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 Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks' Preseason Finale Sunday

December 11, 2014 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


The Rochester Knighthawks will wrap up their National Lacrosse League preseason schedule on Sunday, December 14th with a 2:00 p.m. game at the Bell Centre in Montreal against the Toronto Rock. The contest will be broadcast on 105.5 The Team and online at theteam.fm.

The game is one last opportunity for the players to impress the coaches before the roster is finalized next week.

"This Sunday will be the last chance to get as much information we can about each player," said Knighthawks Head Coach Mike Hasen. "We will see how they will react and if they can make it."

The Knighthawks will hit the road after hosting the Minnesota Swarm on December 6th. Joe Walters and Dan Dawson led the way with five-point performances (2+3), while Jordan Hall chipped in two goals. Cody Jamieson (1+1), Craig Point (0+2) and Gavin Prout (0+3) also contributed with multiple-point efforts. Rookie Chris Attwood netted the other Rochester goal in the first NLL game of his career.

The game is a homecoming for Knighthawk Angus Goodleaf. The veteran goalie will play close to his home community of Kahnawake, which is a 15-minute drive from Montreal. He enters the 2015 season after posting a 2-1 mark and a team single-season record .840 save percentage last year.

"Just knowing that half the people in the building will be from Kahnawake makes the game a little more interesting," he said. "It should be a lot of fun."

The trip to Montreal also has special significance for Dan and Paul Dawson, who made their Knighthawks debuts in Montreal in 2012 after a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Wings. Two years later, they are back in Montreal with Rochester as the owners of two NLL Championship rings.

"It has definitely been a fun two years. In sports, fun at the professional level is associated with winning. I can honestly say that these have been two of my best years in the NLL because we have had the opportunity to hoist two Champion's Cups," said Dan Dawson. "It has been a great journey, and we have a great team and a great family within the organization."

Rochester returns to Montreal to play the Rock for the second time in three seasons. Toronto enters the contest after dropping a 14-5 preseason decision to the Calgary Roughnecks last Saturday at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. Mike Burke led Toronto with two goals, while Jimmy Purves, Brandon Benn and Scott Johnston all added single tallies. Steve Fryer played the first half and allowed 11 goals, while Nick Rose yielded just three goals in the second half. The game on Sunday is the second of three preseason tests for the Rock. Toronto will host the New England Black Wolves in a scrimmage game on Saturday, December 20th at the TRAC in Oakville.

Rochester and Toronto will next meet during the NLL Face Off Weekend, as the teams kick off the league's 29th season. Rochester will usher in its 21st season on Saturday, January 3rd, as it hosts the Rock at 7:30 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena. Sunday is the Knighthawks' last preseason tilt before the start of the regular season, which makes the contest even more important.

"We are preparing for this weekend like it is January 3rd," said Hasen. "We have to focus on what we need to do and make sure we come out with a good effort."


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