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Struggling Wings to seek revenge against Toronto Rock

The 0-5 Wings will start a four-game home stand when they host the Rock on Saturday night.

Swarm goalie Mike Poulin missed the shot, but this goal by the Wings' Chris Cloutier (middle) was challenged and not allowed in the first quarter on Jan. 12. The Wings will return to action Saturday.
Swarm goalie Mike Poulin missed the shot, but this goal by the Wings' Chris Cloutier (middle) was challenged and not allowed in the first quarter on Jan. 12. The Wings will return to action Saturday.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Coach Paul Day continues to stress the youthfulness of the Wings as they sit at 0-5, the only winless team remaining in the National Lacrosse League.

“Our consistency needs to be better, but we’re excited to get home for the next four weeks,” said Day, whose team will have a four-game home stand beginning Saturday (7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center) with a rematch against the Toronto Rock. “A lot of it is our young guys believing they can compete in this league. ... Being at home and having that seventh man, in the crowd, we’re really looking forward to it."

The Rock are 4-1 and in first place in the NLL’s Eastern Division, but they were brought to the brink against the Wings earlier this month. That 11-10 Rock victory remains the only overtime game for both teams this season.

The Wings have shown some resolve through their winless streak. Last week against the Buffalo Bandits, the team won 20 of 28 faceoffs and was neck-and-neck with the Bandits on loose balls. Each team tallied 81.

A nightmare scenario for the Wings on Saturday would be to watch the Rock break out to a blistering start. It has happened to the Wings time and again. Day said he will play seven forwards and all must score Saturday.

The last time the Wings played the Rock, the Wings got on the board first, on a Blake Riorden goal, but they couldn’t sustain that early momentum. They watched the Rock go on a 3-0 run. In the OT, forward Adam Jones scored his fifth goal of the day to give the Rock the victory.

Jones and Tom Schreiber accounted for 10 of the Rock’s 11 goals, and Day said that can’t happen again. Jones and Schreiber are among the league’s top 11 scorers with 11 and 12 goals, respectively, this season. Rob Hellyer also has 12 goals for the Rock.

Last week, the Wings acquired defenseman Eric Shewell from Toronto. He could be vital in slowing down Jones and Schreiber in the rematch. He played with both for two years.

“It takes 60 minutes of your best game to compete in this league, and Eric, he’ll be a small part of it,” Day said. “They’re world-class players, so it’s going to take a group effort to handle them."

Day also wants the Wings to improve their power play by picking up the pace when they have the man advantage. The Wings are 2-for-17 on power plays this season.