THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — For the first time in five years, playoff lacrosse is coming to Toronto.
The Rock made it happen with a 15-7 wipeout of the Rochester Knighthawks, which helped them clinch second place in the National Lacrosse League East Division.
The Rock haven’t played a playoff game at the Air Canada Centre since winning the championship in 2005. After first-round exits on the road in 2006 and 2007 and then two years of failing to qualify for the post-season, happy days are here again.
"We wanted to give something back to the fans for sticking with this team through the lean years," said head coach Troy Cordingley, the Mississauga resident who joined the Rock after coaching the Calgary Roughnecks to the title last spring. "It means a lot to the guys in the room because we battled for this.
"Before this season started, we were picked to not make the playoffs. Now we’ve reached our first goal, and we’re going to be ready in two weeks."
Toronto has next weekend off as the NLL winds up its regular season. Their post-season will start at home May 1st.
Stephan Leblanc scored four goals and Blaine Manning got three as Toronto (9-7) clinched a berth in the last game of its 16-game schedule Friday night. Defenceman Mike Hobbins, with two huge fast-break goals in the second quarter, and Mike Hominuck added two goals each and Colin Doyle, Creighton Reid, Stephen Hoar and Garrett Billings got one each.
Bob Watson made 39 saves in front of 9,959 spectators, reinforcing his reputation of coming through when it matters most.
"That’s why he’s won five championships and that’s why I believe he’s the best goalie to ever play the game," said Cordingley.
Rochester jumped to a 2-0 lead but Toronto led 4-2 after one quarter, 9-3 after two in forcing starting Knighthawks goalie Aaron Bold to the bench, and 13-4 after three as vet Pat O’Toole was equally incapable of stopping the Rock. The final shots count was 49-46 in Toronto’s favour.
"We got some saves early and they didn’t and sometimes it’s tough for a team to recover from something like that," said Rock captain Colin Doyle. "I don’t think that’s their true team but sometimes things go that way, but we deserved everything that came our way."
After losing 13-10 in Buffalo last Saturday, Toronto’s playoff chances all came down to the 16th game.
"We played pretty poorly last week so to play well with everything on the line is a great feeling," said Manning. "It’ll be great to have the home playoff game.
"It means a lot to the franchise after a couple of down years."
Watson said the loss in Buffalo made him and his teammates hungry for a win.
"We put the work in and it paid off for us tonight," said Watson. "We paid the price in going to all the dirty places."
The Hobbins goals factored large in the outcome, he said.
"Transition was huge for us," said Watson. "Hobby and a couple of other guys chipped in from the back door and when we get that we’re firing on all cylinders. Everything was working."
Hobbins had scored only twice in the previous 15 games.
"We have a lot of trust in each other," Hobbins said of the defence corps. "With the style of D we’re playing, it’s high pressure and we’re forcing turnovers. We capitalized on their mistakes and ran down the loose balls.
"They were as desperate for a win as we were. We just started playing our game and came out on top."
Manning was as effusive as Cordingley in lauding Watson’s effort.
"He was absolutely phenomenal," said Manning. "They were outshooting us and he made great saves to not only keep us in it but allow us to take a lead. The game was a lot closer than the score indicates because he played so well."
"Our defence came up huge and battled for every loose ball," added Leblanc. "And Bob Watson stood on his head for us, and that was the key to victory."
Craig Point scored three goals, John Grant got two and Joel McCready and Steve Toll added one each for Rochester (7-8).
The Knighthawks can still qualify for the playoffs but their lone remaining game will be a must-win situation in Everett, Wash., against West Division leader Washington next Saturday.
"They’re a good team," said Rochester captain Shawn Williams. "We got off to a good start and then they started capitalizing on mistakes. They got the lead, and they’re a very well-disciplined team with the lead. They just kept building on it.
"Our hats go off to Whipper Watson. We had the shots … we bury a few of those early and it’s a different ballgame. We didn’t, they got up, and held the lead strong. Hats off to them."
Iced bottles of beer greeted the Rock players as they pulled off their pads, and nobody was more relieved than GM and assistant coach Terry Sanderson.
"I don’t think we had many people believing we would get back into the playoffs," said Sanderson. "We knew we had to go younger and we believed in our young guys.
"I’m not as surprised as some other people that we’re in the position we’re in now."
Notes: Billings’ four-point game gave him 84 for the season, which tied him with Doyle for the team lead and which was five shy of the NLL rookie record by Washington’s Rhys Duch last year. Leblanc, Toronto’s other outstanding rookie forward, had a six-point night and finished with 82 points … D Sandy Chapman received the Les Bartley Award for character and commitment to the team in a brief Rock pre-game ceremony. Afterwards, Chapman said sticking to Cordingley’s game plan was key to the big win. "With this team, once we start gaining momentum and confidence, everything just kind of flows from there." What’s next? "Hopefully we can restart that tradition of having a home playoff game every year," said Chapman. "We’re hoping the fans will come out and support us."