How does Nick Rose contribute to the Hamilton Rock’s defensive prowess. What makes the Rock’s defense so effective in the National Lacrosse League. Why is Nick Rose considered one of the best goalies in the NLL.
The Rock’s Defensive Dominance in the National Lacrosse League
The Hamilton Rock, a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League (NLL), has been making waves with their exceptional defensive performance. At the core of their success is goaltender Nick Rose, whose stellar play has been instrumental in the team’s recent winning streak.
Brad Kri, a 30-year-old Rock defender who leads the NLL in creating turnovers, emphasizes the team’s unique defensive approach: “Most teams rely on just their goalie or just their defence but we’ve got the double whammy of a strong defence and a strong goalie.” This combination has proven to be a formidable challenge for opposing teams.
The Rock’s Defensive Strategy
- Punishing synchronicity between goalie and defenders
- Full commitment to shot blocking
- Aggressive ball retrieval
- Vicious checking in front of the net
- Quick offensive rushes resulting from defensive plays
The Rock’s defense is not just about preventing goals; it’s also about creating opportunities. Their ability to quickly transition from defense to offense has become a hallmark of their playing style.
Nick Rose: The Backbone of the Rock’s Defense
Nick Rose, a native of Orangeville, Ontario, has become the cornerstone of the Rock’s defensive unit. At 35 years old, Rose is having one of the best seasons of his career, leading the NLL in save percentage and goals-against average.
Rose’s Career Highlights
- 7th all-time in goalie minutes played
- 6th in career wins
- 8th in total saves
- Multiple-time finalist for NLL Goalie of the Year
Despite his impressive statistics, Rose’s teammates believe he doesn’t receive the recognition he deserves. Brad Kri states, “I believe he is the best goaltender in the league. What you want is consistency and that’s what he gives us every night.”
The Evolution of Rose’s Goaltending Style
Over the years, Nick Rose has adapted his playing style to match the evolving game of lacrosse. Earlier in his career, he would challenge shooters by moving out of the net, reducing their shooting angles. However, the game has changed, particularly in the NLL where the net is three inches wider than in other leagues.
Rose explains his current approach: “There are a lot of great offensive players who can score back door, crease dive, all that stuff, so I’ve adjusted playing a little further back into the net.” This adjustment allows him to maintain his net coverage while improving his ability to move quickly to the posts.
The Rock’s Defensive Unit: More Than Just Rose
While Nick Rose is undoubtedly a key component of the Rock’s defense, the team’s success is a result of a collective effort. The defensive unit works in perfect harmony, allowing each player to take calculated risks knowing their teammates will have their back.
Key Defensive Players
- Brad Kri: Leads the NLL in creating turnovers
- TD Ierlan: Ranks 3rd in loose balls
- Mitch de Snoo: Ranks 6th in loose balls
- Billy Hostrawser: Known for fighting through picks
The Rock’s defensive prowess is evident in the statistics. They have surrendered about a goal per game less than any other team in the league, a testament to their collective effort and strategic approach.
The Impact of Veteran Leadership on the Rock’s Defense
The Hamilton Rock boasts a roster filled with experienced players, both in professional lacrosse and within the franchise itself. This veteran presence has fostered a symbiotic relationship between the goalie, defenders, and transition players.
Brad Kri explains the benefits of this experience: “It helps having a strong, five-man unit that allows me to be a little more aggressive. If I’m in a two-man game with, let’s say Billy Hostrawser, I know what he’s going to do. I know he’ll have my back and I can pursue this offensive guy a little more than usual and that can create a turnover.”
This level of trust and understanding among teammates allows the Rock to play an aggressive style of defense that can disrupt opposing offenses and create turnovers.
The Rock’s Offensive Additions: Balancing the Team
While the Rock’s identity is firmly rooted in their defensive capabilities, the team has not neglected their offensive game. The recent signing of free agent snipers Stephen Keogh and Corey Small has added scoring power to the lineup, offsetting the trade of Rob Hellyer to Las Vegas.
This balance between a strong defense and potent offense makes the Rock a formidable opponent in the NLL. The team’s ability to limit opponents’ scoring while maintaining their own offensive threat has been key to their recent success.
The Rock’s Recent Performance and Future Outlook
The Hamilton Rock’s commitment to defense has paid dividends in their recent performances. After a slow start to the season at 1-2, the team has gone on a four-game winning streak. During this streak, they have held opponents to impressively low scores, allowing just seven, eight, and five goals in the first three games of the run.
While they did allow 10 goals in their most recent overtime win against Calgary, three of those came during a rare defensive lapse in the final three minutes of regulation time. This anomaly aside, the Rock’s defensive record speaks for itself.
The Rock’s Season So Far
- Current record: 5-2
- Four-game winning streak
- League-best goals against average
- Nick Rose leads NLL in save percentage and goals-against average
As the Rock look ahead to their upcoming game against the New York Riptide, they will be relying on their defensive strength to continue their winning ways. With Nick Rose in net and a cohesive defensive unit in front of him, the Rock are well-positioned to maintain their status as one of the NLL’s top defensive teams.
The Future of Nick Rose and the Rock’s Defense
At 35 years old, Nick Rose is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, he’s coming off his best two seasons in terms of goals-against average since becoming a starter in 2013, and has lowered that percentage even further in the opening seven games of this season.
Rose’s continued excellence, combined with the Rock’s strong defensive core and veteran leadership, suggests that the team’s defensive dominance could be sustainable in the long term. As Rose continues to adapt his game and the defensive unit grows even more cohesive, opposing teams may find it increasingly difficult to score against the Rock.
Factors Contributing to the Rock’s Defensive Sustainability
- Nick Rose’s consistent high-level performance
- Strong veteran presence in the defensive unit
- Effective defensive strategy and team cohesion
- Balance between defensive prowess and offensive capability
As the National Lacrosse League continues to evolve, the Hamilton Rock’s defensive-minded approach, spearheaded by Nick Rose, may well become a model for success in professional lacrosse. Their ability to consistently limit opponents’ scoring while maintaining offensive pressure sets them apart in the league and positions them as strong contenders for future success.
The Rock’s defensive strategy, built around the stellar play of Nick Rose and supported by a cohesive and experienced defensive unit, has become their defining characteristic. As they continue to refine and perfect this approach, they are not only winning games but also potentially reshaping how defense is played in the National Lacrosse League.
With Nick Rose between the pipes and a team fully committed to their defensive identity, the Hamilton Rock are poised to continue their success in the NLL. As they face upcoming challenges, including their next game against the New York Riptide, fans and opponents alike will be watching to see if their rock-solid defense can maintain its impressive form.
Nick Rose is the stem of a Rock-hard defence
Lacrosse
Opinion
Goalie leads the league as Hamilton-based pro lacrosse team looks for fifth win in a row Saturday, Steve Milton writes
By Steve MiltonSpectator Columnist
Thu., Feb. 2, 2023timer4 min. read
The way the Rock plays lacrosse — which, these days, is pretty well — there is no visible border between what’s happening in the crease and the ferocious defensive work outside of it.
“Most teams rely on just their goalie or just their defence but we’ve got the double whammy of a strong defence and a strong goalie,” says 30-year-old Rock defender Brad Kri, who leads the National Lacrosse League in creating turnovers.
The Rock have added scoring power this year, signing free agent snipers Stephen Keogh and Corey Small to offset the trade of Rob Hellyer to Las Vegas, but the identity of the Hamilton-based team revolves around keeping the ball out of their own net. It’s a punishing synchronicity of the looming reliability of Nick Rose in net, full commitment to shot blocking, ball retrieval and vicious checking in front of him — and the quick offensive rushes which result from all of the above.
“We have a lot of athletic defenders, guys who are so strong they make it difficult on opposing offensive players,” Rose said as the 5-2 Rock prepared to host the New York Riptide on Saturday night (7 p.m. TSN) at FirstOntario Centre.
“We’re just playing very physical. It’s a cliché for every team in the NLL that if you keep a team under 10 goals your success rate goes up quite a bit. It’s something we pride ourselves in.”
So far, so very good. In starting slowly at 1-2, they allowed 11 goals in both losses, but since then have won four straight, with the opposition scoring just seven, eight and five times in the first three. They did allow 10 in last Saturday’s overtime win in Calgary, but three of those occurred during a rare letdown during the final three minutes of regulation.
The six-foot-three, 220-pound Kri, a good hockey player who was on defence for the 2011 Hamilton Red Wings when Zach Hyman was the star, has caused 14 turnovers and is also ranked 11th overall in corralling balls up for grabs. Teammate TD Ierlan, a faceoff maestro, ranks third in loose balls and Mitch de Snoo is sixth. The Rock have surrendered about a goal per game less than any other team and Rose owns the NLL’s top save percentage and goals-against average. Not uncoincidentally, the Rock are excellent in the rapid reset to offence.
The Rock are loaded with veterans — of pro lacrosse and of the franchise itself — so there’s a symbiotic relationship between goalie, defenders and transition players.
“It helps having a strong, five-man unit that allows me to be a little more aggressive,” Kri says. “If I’m in a two-man game with, let’s say Billy Hostrawser, I know what he’s going to do. I know he’ll have my back and I can pursue this offensive guy a little more than usual and that can create a turnover.
Billy will fight through the pick.
“And if we take a couple of more chances we have that trust in Nick that if we do happen to get beat, he’s going to make that save for us.”
Rose, a native of Orangeville where an arena is named for his late lacrosse-playing father Tony Rose, is headed for the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame. Earlier this year he moved into seventh all-time in goalie minutes, and will move up a couple of spots during the season. He’s sixth in career wins and eighth in total saves. Although he’s been a finalist a few times, he’s never been named the NLL’s goalie of the year and his teammates think that’s a travesty.
“He definitely doesn’t get the recognition he deserves,” says Kri. “I believe he is the best goaltender in the league. What you want is consistency and that’s what he gives us every night. It makes it easy on our defence because we know what we’re getting out of him and our defensive unit is a lot more comfortable. We know what we have to do to keep a low number on the board because Nick’s going to always do his part.
”
Rose turns 35 in a few days but is coming off his best two seasons in goals-against average since he became a starter in 2013, and has lowered that percentage in the opening seven games this season. Earlier in his career, he challenged snipers on the basic hockey-lacrosse premise that the further out the goalie moves, the weaker the shooter’s angle. But the game has evolved, he says, especially in the NLL where the net is three inches wider than in other leagues, and he’s playing much deeper.
“There are a lot of great offensive players who can score back door, crease dive, all that stuff, so I’ve adjusted playing a little further back into the net,” says the six-foot, 285-pounder. “When we watch film with goalie coach Brandon Miller, I’m not taking up any less net and I can move more quickly to the posts.”
Rose insists it doesn’t bother him that he has never been named the league’s top goalie.
“If I’m in the conversation, that’s kind of good enough,” he says. “The award would be great but it wouldn’t matter if it’s not a championship year.
”
Steve Milton is a Hamilton-based sports columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: [email protected]
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What to Watch for vs. Buffalo Bandits
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May 12, 2023 – National Lacrosse League (NLL) – Toronto Rock News Release
Buffalo, NY – The Toronto Rock (E2) will take on the Buffalo Bandits (E1) tonight at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY in game one of the best-of-three East Conference Finals. This will be the third consecutive season the two teams will meet for a chance to advance to the NLL Finals with Buffalo getting the upper hand in each of the previous two meetings.
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Fans can watch the game vs. Buffalo at 7:30pm ET on TSN and TSN’s digital platform TSN+ via TSN.ca and the TSN App as well as ESPN+. To stream the game, simply login to TSN+ with your cable or satellite provider’s credentials or your TSN+ account info if you’re a subscriber to the streaming service.
Here’s what to watch for in Friday’s matchup.
The Toronto Rock moved superstar forward Tom Schreiber to the Active Roster from the Injured Reserve on Friday morning. Schreiber missed the Rock’s NLL Quarterfinals victory over Halifax last Friday night. Forward Josh Dawick was moved to the Practice Roster.
The Rock and Bandits have met 8 times in the postseason with the Bandits winning 5 of those meetings. On the road, the Rock are 1-2 in Buffalo. The Rock’s lone road playoff win in Banditland came in 2011, which was also the last year the Rock hoisted the NLL’s championship trophy.
Rock HC Matt Sawyer is 4-5 in the postseason behind the Rock bench, a win tonight will bring his Rock playoff coaching win-loss record to .500.
Earlier in the week, the Rock moved defender Sheldon Burns from the Injured Reserve List to the Active Roster. Burns last played in the Rock’s 18-7 win over the Bandits on April 1. Moving to the Injured Reserve List was defender Chris Weier with a lower body injury.
With last week’s 5-point effort, Corey Small hit the 50-point plateau in his playoff career. He did it in just 13 games and has 32 goals in the baker’s dozen of playoff appearances.
Tom Schreiber has 40 points in just 8 playoff games, an average of 5 points per game.
Stephen Keogh brings 3 championship rings and a wealth of playoff experience to the table for the Rock. He has 23 goals and 48 points in 21 career playoff games.
Check out this week’s edition of the Toronto Rock Total Access podcast featuring a one-on-one with Rock Captain Challen Rogers, looking ahead to this weekend’s East Conference Finals.
Fans should also check out the latest episode of Rock City Unplugged, streaming now on the Rock’s YouTube Channel and on TSN+.
Game two of the series shifts back to Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre on Saturday night at 7pm ET where one team will have chance to punch their ticket to the NLL Finals. If necessary, game three of the series will be played back in Buffalo on Saturday, May 20 at 7:30pm ET.
For more information on Toronto Rock tickets, please contact a Toronto Rock account executive by phone at 416-596-3075, by email at [email protected] or visit torontorock.com.
Check out the Toronto Rock Statistics
• Discuss this story on the National Lacrosse League message board…
- Buffalo Tops Toronto 14-5 in Game One – Toronto Rock
- Mammoth Head to Calgary Saturday for Game 2 of West Conference Finals – Colorado Mammoth
- Bandits Host Rock for Game 1 of East Conference Finals Tonight – Buffalo Bandits
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Buffalo Bandits – Toronto Rock - Colorado Completes Comeback Over Calgary, Takes Lead into Saturday’s Game 2 – Colorado Mammoth
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Buffalo Bandits – Toronto RockThe opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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