NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Craig Point On Target This Season With The Knighthawks

Published on February 27, 2010 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


Rochester Knighthawks forward Craig Point makes his living working in high places as an ironworker. This season he finds himself in a similar position with the Knighthawks, soaring to the top of the points list.

Point, 24, is third in points on a Knighthawks team that also includes superstars John Grant Jr., Gary Gait, Shawn Williams and Shawn Evans. It has been quite a turnaround from what many observers deemed a sophomore slump last year. The 2008 National Lacrosse League Rookie of the Year has equaled his Rochester goal total from last year after just eight games. In 2009, he managed 17 goals in 10 games with Rochester for a season total of 19 goals in 14 games. Point notched two goals in four games with Minnesota before coming to Rochester in a trade. This season, Point is on pace to score 34 goals, which would shatter that mark and surpass his career-high of 27 set in 2008.

The difference, according to the soft-spoken forward, has been his work off the field after a disappointing 2009 campaign. His numbers bear that out as he has recorded 17 goals, seven assists, 48 loose balls and a team-high 63 faceoff wins.

"I came into camp more in shape than last year," said the Six Nations product. "I am focused on the NLL and winning a championship."

Point refocused after last season and began a strict workout regime that he continues to this day. He tried to recapture the effort that helped him win the 2007 Minto Cup with the Six Nations Arrows of the Junior "A" Ontario Lacrosse Association. He was highly-touted out of Six Nations as he recorded 188 points (139+105) in 81 games in four seasons with Six Nations (2004-07) and won four straight Ontario Championships. It was now up to Point to show people that he could still be an elite scorer in the NLL.

"After last year, a lot of people were telling me I was slow. I carried that with me in the summer and summer ball," said Point about the words that served as motivation. "I carried that into the winter and tryouts. I felt a lot better and upped the tempo with my trainer. That helped me out and I have stuck with it and am still going with it now."

The third-year pro has seen that hard work pays off with three four-goal games this season. Head Coach Paul Gait has noticed the resurgence of Point and before the last home game said that the team "needed to find a way to get him the ball more." That game plan translated into a four-goal effort in an 11-9 win over the Boston Blazers on February 13th.

As Rochester prepares for tonight's 7:35 p.m. game against the Edmonton Rush, Point is riding a five-game goal-scoring streak. Yet, when asked about his goal-scoring ability he shied away from the attention.

"They have been falling more this year," he said. "I am not looking to score goals just to up my points. I don't want to be cocky. I am a team player."

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National Lacrosse League Stories from February 27, 2010


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