MAY 21, 2023
By Ryan Maloney
The DC Breeze (3-1) embarked on a journey up north to face off against the Toronto Rush (1-3). From the first pull, DC firmly controlled Toronto's offensive efforts, displaying defensive dominance throughout all four quarters. As halftime arrived, the score stood at 10-8 in favor of the Breeze. However, it was in the third quarter that DC truly broke away, netting an impressive seven goals while allowing only three. In the end, DC took home the win, securing a 20-13 victory.
On the offensive end, the chemistry of Garrett Braun and Cole Jurek shined. Braun led the team with an impressive tally of three goals, while Jurek orchestrated six assists for his teammates and contributed two goals of his own. The Breeze asserted their authority in every aspect of the game, with their success in the red zone proving to be pivotal. They found themselves in the red zone 23 times, compared to Toronto's limited nine appearances.
Undoubtedly, the Breeze dominated the field, and their break percentage was the difference maker. Building on their previous break percentage of 21% against the New York Empire, they showcased improvement this week, elevating it to an impressive 41% (9/22), sealing the deal in this matchup. The defense had a stellar performance and proved to be a cohesive unit. As a team, they accumulated an impressive 16 blocks, with noted contributions from AJ Merriman and Moussa Dia, each securing four blocks.
Another key performer for DC in Saturday night’s match was Benjamin Oort. Facing his former squad, the Toronto Rush, Oort continued to dazzle. Following his four-goal performance in the previous matchup against New York, he once again left his mark. In addition to coordinating four assists, he added two goals to the team's victory.
The Breeze displayed great resilience following a challenging loss to the New York Empire in the previous week. This should be a momentum booster for the squad. With a well-deserved week off, they will regroup and prepare for their upcoming matchup against the Carolina Flyers on Friday, June 2 at 7:00 PM EDT at Carlini Field.
