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HAMILTON — Ever since his rookie season in 2013, Mark Matthews has been an enormous deal within the Nationwide Lacrosse League.
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A part of that’s that he’s, properly, large. At six-foot-five, he’s probably the most imposing presence on the ground on most nights. However it’s his scoring prowess that made him a fan favourite in 11 seasons with the Edmonton/Saskatchewan Rush, and what already has endeared him to Toronto Rock followers now that he wears the purple and blue.
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With family and friends within the crowd, Matthews scored thrice in a six-goal second quarter for the Rock. He added a power-play marker within the third quarter as Toronto rolled to a season-opening 11-7 win over the Philadelphia Wings at First Ontario Centre on Saturday.
“My dad and mom have been to a bunch of video games, however they’ve household mates that don’t exit a lot so it’s nice for them to be coming to each recreation,” Matthews stated.
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Toronto parted with younger gamers Zach Manns and Adam Jay to get Matthews in an low season commerce. What he brings to Toronto is a historical past of successful. With Minto and Mann Cups in his trophy case, together with latest Canadian senior titles as a member of the Peterborough Lakers, he led the Rush to the 2015, 2016 and 2018 NLL titles and was the league’s MVP in 2018.
“He’s good in large moments,” Rock head coach Matt Sawyer stated. “He lets his play and his consistency do the speaking.”
“He’s a top-level offensive expertise and participant on this league for a lot of, a few years. He has a knack for doing it when it’s wanted most, even when it’s in recreation one of many season.
The Rock offence, having to make good for some time with out Tom Schreiber, overcame a sluggish begin whereas the defence, adjusting for the lack of NLL defensive participant of the yr Latrell Harris, was very stellar and if not for some gratuitous bounces within the Wings’ favour, the sport simply might have been a blowout.
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It really was the transition that introduced the Rock to life after objectives from Blake Riorden and Joe Resetarits put the guests forward. Josh Jubenville and Brad Kri tied the sport with objectives lower than 10 seconds aside.
Dan Craig, who loved a breakout season in 2023, scored twice within the second quarter. Justin Martin added his first NLL objective because the Rock went to the break up 8-5. Sam LeClair, Mitch Armstrong and Mitch Jones scored for Philadelphia.
Rookie Tyler Hendricks additionally loved his first objective within the league, scoring from in shut within the third quarter. Resetarits added his second, reducing the Rock result in 10-6 after three.
A modest opening-night crowd of seven,217 watched Toronto’s defence, backed by the regular play of veteran goaltender Nick Rose, give the Wings little or no likelihood at a fourth-quarter comeback. Phil Mazzuca added a transition objective for the Rock whereas Taggart Clark closed the Wings’ scoring.
“It was a little bit of a monitor meet to begin, some nerves getting out,” Matthews stated. “We managed all of it proper. The defence was nice and Rose was unbelievable again there.”
The Rock make its first go to to Fort Price, Tex. to fulfill Panther Metropolis LC subsequent Saturday. The subsequent residence recreation is Dec. 30 in opposition to the New York Riptide.
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