By: Riley Pollock – 03.02.24
It was another hard-fought battle but the Roughnecks came up short falling 9-7 to the Toronto Rock.
The Riggers drop to 2-5 on the season while for Toronto they are now 6-1.
The Riggers gave up the first goal of the game for the second straight night as Toronto found the back of the net from deep to make it 1-0.
Haiden Dickson answered for the Riggers shortly after on a quick-stick to make it 1-1.
Our first of the night! pic.twitter.com/amSGXkmtXQ
— Calgary Roughnecks (@NLLRoughnecks) February 4, 2024
Toronto countered again just over five-minutes into the game on a far side show from Christian Del Bianco’s left to make it 2-1.
Pace continued the back-and-forth start with a backhand beauty from the top of the crease. The score was 2-2.
Thomas Hoggarth dunked in a rebound off the post to give the Riggers their first lead of the night, 3-2.
The scoop, the score 🤩 pic.twitter.com/8av2esv2U2
— Calgary Roughnecks (@NLLRoughnecks) February 4, 2024
Toronto would counter quickly after finding the stick side of Del Bianco once again to make it 3-3 heading into the second-quarter.
The Rock got the first goal of quarter number two less than a minute in to make the score 4-3.
Toronto got another off a bad bounce to make it 5-3.
Dickson fired one short-side on a rebound chance to get the Riggers back within one, 5-4.
The Rock struck on the powerplay with 3:28 until halftime to make the score 6-4 heading into half-time.
Toronto scored first in the second-half as they shot from in tight to make it 7-4.
The Riggers thought they had brought it within two on a Dan Taylor diving goal but he stepped in the crease before the ball crossed the line so the score remained 7-4.
Dickson picked up his hat-trick on another diving goal half-way through the quarter to make it 7-5.
🚨 Haiden Dickson beats Rose with the crease dive for the hatty pic.twitter.com/FpiUVdasbE
— NLL (@NLL) February 4, 2024
It wasn’t long before Toronto answered to make it 8-5.
Tanner Cook went behind-the-back for his first of the night early in the fourth-quarter to make the score 8-6.
Jesse King shoveled home a one-handed goal quickly after to get the Riggers within one, 8-7.
Toronto re-gained their two goal lead with under five-minutes to play making it 9-7.
The Riggers had opportunities late but couldn’t solve Nick Rose or the posts and fell for the second-straight night.
NEXT UP
The Riggers and Rock face-off again Saturday in Toronto.
STAT PACK
Tanner Cook: 1g, 3a
Haiden Dickson: 3g
Tyler Pace: 1g, 2a
Jesse King: 1g, 1a
Shane Simpson: 2a
Thomas Hoggarth: 1g
Christian Del Bianco: 32 saves, 2a
