NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks Locking in on Stealth Saturday

February 8, 2016 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


The Rochester Knighthawks will try to ground the Vancouver Stealth when they collide on Saturday, Feb. 13th at Connors & Ferris Field at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:30 p.m. contest concludes Rochester's three-game homestand.

Rochester heads into the game after a bye weekend in which it moved to within a half game of first place in the East Division, following loses by New England and Georgia. The Knighthawks, who are currently tied for third in the East with a 2-2 record, have won two of their last three games. Veteran defenseman Scott Campbell said Rochester has to get back to basics in order to duplicate the effort it had in back-to-back wins over Toronto.

"We need to tighten up our 'D' and dictate the pace of play again," said Campbell.

The Knighthawks will host the Stealth (2-3) for the first and only time this season. The contest kicks off a two-game in seven-day stretch against West Division opponents, as the Knighthawks travel to play the Saskatchewan Rush on Friday, Feb. 19th.

Rochester, who last played on Jan. 30th, received reinforcements on defense prior to its last game as it welcomed back defensemen Brad Self and Dylan Evans. Against the Georgia Swarm, Self posted one assist, 10 loose balls and forced two turnovers, while Evans collected nine loose balls and 15 faceoff wins in his 2016 debut.

"It felt great to be back," said Evans. "I realized recently I don't enjoy watching the game (from the stands) as much as I thought. It was good to be back out there."

In their last contest, assistant captain Mike Kirk, forward Craig Point and defenseman Adam Bomberry all reached milestones. Kirk, who broke into the NLL in 2007, played in his 150th game as a pro. Point reached 250 points in his Knighthawks career after leading the team with three goals and two assists on Jan. 30th. Rookie Adam Bomberry also notched a historic point, scoring his first pro goal in the second quarter to jumpstart the Knighthawks' offense.

"It definitely feels good to get the first one out of the way," said the Knighthawks' former second-round pick. "I am just going to do whatever I can to help the team succeed."

This weekend, goalie Matt Vinc can also reach a milestone. "Vno," who has tended goal in Rochester since 2011, is one win away from 50 in his Knighthawks career. The St. Catharines, Ontario native is once again near the top of the NLL goaltending charts in a pair of categories. The five-time NLL Goaltender of the year is third in goals-against average (10.25) and tied for fourth in save percentage (.773).

After Saturday's game, the Knighthawks will embark on their longest road of the season. Rochester will play four straight road games from Feb. 19th to March 11th and make stops in Saskatoon, Toronto, Calgary and Buffalo. With the four-game road trip looming, the game against Vancouver has become even more important.

"We need to take care of business at home for sure. It's a big game against an opponent who has done well on the road," said Kirk. "They are coming off a big win against a very strong Colorado team, so we need to be firing on all cylinders Saturday night."

The game will be broadcast on 107.3 The Bull, with the pregame show starting at 7:15 p.m. Fans can listen to the contest on their mobile devices and computers by downloading the iHeartRadio app at iHeartRadio.com. The game will also be carried live on FOX Sports GO.

Check out the Rochester Knighthawks Statistics

• Discuss this story on the National Lacrosse League message board...

National Lacrosse League Stories from February 8, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central