Goaltending will be the highlight of NLL final
Posted May 11, 2011 2:15 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — Bob Watson of the Toronto Rock, one of the greatest lacrosse goaltenders of all time, will play his last pro game Sunday afternoon, while Tyler Richards of the Washington Stealth, the best of the new breed, will try to outplay him in the National Lacrosse League final for the second year in a row.
It’s going to be quite a show.
Watson is 41 and Richards is 24.
“Bob Watson was my favourite goalie growing up so there is always a bit of a nostalgia factor but I think now that I have played him three times I’m used to it,” says Richards. “He is arguably the best goalie to ever play the game and has five championships for a reason.
“I know he is going to want to retire on a high so I am expecting nothing but his best on Sunday but, at the same time, my goal is to be better.”
Washington won the Champion’s Cup game 15-11 on its floor a year ago, despite being outshot 61-47 and trailing 10-8 at the start of the fourth quarter, and now Toronto wants to get even.
“I know Bob will want us to approach this like any other game because he is the ultimate team player but if you ask any of the guys in the locker-room we would all tell you that there is a big part of us all that will be playing for him on Sunday,” says Rock defenceman Pat Merrill.
Stealth attacker Jeff Zywicki says he and his teammates are well aware of Watson’s reputation of being at his best when it matters most.
“He makes you work for every goal,” says Zywicki. “We need to find a way to get the ball past him or it’s going to be a tough night for us.”
Rock captain Colin Doyle was captain of the Stealth when Richards broke into the NLL in 2009, and he’s seen Richards develop the same best-in-the-clutch persona for which Watson is known.
“He is a great goalie and seems to play better with more at stake,” says Doyle. “We are going to have to do our best to earn quality looks at the net and be sure to be sharp around the net as he doesn’t let soft ones in.”
Both goalies have quick reflexes and challenge shooters.
“He’s aggressive, much like a goalie in hockey,” Rock attacker Blaine Manning says of Richards. “He’s one of the best young goalies in the sport and it’s going to be real difficult to get the ball past him.”
Washington won playoff games 14-8 in Minnesota and 10-8 at Calgary to make it to Sunday’s final at the Air Canada Centre.
“The results show how good T-Rich has been this post-season,” says Stealth forward Rhys Duch. “He is a good goalie during the season but obviously steps up when it’s do or die. We wouldn’t be where we are without him.”
Most importantly, with Zywicki and Kyle Sorensen back in the lineup after injury absences, Washington is healthy and hungry.
“We have a great dressing room with a bunch of guys who are willing to do anything for each other and when things aren’t going well we are able to make the adjustments without getting down on each other,” says Richards.
Toronto won 10-8 at home against Rochester and eked out a 12-11 win in Buffalo to get to the final.
“I think that our determination and will to win have carried us through the playoffs so far,” says Merrill. “We very much believe in each other and we are committed to our game plan.
“We understand that the best overall team effort will win on Sunday and trying our very best to achieve that will be our focus.”
Toronto was 10-6 and Washington was 8-8 during the regular season. Toronto won 13-12 in overtime at home April 1.
“I know for a fact they are a better team than their record,” says Doyle. “Their eastern trip showed that. Losing to us in overtime and beating the Bandits in Buffalo is no simple task for a team travelling across the continent. They are deep at every position and have great goaltending. They will be tough to beat.”
Richards predicts “a similar game (to April 1) being decided by one or two goals.”
Merrill describes the Stealth as “a very dynamic and explosive team that can score in bunches.”
“We have to limit their multiple-goal runs if we can,” he says. “The last game showed how evenly matched the two teams are and we will have to play a complete 60-minute game to beat them.”
Toronto is 8-1 at home this year but that doesn’t scare Stealth players.
“I don’t think there is anything that intimidates this team,” says Duch. “You aren’t going to be a winning team if you can be intimidated. Everyone wants to play at home but we are 7-3 on the road this year. Does that intimidate them? I think we can do it because we had a great team last year and have only gotten better.”
The Rock is back to playing to its potential after slacking off at the end of the regular season.
“We have gotten back to what works for us: hard work and team work,” says Doyle. “When we outwork teams and stick with our game plan, we have success. Nothing changes this week. The recipe for success is the same.”
Adds Manning: “We’ve endured all season long. Towards the end of the regular season when we lost four out of our last five, we were left for dead but we continued to stick together and work through things as a team. We’re a good all-around team with great goaltending, good defence and good offence. We’re a solid, unselfish team.”
Canada’s team for the world indoor championships flies to Europe on Tuesday evening, when Doyle, Merrill, Sandy Chapman and Stephan Leblanc of the Rock and Richards, Duch, Zywicki and Jeff Moleski of the Stealth become teammates for the May 21-28 tournament in Prague.
“I’m looking forward to playing with people I am not looking forward to playing against this weekend,” says Duch.