Chris Crane, Beat Writer Rochester Knighthawks
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Rochester Knighthawks kicked off the 2016-17 NLL season with their home opener at the Blue Cross Arena against the Toronto Rock. The Hawks 8,137 fans were excited to see their team back in action after many months of a quiet arena. I have to admit that it’s quite different watching the game from the vantage point of the press area. This would be my first time holding season long credentials for Lacrosse is Awesome and my team the Rochester Knighthawks. Unfortunately the Rochester Knighthawks didn’t have a good start of the season as they would fall to the Toronto Rock 12-5.
The first quarter of play showed great promise of a hard fought sixty minute match up. Both the Knighthawks and Rock would have a great defensive stand still; however it would be Toronto striking first. Brett Hickey (Gamble) found the back of the net at 3:18. Play would resume with the defenses holding strong on both sides but again the Rock would strike at 6:43 on a goal from Edwards (Schreiber, McArdle) putting the Rock ahead 2-0. The Knighthawks would finally get on the board from Wayne Van Every (D. Dawson) at 8:46 bringing them to within one. But Toronto’s Kasey Beirnes would his first of three goals on the night at 9:13 putting the Rock up 3-1. Rochester would answer back before the end of the first quarter as Josh Currier would net one on the power-play for the Knighthawks at 13:37; followed by a three on one break away goal coming from Joel Matthews at 14:31 tying the game at three to end the first.
Just as the first quarter did, the second would start off the same with both teams playing fast paced and lock down defense as it would be just way into the quarter before either side would give, and just as it happened in the first, Toronto would hit net and go on a four goal run. Scoring first for the Rock would be Hickey netting his second of the night at the 8:00 minute mark; followed up by Beirnes (2g), Brodie Merrill; and Jordan Magnuson giving the Rock a commanding 7-3 lead at the 11:12 mark. The Knighthawks would finally get one back as Quinn Powless would hit upper right corner from a spectacular shot from the left side of the goal at the 11:29 mark making it 7-4. But the Rock was by no means done. They would rattle off two more goals before the end of the second quarter as Beirnes would find the back of net at 13:11 giving him the hat-trick on the night; followed by Turner Evans at 13:29 making it 9-4 in favor of the Toronto Rock heading into halftime.
The third was a three-peat of the first half, with a defensive stand with neither side not giving in; unfortunately Toronto would find a way through Rochester’s defense as Hickey would net his third goal of the night on the power-play and a hat-trick at 5:23 making it 10-4. The Rock would net another this one from Mike MacDonald at 7:32 putting them up by seven. Rochester pulled Vinc for an extra attacker where Powless would make the move count as he would net his second of the night at 9:03 bringing them to within five. Unfortunately, the Rock would find the back of the net one more time before the end of the third quarter as McArdle would score at 11:17 make making it a 12-5 game heading into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter was definitely a treat for those fans who like watching the net-minders battle it out. Neither offense could put find the back of the net and it would be the Toronto Rock would take the win with a decisive 12-5 victory over the Rochester Knighthawks.
Rochester will be back in action January 7th when they take on the New England Black Wolves at home.
Chris Crane, Beat Writer Rochester Knighthawks
Lacrosse is Awesome