WATSON, BILLINGS RECEIVE NLL WEEK 3 HONOURS

The National Lacrosse League announced today that Bob Watson is Week #3 Overall Player of the Week. The Toronto Rock veteran goaltender was also named Defensive Player of the Week and Garrett Billings was named NLL Rookie of the Week.

Watson was a wall in Toronto’s net on January 23 in the Rock’s 17-3 victory over the Rochester Knighthawks. Turning away 45 of 48 shots, Watson held Rochester to a single goal in the first half and only two more in the second, the Knighthawks lowest single-game goal total in franchise history.

“This is the best lacrosse I’ve seen Bob play since the team won the championship in ‘05,” said Toronto head coach Troy Cordingley. “It is nice to rely on a goalie that makes the big save when you need them; that’s what he is providing us right now.”

Watson, 39, leads the league with a 5.47 goals against average and a 0.867 saves percentage.

Billings was named NLL Rookie of the Week after scoring a game leading eight points (5 goals, 3 assists) in Toronto’s 17-3 win over the Knighthawks. The forward from Langley, B.C., recorded a hat trick even before the first quarter was finished.

“Garrett is getting better and better every game,” said Cordingley. “He looks like a veteran player and seems to find those spaces to let his shot go.”

This is Billings’ second rookie of the week league honour in three weeks of play.   

The NLL Weekly Player Awards are determined each week by a vote of the General Managers & Head Coaches of the league’s eleven member clubs. 

The Rock face the Knighthawks again this Saturday in the back end of their home-and-home series. Game time is 8:05 p.m. at Blue Cross Arena. Fans can watch the game live online at NLL.com. Toronto returns home to the Air Canada Centre on February 5 to host the Philadelphia Wings at 7:30 p.m.