Christoper Crane, Rochester Knighthawks Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Micheline Veluvolu
Opening weekend of the National Lacrosse League is finally here, with the Rochester Knighthawks playing host to the Calgary Roughnecks at Blue Cross Arena. In just only their third meeting between the two teams, Rochester led the series 2-1. Which brings us to the fact that this year the NLL has decided to do away with the East and West Divisions and adopt a Unified Standings Format; meaning every team is in a race for the top eight spots for a chance at the championship. With every game it counts that much more for a post-season bid. Final Score: Knighthawks 14—Roughnecks 13.
At the start of the first period fans would see both teams run a very paced tempo and it was just a matter of time before either side would find the back of the net. It would be Rochester’s Connor Fields (4g, 2a) breaking the ice at 10:39 to put the Knighthawks up 1-0. Calgary would then go on a four-goal run with Haiden Dickson (3g) netting his first of the night for the Roughnecks just 30 seconds after Rochester’s goal to make it a 1-1 game. The Roughnecks would then make it a 2-1 game on a Tyler Pace (3g, 3a) goal just 14 seconds later at 9:55. Calgary’s next two scores would come from Dan Taylor (1g, 3a) and Shane Simpson (1g) and they were up 4-1 at the 7:18 mark. The teams would trade goals in the remaining five minutes of the frame. Ryan Smith (3g, 3a) would notch a tally at 5:10 to make it 4-2. Calgary’s Harrison Matsuoka (1g) would fire one in with 4:33 remaining and it was 5-2. Both teams would go back to a track relay team type tempo before Fields would net his second of the night at 1:25 making it a 5-3 game. However, Calgary’s Jesse King (1g, 6a) was able to sneak one last score in in the closing seconds of the period to make it a 6-3 game at the end of the first.
The Roughnecks would pick up where they left off in the first tallying the first two scores in the second. The first score that hit the net came from former Knighthawks Thomas Hoggarth (1g, 1a) at 13:57; and Pace netting hit second 24 seconds later to make it an 8-3 game. Rochester’s Bench Boss Mike Hasen would then make a goalie change from Ryan Hartley to Riley Hutchcraft which would stay that way for the remainder of the game. It took seven minutes for Rochester to answer back with two scores of their own to cut into Calgary’s lead. Tallying scores for Rochester would be Smith at 6:33 and teammate Mitch Ogilvie (1g) on an odd man rush and he’d find the back of the net at 4:43 to make it an 8-5 game. Unfortunately, the Roughnecks would close out the second period with two more tallies. Tanner Cook (1g, 3a) and Dickson making it a 10-5 game going into the half.
Rochester came out in the third with fire in their eyes and it was all Knighthawks as they’d shut out Calgary in the frame. They shut down the Roughnecks transition game and, they’d tally five scores which allowed them to make it a 10-10 game at the end of the third period. Getting things started for Rochester would be Kyle Waters (1g, 3a) who would notch his first goal as a Knighthawks. Fans would see then see Ryland Rees (1g, 1a) find the back of the net and Fields notching his hat trick at the 7:40 mark of the period. Rounding out the scoring was Turner Evans (1g, 2a) on a power play goal at 1:53; and just 20 seconds later, Matt Gilray (2g, 1a) who grabbed a long outlet pass over the heads of the Roughnecks defense was out in front and he bounced it past Del Bianco to tie the game at 10-10. Rochester was now in position to take the lead for the first time since the opening faceoff.
Fourth period would have the Knighthawks do just that and they would take a 13-10 lead over Calgary extending their 5-0 run in the previous period to an 8-0 run in the fourth. The first tally of the frame came from Smith who, from behind the net went airborne and got the ball in over the shoulder of Del Biance only 50 seconds into the frame, giving him a hattrick. Teammate Gilray would net his second of the night at the 13:49 mark making it a 12-10 game. Rochester’s Austin Hasen (1g, 4a) would tally his first of the night to make it a 13-10 game at the 11:28 mark of the period. But Calgary wasn’t going away that easy as they would capitalize on a power play opportunity to make it 13-11 on a tally from Pace giving him a hat trick on the night. Three minutes later, Roughnecks Josh Currier (1g, 2a) would notch his first of the season to a 13-12 game at the 6:53 mark of the period. The Knighthawks defense was stellar over the next four minutes, not allowing Calgary to find the net although they tried with the pipe becoming their worst enemy. Rochester was able to break through Del Bianco for one final tally and get a little bit of a cushion with Fields netting his fourth of the night at 2:49 putting them up by two 14-12. The Roughnecks would try to find the net and got a few shot clock resets and finally with 50 seconds left, Dickson was able to sneak one in but unfortunately wouldn’t be enough with Rochester holding on to win 14-13.
Riley Hutchcraft would get his first NLL Career win closing out the night with 28 saves and 5 goals against.
The Knighthawks would outshoot the Roughnecks 64-47 and also held them scoreless for almost 27 minutes in the second half. They’d see eight different goal scorers; and see Fields and Smith both notching hat tricks.
Riley Hutchcraft Post Game Interview 12/2/23
NEXT UP:
The Rochester Knighthawks (1-0) will head out on the road to face the Saskatchewan Rush (0-1) at Sasktel Centre on Saturday December 9, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can catch the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the action on TSN+.
The Calgary Roughnecks (0-1) will head out on the roach again when they travel to Pechanga Arena to face the San Diego Seals (0-0) for their season opener on Saturday December 9, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can catch the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the action on TSN+.
Christoper Crane, Rochester Knighthawks Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©