Toronto Rock Fall to Calgary Roughnecks 14-11 in Preseason Opener

The Toronto Rock opened their 2024 preseason with a 14-11 loss to the Calgary Roughnecks on Saturday night at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville, Ontario. Despite a strong effort, the Rock couldn’t recover after a fast start from the Roughnecks, who capitalized on early momentum to take control of the game.

The Roughnecks came out firing in the first quarter, scoring three unanswered goals to establish an early lead. Calgary’s new addition, Austin Ducommun, got the ball rolling with the first goal of the game, assisted by Haiden Dickson and NLL veteran Dane Dobbie. The Rock responded with a goal from Marley Angus to tie the game at one, but Calgary quickly regained the lead, netting two more goals in rapid succession. Jesse King found the back of the net first, followed by Brett McIntyre, who extended Calgary’s lead to 3-1 by the 10-minute mark.

Toronto showed signs of life as the game progressed, but the Roughnecks were relentless, capitalizing on their opportunities. The Rock found themselves struggling to match Calgary’s offensive intensity throughout the first half. Although Toronto was able to get a few key goals from their core players, including Angus, they couldn’t overcome the early deficit. At the end of the second quarter, the Roughnecks held a commanding 7-4 lead, with solid contributions from Dobbie and King, both of whom were pivotal in Calgary’s offensive attack.

In the second half, Toronto made several attempts to mount a comeback. The Rock found some rhythm in the third quarter, thanks to strong performances from veterans like Tom Schreiber and Challen Rogers. However, Calgary’s defense remained steadfast, and the Roughnecks were able to answer with crucial goals of their own whenever Toronto closed the gap. By the final whistle, Calgary had secured a 14-11 victory, with standout performances from Ducommun, Dobbie, and King leading the way.

Despite the loss, the preseason game provided the Rock coaching staff with valuable insights into their roster, especially with several new faces on the team. The team’s defense, led by veteran goaltender Nick Rose, will need to tighten up ahead of the regular season, while the offense will look to find greater consistency in the coming weeks.

For the Roughnecks, the win was a promising start to their preseason campaign, with their offense clicking early and their defense holding strong under pressure. As the preseason continues, both teams will look to refine their strategies and build momentum heading into the 2024 NLL season.