Chris Crane, Beat Writer Rochester Knighthawks
Lacrosse is Awesome
In this week’s NLL action the Rochester Knighthawks (3-6) were on the road to take on the Vancouver Stealth (3-6) at the Langley Events Centre in front of a crowd of 2,651. This match up would have the Stealth controlling most of the game. However, the Knighthawks would find a way to pull out the win over Vancouver. Final Score: Rochester 18—Vancouver 8.
The first quarter would be all Vancouver as they would rally off four goals and hold the Rochester Knighthawks to just one score. Getting things started for the Stealth would be Justin Salt finding the back of the net at 2:12 putting the Stealth up 1-0. The Stealth would then go up by two as Corey Small would beat Rochester’s goalie Matt Vinc nearly after five minutes of play at 6:59 giving the Stealth a 2-0 lead. Rochester would answer back at the 9:55 mark from Josh Currier for his first of the night making it 2-1. Vancouver’s Salt and Small would net there second goals of the night at 10:47 and 14:57 giving the Stealth a 4-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter would have the Knighthawks coming out and striking first as they would tally two in the first two minutes of play. Rochester’s Brad Gillies would score 51 seconds; followed up by Kyle Jackson at the 2:04 mark pulling Rochester within one making it 4-3. Vancouver’s Small would then net the hat-trick on the night at 3:26 making it 5-3. The Stealth notched another one in the quarter as James Rahe would find the back of the net at 5:53 putting Vancouver up by three 6-3. Rochester netted the final goal off Cory Vitarelli at 8:10 bringing Rochester to within two. Score at the end of the first half: Stealth 6—Knighthawks 4.
The third quarter would see both team’s defense and goalies limit the others offenses scoring as the teams combined would only net three goals. Rochester’s rookie sensation Kyle Jackson would get the scoring started at the 1:16 mark making it 6-5. Vancouver would finally find a hole in the Knighthawks defense as Small would net his fourth of the night for the Stealth at 1:50 making it 7-5. Rochester’s Joe Resetarits netted the last goal of the quarter at 9:50 making it 7-6 heading into the fourth quarter.
Rochester would take control of the fourth as they would rally off six, holding the Stealth to only one. Rochester’s Currier would get things started as he would net his second of the night at 1:45 tying it up 7-7. The Knighthawks would then get a power-play opportunity and made the most of it as Resetarits would net his second of the night at 7:13 giving Rochester its’ first lead of the night 8-7. Vancouver tied it up once again as the Stealth’s Rahe would find the back of the net at 12:19 making it 8-8. However, Rochester would go on a four goal run, shutting down Vancouver for the remainder of the contest. It would be Gillies netting his second of the night unassisted at 12:27; followed up by Currier netting a hat-trick at 13:19 putting Rochester up by two, 10-8. Vancouver tried pulling goalie Tye Belanger for the extra attacker opportunity but it backfired as the Knighthawks took advantage of an empty net opportunity. Adam Bomberry at 14:23; and Dylan Evans at 14:58 capitalized on the empty twine, giving Rochester a 12-8 win.
The Rochester Knighthawks look to build on this must needed win over Vancouver as they currently sit in last place in their division.
The Knighthawks (3-6) have a home and home weekend against the Bandits, when they head to Buffalo on Friday March 3rd and then back to Rochester on Saturday March 4th, as they take on the also struggling Buffalo Bandits (3-5).
Chris Crane, Beat Writer Rochester Knighthawks
Lacrosse is Awesome