Swarm Top Rock 12-7

Toronto Offence Held Off The Board For Over 30 Minutes In Loss

Toronto, ON – The Toronto Rock (5-5) started well enough but a mid-game goal-less drought that lasted 32:30 after taking a 5-3 lead was their undoing in a 12-7 loss to the Georgia Swarm (5-6) on Saturday night at Air Canada Centre.

During that scoreless stretch, the Swarm outscored the Rock 6-0 and Toronto couldn’t get any closer than trailing 9-6 in the fourth quarter.

“Our effort wasn’t where it needed to be,” said Rock Head Coach Matt Sawyer following the loss. “It was disappointing to put in that kind of effort coming out of the bye (week) with the importance that this game held. You’re not going to win any games with the kind of production we got out the front door.”

Toronto looked good out of the gate, building a 3-1 lead after Kieran McArdle scored a pair of goals to break open an early 1-1 tie. Georgia added another before the quarter was done and trailed 3-2 at the end of one.

Georgia tied the score at three, but the Rock answered that with a pair of goals to lead 5-3, their biggest lead of the game. From there, it was all Georgia as they scored four straight goals to lead 7-5 at the half.

While the lead wasn’t a big one for the Swarm, the Rock’s offence troubles combined with a 2-0 third quarter for Georgia made it feel like Toronto was running uphill in the second half.

The visitors led 9-5 heading into the final 15 minutes. The Rock’s Brett Hickey finally broke up the Swarm’s run with a goal 6:22 into the fourth quarter to make it 9-6. Georgia scored three more times, including one into an empty net before Toronto added one late to make the final 12-7.

Rock goal scorers were McArdle and Hickey with a pair, while singles came from Dan Lintner, Rob Hellyer and Reid Reinholdt. Nick Rose gave the Rock a chance to win; making 43 saves on 54 shots.

At the other end, Georgia’s Mike Poulin stopped 44 of 51 shots he faced and earned the game’s first star. The Swarm’s Shayne Jackson and Kiel Matisz earned the second and third stars respectively.

The Rock host New England Black Wolves next Sunday afternoon at 3pm at Air Canada Centre. It’s the Rock’s annual Charity Game and kids are free with the purchase of an adult ticket.

For more information on Toronto Rock tickets, please visit torontorock.com/tickets or call 416-596-3075.