By: Chris Crane, Beat Writer Rochester Knighthawks
Last night March 18, the Rochester Knighthawks (6-5) traveled south for a rematch with the Georgia Swarm (4-7) at the Infinite Energy Arena in front of crowd of 4,523. The energy was definitely on Rochester’s side last night as they won in dominating fashion with 11-4 victory.
To get the ball rolling home grown product Joe Walters would get the Knighthawks on the board first at the 1:20 mark of the first period. Georgia would then answer back by rattling off the next two goals coming from Joel White and Chad Tutton giving Georgia a 2-1 lead halfway thru the first. Stephen Keogh who has been on terror would notch one more for the Knighthawks at the 11:25 mark with the assist coming from Walters and Dan Dawson. It would be all tied up 2-2 at the end of the first.
Rochester’s defense along with Matt Vinc would then shut out Georgia in the second period. However, the Knighthawks offense would get three much needed goals from Brad Self; Cody Jamieson; and Joe Resetarits. Rochester would head into half time with a 5-2 lead.
Rochester would pick up where they left off before heading into the half with Self getting goal number two of the night at just 57 seconds into the third period. Scoring for both sides would be at a standstill until almost five minutes later when Dawson (Jamieson, Resetarits) would add another for Rochester at 5:49 putting the Knighthawks up 7-2. The Swarm would get one back from Lyle Thompson on the power play at the 10:27 mark making it a 7-3 game. Walters would say not so fast and get his second goal of the night at 12:59; that would then be followed up by Keogh grabbing his second goal of the night as well at 13:33 giving Rochester a 9-3 lead with just under two minutes left to play in the third. Chad Tutton would get one on the board for Georgia at 14:02 making it 9-4 at the end of the third.
Matt Vinc and Rochester’s defense would have another lights out period of play in the fourth shutting out Georgia once again. However, the Knighthawks were determined not to be denied as they would add two more goals coming from Dawson who would also get his second goal of the night at 8:41 followed by Walters’s hat trick on the night at 12:23 giving the Knighthawks their second win in a row with a decisive 11-4 victory.
Matt Vinc and Rochester’s defense played solid all night helping Rochester get a much needed win as well as the Knighthawks offense coming up big themselves putting points on the board and not allowing the Swarm to get back into the game. With these two past wins it now puts the Knighthawks just one game behind first place in the Eastern Division which is currently held by Buffalo with New England just ahead of Rochester in 2nd. Now with that being said, Rochester will have a two game series with New England next week as Rochester will travel to New England on March 25th and then will return home on March 26th taking on New England. If Rochester can take these two games from New England it should push Rochester into second place in the Division.
Chris Crane, Beat Writer Rochester Knighthawks
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