The Toronto Rock secured their spot in the postseason, defeating the San Diego Seals 7-5 at TD Coliseum on Saturday, thanks to a standout performance from rookie Owen Hiltz and a stellar night from goalie Nick Rose.
Hiltz led the Rock offense with two goals and two assists. He was joined by fellow rookie CJ Kirst, who also found the net twice and added an assist. Toronto (10-6) also received contributions from Challen Rogers, who tallied a goal and an assist, while Chris Boushy scored once and Josh Dawick added a goal and an assist. Nick Rose was a formidable presence in net, turning away 38 shots to anchor the defense and secure the victory.
For the San Diego Seals (6-9), Wesley Berg led the scoring with two goals and one assist. Zach Currier was the primary playmaker, dishing out a team-high three assists. Connor Robinson, Ben McIntosh and Zack Deaken each scored a goal for the Seals, with McIntosh and Robinson each adding an assist. In goal, Christopher Origlieri made 21 saves in the loss.
Toronto established control early, building a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and extending it to 5-1 in the second before San Diego began to chip away. The game tightened into a defensive battle, with both goaltenders making key saves and multiple goals being overturned by official reviews, keeping the score low. The loss was the fifth consecutive for the Seals. The victory, combined with other results around the league, officially punched Toronto's ticket to the NLL playoffs.
Up next: The Rock visit the Ottawa Black Bears on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Seals visit the Georgia Swarm at Gas South Arena on Sunday at 4 p.m.
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