Christopher Crane, Rochester Knighthawks Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Jonathan Tenca
In a nail-biting showdown between two teams fighting for a top spot in the 2024-25 playoff picture, the Rochester Knighthawks (9-7) pulled off a dramatic 14-13 victory over the San Diego Seals (8-7) on Saturday March 29, 2025, at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena. Rochester appeared to be in control after building a commanding 12-6 lead midway through the third quarter. However, San Diego stormed back with a relentless push, netting seven of the next eight goals to knot the game at 13. With just 11 seconds remaining, Ryan Smith delivered in the clutch, scoring the game-winner straight out of a timeout to complete a five-goal night to keep Rochester’s winning streak alive heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Smith’s offensive explosion marked his second five-goal game of the season, adding an assist to his tally. Ryan Lanchbury paced the Knighthawks with a team-high seven points (1+6), while Connor Fields (3+2) hit a career milestone by surpassing 200 goals. Lanchbury also reached two significant career marks—200 points and 150 assists—before eclipsing 100 points in a season for the first time. Head Coach Mike Hasen made history of his own, moving into third place on the NLL’s all-time coaching leaderboard by surpassing Paul Day with his 238th game behind the bench.
Goaltender Rylan Hartley turned aside 40 shots, earning his fifth win in seven games since his return from injury on February 1. Supporting Rochester’s offensive charge, Thomas McConvey (2+3), Taylor Jensen (1+2), Graydon Hogg (0+2), and Curtis Knight (0+2) all contributed multi-point efforts. Rochester has now scored 82 goals over its five-game win streak.
First quarter would see San Diego strike first, with Zach Currier (1 + 4) scoring just 52 seconds into the game for his 14th tally of the season. Rochester quickly seized momentum, answering with three straight goals from Josh Medeiros (1g), McConvey, and Kyle Waters (1g). The teams exchanged goals in the final stretch of the quarter, including Wesley Berg’s (2 + 3) power-play score, before Smith closed out the frame with his first of the night, putting Rochester up 5-3.
Fields wasted no time in the second, scoring just 22 seconds in to extend Rochester’s lead 6-3. Shortly thereafter, the Knighthawks suffered a setback when defenseman Ryland Rees exited after a collision with Trevor Baptiste. Smith continued to have a dominant night, reaching 40 goals on the season with a doorstep finish following a defensive effort by Hogg. Two minutes later, Smith completed his hat trick on the power play, his seventh of the season before San Diego’s Tre LeClaire(4g) broke a 12-minute scoring drought. Fields would add another against his former team, but the Seals would respond late with 27 seconds left in the half, trimming the deficit to 9-5 before halftime.
Rochester kept rolling into the third as Smith and Fields each found the net early in the second half. LeClaire would complete his hat trick for San Diego off an assist from Seals goaltender Chris Origlieri, who notched his second helper of the game. The Knighthawks extended their lead to 12-6 when Jensen scored his first goal since January 4. However, San Diego would answer back in a big way, erupting for three goals in a span of just 55 seconds. After Jake Govett’s second goal in two minutes, Rochester would make a goaltending change, pulling Hartley for Riley Hutchcraft, but Hartley would later return to finish the game. McConvey briefly stalled San Diego’s momentum with his second goal of the night, but the Seals would respond quickly, cutting the deficit to 13-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
Both teams tightened up defensively heading into the final quarter where goals were hard to come by. Berg would strike for his second of the game 1:58 in and killed off a crucial penalty before Govett buried a shorthanded goal to tie it at 13 with 6:06 remaining. For nearly six minutes, the game remained deadlocked until Smith delivered the knockout punch with 11 seconds remaining by beating San Diego’s goaltender for a top left corner tally sealing Rochester’s third home win of the season. Final Score: Knighthawks 14—Seals 13.
GAME STATS:
San Diego Seals—SOG 53; Saves 46; Sv% .767; FO 18-31; PP 2-3; PIM 6
Rochester Knighthawks—SOG 60; Saves 40; Sv% .755; FO 13-31; PP 1-3; PIM 6
NEXT UP:
The Rochester Knighthawks (9-7) will look to keep their momentum rolling next Saturday, April 5, 2025, when they host the Ottawa Black Bears (7-8) at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena, game time 7:00 p.m. Rochester dominated the Black Bears in their last meeting, an 18-8 rout earlier this month at the Canadian Tire Centre and are looking to sweep the series. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+, while fans in Canada get to catch the action on TSN+. The game will also be televised on NLL+.
The San Diego Seals (8-7) will head east to face the Halifax Thunderbirds (9-6) at Scotiabank Centre in Nova Scotia on Saturday April 5, 2025, game time 6:00 p.m. EST. Both teams are coming off losses and will be looking for the “W” to hold their spots in the Upper 8 for the playoffs. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+, while fans in Canada get to catch the action on TSN+. The game will also be televised on NLL+.
Christopher Crane, Rochester Knighthawks Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©