Music: {allcanada} Rock beaten by Blazers in Beantown

Monday, February 7, 2011

{allcanada} Rock beaten by Blazers in Beantown

BOSTON -- Dan Dawson had three goals and two assists and Kevin Buchanan had a hat trick of his own Saturday as the Boston Blazers got past the Toronto Rock 9-7 in National Lacrosse League play.

Casey Powell added a goal and five assists for Boston (4-3), while Josh Sanderson chipped in with a goal and three helpers. Geoff McNulty also scored for the Blazers, while Ryan Powell had four assists.

Garrett Billings scored three times and added an assist for Toronto (4-2), which also got a goal and two helpers each from Blaine Manning, Aaron Pascas and Stephen Leblanc. Kasey Beirnes had the other goal for the Rock.

Trailing 6-2 at the half, Toronto showed some fight in the third quarter, rallying to make it 8-5 heading into the third.

"We showed no sense of urgency in the first half," Rock head coach Troy Cordingley said. "We were lethargic, had no energy and missed passes. Overall we were not good."

Leblanc scored early in the fourth to close the gap to 8-6 before a Beirnes power-play goal made it 8-7 at 4:13.

But Sanderson quickly derailed Toronto's comeback attempt just 35 seconds later to restore Boston's two-goal lead at 9-7.

"We showed some willingness to battle in the second half," said Cordingley. "We showed more desire and will in the second half and that translated directly into opportunities in the second half that weren't there in the first half."

Anthony Cosmo made 29 saves for the win, while Bob Watson stopped 37 shots in defeat.