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Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks Grounded in 13-6 Loss to Rock

April 13, 2024 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


(Toronto, ON) - The Rochester Knighthawks (6-10) went on a four-goal run to start the second half, but a dominant opening 30 minutes from the top-ranked Toronto Rock (14-3) was ultimately too much to overcome in what became a 13-6 loss Saturday night at FirstOntario Centre.

GAME SUMMARY | PHOTO GALLERY | GAME HIGHLIGHTS

With the decision, Rochester has now lost four straight and sits at 6-10 on the year entering the final week of the 2023-24 National Lacrosse League season while Toronto improved to 14-3 on the year, securing the top seed in the NLL's new unified standings format.

Rylan Hartley spent the bulk of the game in goal for Rochester, seeing an admirable return to the crease with a 23-save performance, surrendering just three goals. Riley Hutchcraft made 28 saves through 28 minutes of work against his former team while Nick Rose played all 60 minutes for Toronto, turning away 44 of 50 Knighthawks shots to pick up his league-leading 14th win of the season.

Six different 'Hawks scored goals and nine found their way onto the stat sheet. Connor Fields got the first goal for Rochester and finished with a three-point game (1+2). Ryan Smith (1+1) and Kyle Waters (1+1) each converted, while secondary scoring was provided by Dan Lomas, Ethan O' Connor, and Brad Gillies. Ryan Lanchbury finished with a team-high three assists, with Turner Evans and Matt Gilray each logging an assist as well.

Fields' goal was his team-leading 45th of the season, coming 12:17 into the first quarter. With Rochester on the power-play, Fields danced to the right side of the floor, cutting in toward the Toronto goal before firing the ball past Rose. The conversion ended a four-goal run that opened the game for Toronto, but power-plays proved to be a difference maker in the second quarter.

The Rock pounced with four power-play tallies in the second, a quarter in which they scored all five goals to carry a 10-1 lead into halftime. Chris Boushy, who led the Rock with four goals, scored three in the opening half and two in the second quarter, with his last coming on the man-advantage. Corey Small also put up a hat trick with two of his coming on special teams.

The scoring lowered as Hartley emerged from the bench. Rochester's netminder made a number of stellar saves to start the second half, prompting his teammates to attempt a comeback that saw a valiant effort.

Waters and Smith scored late in the third just 48 seconds apart, then Lomas and O'Connor helped pull within five of the Rock in the fourth quarter. Lomas had a highlight reel play, maneuvering atop the Toronto crease before throwing a backwards underhand shot by Rose, making it 10-4 before O'Connor made it five for Rochester.

Veteran Tom Schrieber would be the first to solve Hartley, doing so 8:04 into the fourth after Hartley had stopped each shot he faced over his first 20-plus minutes in goal.

Gillies responded 39 seconds later for the Knighthawks, but a pair of empty netters for Toronto in the final minute would seal the deal for the 13-6 final.

Rochester will go on to play two games in the final three days of the regular season, beginning Friday, April 19 in Georgia against the Swarm (10-7). The team will then venture back to the Flower City to host Philadelphia (6-11) in the team's regular-season finale at Segar and Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena Sunday afternoon.

--@RocKnighthawks--

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