ROCK TAKE DOWN WINGS IN SECOND GAME OF SERIES

Philadelphia, PA – The Toronto Rock traveled to Philadelphia for the second time in 6 days. Having already secured a playoff spot, the Rock were not in a position to easy during this game. They still needed 1 win in order to gain home field advantage through the 2005 playoffs. 14,480 of Philadelphia’s infamous sports fans showed up to support the Wings in their bid to keep Toronto from securing the 1 needed win. Despite their best efforts, the Rock prevailed with a 15-11 victory that pushed their season record to 11-3.

The Wings opened scoring just 58 seconds into the first as Jake Bergey shot a quick one past Rock goaltender Bob Watson. Blaine Manning responded for the Rock just 30 seconds later with help from Josh Sanderson and John Rosa. The Wings’ Tom Marechek would pot one more that would spark a 3 goal run by the Rock with 2 goals from Colin Doyle and 1 from Aaron Wilson. Josh Sanderson posted 3 assists on Toronto’s first 4 goals, keeping him on pace to break his own League record of 68 assists in 1 season. At the end of the 1st, the Rock held the 4-2 lead.

Mark Morley struck at 3:41 of the 2nd quarter with the assist from goaltender Dallas Eliuk. Blaine Manning stepped in at 4:04 with a goal of his own that was called back at first. The goal was then allowed as the Wings received a penalty call that was waived off in favour of Manning’s goal. Just 28 seconds later, Colin Doyle battled past a stickless Jake Bergey and put a 1 handed bounce shot past Eliuk. Dan Marohl stepped up for the Wings as he came face to face with Bob Watson on the Rock’s crease. Watson got caught on Marohl’s left fake and put one in over his right shoulder. Josh Sanderson would pot 2 for the Rock before the end of the quarter to maintain a 1 goal lead for Toronto heading into the 3rd.

Opposite to how the Rock have been performing in the 3rd quarter throughout the season, the Wings would dominate it in this game by outscoring Toronto 3-1. Rookie Andrew Burkholder completed a hat trick on the night to give the Wings the lead for the first time in the game since 2:32 in the 1st quarter.