Knighthawks Drop Regular Season Finale to Rock

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NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks Drop Regular Season Finale to Rock

April 19, 2025 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


(Rochester, NY) - The Rochester Knighthawks (10-8) posted 65 shots on net, but fell a goal shy in their regular season finale, dropping an 11-10 final to the Toronto Rock (6-12) Saturday night at Segar and Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena.

Ryan Lanchbury (1+5) was one of seven goal-scorers and led the way with six points, while Connor Fields (2+2), Ryan Smith (2+2), Thomas McConvey (2+0), Graydon Hogg (1+0), Chad Tutton (1+0), and Matt Gilray (1+0) factored in on the scoring.

Rylan Hartley played his ninth game of the season, making 41 saves in what was only his second loss of the season. On the other side, Troy Holowchuk dazzled in goal with 55 saves to guide Toronto to the win.

FIRST QUARTER

Rochester wasted little time, opening the scoring 17 seconds into the contest.

Fields corralled a pass on the right-wing dished across the floor from Lanchbury, then shelved it past the shoulders of Holowchuk for an early 1-0 lead.

Challen Rogers evened the game for the Rock over a minute into the quarter on a penalty shot, dancing his way to the top of the crease before getting the ball past Hartley.

Chris Boushy scored to get Toronto its first lead of the night with a power-play conversion, but Hogg responded for the 'Hawks to knot it back up just over three minutes later.

Boushy and Toronto's special teams continued finding success in the opening quarter, with the sixth-year pro scoring twice more, completing a hat trick while subsequently reaching 40 goals on the season, nabbing the Rock a 4-2 lead through the opening 15 minutes.

SECOND QUARTER

Rogers continued Toronto's run, firing a shot down the middle under a minute into the quarter, extending the Rock lead to three goals.

Smith ended the stretch with his 48th goal of the season on a power-play. The fourth-year Knighthawk received a pass on the backside of the net, burying the ball behind Holowchuk, making it 5-3.

The deficit was cut to one when Smith slung the ball over to McConvey on the left side, who faked a shot to make Holowchuk bite, opening the target for the former first overall pick from a year ago to score his 30th goal of the season.

Latrell Harris scored to keep Rochester at bay, with the Rock defenseman trickling a ball that went five-hole on Hartley for the 6-4 edge, before Tutton cut the advantage in half, winding up for a shot that developed in transition. Tutton wired it to the top of the goal to cash in.

Toronto's leading goal-scorer and second-generation talent Josh Dawick scored with 1:11 to go in the half to regain the two-goal advantage for the visitors entering halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

Dawick continued the scoring 58 seconds into the second half, solving Hartley for the 8-5 lead.

McConvey got the 'Hawks on the board in the second half with his second goal of the game, blasting an over-the-shoulder shot to get Rochester within two goals.

Smith scored to follow, marking just the second time to that point in the game that the Knighthawks scored consecutive goals.

Gilray added to the run, tying the game 8-8 as the team's alternate captain streaked down the floor before tucking the ball past Holowchuk, however, a late Rock goal allowed Toronto to regain the lead.

FOURTH QUARTER

Toronto tacked on another goal, but Fields quickly pulled the Knighthawks back within one.

Holowchuk had the ball in his stick, but on an attempted clear, Fields picked the ball off, staring at a yawning net to make it 10-9.

The back and forth continued on as the Rock refused to let the 'Hawks crawl back, with Brian Cameron scoring to post the 11-9 Toronto lead.

With the net empty, Fields scooped a loose ball to then find Lanchbury through traffic to score, making it a one-goal contest, though Holowchuk turned the remaining shots faced away to secure Toronto's win.

UP NEXT

For a third straight season, the Knighthawks are playoff bound and will await the completion of the regular season to determine who they will meet in the opening round of the 2025 NLL Playoffs.

--@RocKnighthawks--

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