The Vancouver Warriors snapped their two-game losing streak with a 13-8 victory over the Toronto Rock. It was the first game for star goaltender Christian Del Bianco since being traded here last week, and he made 49 saves in his Warriors debut. The Warriors played well in all facets, they got stellar goaltending from Del Bianco, scored 13 goals with contributions from all throughout the lineup, but it would be hard to ignore how well the defence played. The Warriors held the Rock to only two goals in the first half. The defence has been a bright spot all year for the Warriors, as they have allowed the third-fewest goals in the National Lacrosse League.
Big win, bigger smiles! 😄 pic.twitter.com/GoHiQMY6VM
— Vancouver Warriors (@VanWarriors) March 15, 2025
Christian Del Bianco commented on playing behind his new defence, “There’s just so many veterans, it’s so easy to communicate, and there are a lot of guys that I have pre-existing experience with. Obviously, getting to play with guys like Owen Grant and (Ryan) Dilks for the first time. But guys like Steph Charbonneau, I think (he) had a terrific night, and I think just building that chemistry and trust, obviously, there’s a lot that goes with that. It’s not going to be day one, but if that’s our starting point, it’s hard not to be happy.”
The Warriors’ defence is anchored by two-time NLL Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Dilks, who is second in the NLL in caused turnovers this season with 25. Owen Grant has also been great all year long, as he is fourth in the NLL in blocked shots and fourth in caused turnovers. Veteran Matt Beers and free-agent addition Jeff Cornwall have also been bright spots. Even though they lost Brayden Laity in the Del Bianco trade, other players like Reid Bowering and Captain Brett Mydske stepped up their game against the Rock.
We rocked tonight. 😏 pic.twitter.com/nCHVMCFSvY
— Vancouver Warriors (@VanWarriors) March 15, 2025
Head coach and general manager Curt Malawsky was pleased with the effort he saw from the defence. He spoke about how happy he was with players stepping up with Laity no longer on the team: “I made it pretty known that losing a guy like Brayden Laity (is) tough,… it challenges the group of guys (that are here). But we said, hey listen, (Brayden Laity’s) gone, but there are minutes available. We need everybody to not say that you have to do anything special but you need to play to your potential, and kind of ride it from there.”
Just like his new goaltender, Malawsky also liked the play of Steph Charbonneau, as well as others. He also added how much he liked the compete level of his defence,
“Steph Charbonneau had a phenomenal game. (Jackson Suboch) was really good too. (Reid) Bowering had some huge loose balls. I talked to some of those guys in the room about it, and they stepped up. With the minutes that were there, they took advantage of it. So, I liked our (defense). We got in (shooting) lanes, blocked a lot of shots… our guys box out really well and got shooting lanes, and I liked how they competed back there.”
Friday’s game against the Rock was the fifth time the Warriors had held their opponent to 10 goals or fewer this season, and the addition of Del Bianco should only help the defence continue to have success. With only five games left and multiple teams fighting with them for a playoff spot, the Warriors will need their defence to continue to dominate if they hope to earn a playoff spot. Vancouver has a huge game next Saturday against the Georgia Swarm, who are a game ahead of them in the standings.