Here’s what players and staff had to say about Friday’s NLL UnBOXed Series matchup in Montreal, QC.
The NLL did a great job putting this event together, and it really came through with the overall atmosphere in the arena and the crowd. They were loud the entire night. It is a perfect venue for an NLL team to play at and it felt like the crowd was very engaged from the opening whistle. Near the end of the game when I turned to tap my posts like I regularly do, a couple kids were going crazy banging on the glass for us. When the clock wound down and we won the game I turned and gave them a point with my stick and a smile, and they were going wild. Needless to say, the local crowd is in love with the game as much as we all are.
-Nick Rose
The atmosphere was awesome. It’s a perfect barn for an NLL team. The crowd was into the game the entire time and that was evident even when playing. It was awesome to see some Rock jerseys in the crowd as well. Overall, just a big success for the game of lacrosse and the NLL.
-Josh Dawick
At the end of the game when we were thanking and saluting the crowd, we looked and took a step back and we were really impressed with the environment. It was great for the whole game and super exciting.
-Brad Kri
It was a pretty good game for the fans to see. A lot of goals, a lot of action and a fight. They were into it the whole game and we fed off it.
-Mark Matthews
The game was a great way to kick off the NLL’s UnBOXed initiative. The venue is, in many ways, an ideal NLL venue. Great amenities including the videoboard, sound system, replay angles, great sight lines for spectators, and the venue’s size. I was very impressed with how knowledgeable the crowd was. They got excited by the great plays that took place in that game, and not just goals, but the big saves, hits, and recognized players efforts and hard work. It would be great to see a team the Montreal area!
-Bruce Codd, Assistant Coach, and former player with the Montréal Express in 2002
From a Rock support staff member’s perspective, the arena staff were very helpful. Speaking to friends of mine at the game, they knew the game was fast paced but were quite surprised that it was faster and more exciting than anticipated. Another friend told me their kids said at least 15 times in the car on the way home how fun their night was.
-Tyler Quennell, Rock Athletic Therapist
