Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Jonathan Tenca
The Rochester Knighthawks (6-9) would host the New York Riptide (8-8) on Saturday April 6, 2024, at Blue Cross Arena in a game that could have major playoff implications for both teams. With a win, the Knighthawks would move into the 8th spot as they held the tie breakers over both Calgary and Panther City who both had (7-8) records. Doug Buchan would be in net for the Knighthawks getting his first start since 2019 when he was with the Philadelphia Wings. Three milestones would happen tonight as well. Jeff Teat would become the first player in the NLL to reach 50 goals this season; Connor Kearnan would notch his 100th career goal; and Connor Fields would notch his 100th point making him only the second American born player in the NLL to put up back to back 100 point seasons, the other being Joe Resetarits. Rochester would be shut out in the third, down by six goals and would make a late comeback scoring three unanswered goals to start the fourth, This would get them within two with 5:19 left in the contest, but New York would put up three more at the end which included two empty netters to come away with the win. Final Score: Riptide 14—Knighthawks 9.
New York got it going four minutes in when Jeff Teat (4g, 5a) was left all alone, stepped down and fired a side arm shot glove side to get them on the board 1-0. The teams would head up and down the floor for a couple before the Knighthawks would tie it up. Connor Fields (1g, 3a) got the cross-field pass from Curtis Knight, caught it up high to bury it up close and tight with 5:45 off the clock and it was 1-1. They’d take the lead 7:57 into the frame. Turner Evans had a beautiful feed to Kyle Waters (2g, 2a) in the slot and he used a quick stick five-hole, and it was 2-1. It took another four minutes for the next point to go up on the board. Teat had a nice BTB feed to Reilly O’Connor on the run and he would finish down low with 4:01 to go and it was tied at 2’s. The Riptide would put up the final tally in the frame with 3:30 left in the first. Teat fed to Larson Sundown (1g, 2a) who pealed off the screen, went to the cage and he found the far side top corner giving them the lead. Score at the end of one: Riptide 3—Knighthawks 2.
The second got off to a slow start just like the first. This time the goal came courtesy of Rochester. Ryan Smith (2g) got the cross-crease pass, headed to the cage, pump faked and put it over the shoulder of Cameron Dunkerly (49 saves) for the equalizer 4:09 in. After the ensuing face-off play would continue, but Riptide Bench Boss Dan Ladouceur had thrown a challenge flag on the goal. The teams played on for about 90 seconds before the men in stripes stopped the play, picked up the flag and headed to the Riptide bench. Their call was that Ladouceur had waited too long to throw the flag and it worked out better for New York as the goal was good. Shortly thereafter, Ryan Lanchbury (3g, 2a) used a beautiful screen, found the wide-open lane, fired and scored with 6:00 off the ticker for the final lead Rochester would have in the game 4-3. That was it for the ‘Hawks until the fourth as the Riptide would go on a seven-goal run through the third. With 3:11 in the half, Dunkerly fired an outlet pass to Teat on the run and he fired a bouncer shot five-hole for the equalizer 4-4. The next goal by Teat would be his 50th goal of the season making him the first player in the NLL to achieve the milestone. Teat stopped in his tracks, backed up a couple feet and fired a side arm shot with 1:06 to go. Score at the end of two: Riptide 5—Knighthawks 4.
The Riptide would control the third while shutting down the Knighthawks in the process. Stephan Keough (3g, 2a) was out in front with his back to the cage, flipped the ball between his legs and hit the top corner for a Sports Center highlight goal just 1:13 in and it was 6-4. He’d put another up at the 3:58 mark when he used his defenseman as a screen, fired around the defender and found the bottom corner 7-4 Riptide. Kevin Brownell (1g, 1a) was the next to find twine. On the give and go, he fired from up top and bounced it in bottom corner 6:54 in to double up the ‘Hawks. Up to this point in the game, there had been no penalties until the next goal. Kiel Matisz would feed to O’Connor, and he used a quick stick shot to put it top cheese and it was 9-4. That’s when mayhem broke loose. Players from both sides had dance partners as the fights broke out with 6:43 left in the frame. Four players, two from each side would head to the sin bin, Biles & Witty for Rochester and Teat & Clark for New York. Rochester would get hit with double dead ball fouls while New York combined for one two-minute dead ball foul giving them the 5 on 3 for two minutes. After the men in stripes finished handing out penalties, Rylan Hartley would head to the cage for Rochester. It turned out to be short lived as it only took 20 seconds for New York to score. Hartley came out of the cage, was behind the net and Keogh was in the right place at the right time, got he errant pass and put it into the empty net and it was 10-4. Keogh’s next goal would be challenged by Rochester, and they’d win the call keeping them within five. Then Thomas McConvey would put one in with 2:45 left, but the Riptide would throw their challenge flag and after two separate looks by the head referee, the call did not change, and it was called “No Goal”. At the end of three: Riptide 10—Knighthawks 4.
The fourth quarter would see Rochester make a comeback. While the action was going on, Dunkerly came out from his cage thinking the play was over, Knight picked up the loose ball from out in front, Dunkerly stood up and the shot went right past him just 2:12 in and it was 10-5. Two and a half later, Knight was on the move, got a nice screen, faked the initial shot, got past his defender and fired it past Dunkerly. But New York would throw their second and final challenge flag and this one was overturned as well although the review took extra time, and the score would remain 10-5. But 50 seconds later, Fields flipped a BTB pass to Waters and he buried it near side.
The assist gave Connor Fields his 100th point of the season making him the second player in NLL history to have back-to-back 100-point seasons, along with Joe Resetarits former Knighthawks teammate and it was 10-6. At the halfway point in the final frame, McConvey would get his shot blocked, Lanchbury picked up the loose ball out in front and fired it over the shoulder and the ‘Hawks were within three 10-7. With 7:27 left in the game, Rochester would go on their first power play opportunity on the night. While they were on the Riptide side of the floor, they’d turn the ball over, Mitch Wilde (1g) scooped the loose ball, screamed down the sideline all alone, faked high and went low for a shorthanded goal to make 11-7. Rochester would end up putting up two more, the first a power play tally. Smith got the feed from Fields; he faked right and went left over the hip of Dunkerly with 5:49 left in the fourth 11-8 still in favor of New York. It took just 31 seconds for the next tally to go up on the scoreboard. Lanchbury turned the corner, fired and scored up top to get them to within two 11-9 and plenty of time left. But the Knighthawks scoring woes would get the best of them. Connor Kearnan (1g, 1a) got the feed in tight, split the defenders and pinged the top corner for his 100th career goal with 3:17 left 12-9 Riptide. The last two came off empty netters as Rochester tried to go with the extra man for the remainder of the contest. Damon Edwards (1g) scooped the loosie off the rebound, headed down the floor and bounced it into the net with 1:15 to go for a four-goal lead 13-9. The final tally came from Teat with 17.4 seconds left on another empty netter and that was it. Final Score: Riptide 14—Knighthawks 9.
Rochester needed this win tonight to move them into the eighth spot in the league and possible play off contention. With this loss, they must now win the remaining three games along with some other teams losing theirs.
Stars of the Game:
Jeff Teat—New York Riptide: 4g, 5a
Stephan Keogh—New York Riptide: 3g, 2a
Ryan Lanchbury—Rochester Knighthawks: 3g, 2a
FINAL STATS:
New York Riptide: SOG 49; Saves 49; Sv% .845%; FO 13-28; PP 1-3; PIM 6
Rochester Knighthawks: SOG 58; Saves 35; Sv% .714%; FO 15-28; PP 1-1; PIM 10
NEXT UP:
The Rochester Knighthawks (6-9) will head north to Hamilton, Ontario to face the league leading Toronto Rock (13-3) at FirstOntario Centre on Saturday April 13, 2024, game time 7:30 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA get to see the game on ESPN+. This is the Game of the Week for fans in Canada get to see the action on TSN or TSN+.
The New York Riptide (8-8) will head north of the board to the west coast to face the Vancouver Warriors (7-9) at Rogers Arena on Saturday April 13, 2024, game time 10:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada get to catch the action on TSN+.
Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©