals to 20 points (7 G, 13 A) in seven games played.
Karsen Leung had another impressive week for the Calgary Roughnecks, posting four points (2 G, 2 A) in a 19-13 win over the Toronto Rock. After a solid start to the season, Leung has become a transitional force for the Roughnecks during their ongoing four-game winning streak, amassing 10 points during the time.
Rock rookie Ethan O’Connor had one goal and one forced turnover in the loss, in addition to an exceptional 14 loose balls. The former Hobart Statesman leads Toronto in the loose balls category with 74 in nine games played, enough to crack the top 10 league-wide.
Eric Law had two assists for the Rock, as the Colorado product appeared in just the second game of his rookie campaign, his first action since January 18.
Colorado Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward made 31 saves in an 11-9 loss to the Rochester Knighthawks. Rochester and Colorado were dead even in shots on goal (42), as Ward went the distance while competing against the talents of reigning NLL Goaltender of the Year Matt Vinc. While splitting time in the cage with Tye Belanger, the Orangeville, ON native has won three of five starts for the Mammoth. Ward has stopped 302 of 399 shots faced this year while posting a .757 save percentage and a 12.0 goals against average.
