Knighthawks Headed to East Division Finals

Published on May 5, 2018 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release

Rochester Knighthawks Goalkeeper Matt Vinc stops a New England Black Wolves' shot
(Rochester Knighthawks)

Rochester, who was playing in its first postseason game since 2015, was led by several players who were making their professional playoff debuts. Kyle Jackson registered a three-point night (2+1), while Austin Shanks scored three of Rochester's first four goals as part of a four-goal performance.

"It was awesome. It takes the monkey off our back," said Shanks. "They swept us during the regular season, so it was nice to come out here in the playoffs, when it matters, and take that 'W.'"

Despite the heroics of Shanks, it was Brad Gillies who stole the spotlight on Friday, posting his first pro hat trick in his postseason debut. It was his third goal of the night that proved to be one of the turning points of the game. With Rochester leading 12-10 early in the fourth quarter, he picked off a pass and scored on a breakaway to put the Knighthawks in control of the game for good.

All in all, it was a perfect night for Gillies, who played his college lacrosse at RIT. He said his goal and the victory felt amazing since it happened in front of 5,263 passionate fans at Connors & Ferris Field at The Blue Cross Arena.

"The crowd was electric tonight," he said. "To do that in front of them was a great feeling."

Rochester never trailed as it jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first quarter. In the second the Knighthawks scored six unanswered goals to take a commanding 11-4 advantage into halftime. Joe Resetarits, who finished with a team-high six points, scored one of his two goals and added two assists during that run.

Despite New England's attempt at a comeback in the second half, Rochester's defense did its job, and goaltender Matt Vinc made some spectacular saves. Vinc, who finished the game with 49 stops, passed NLL Hall of Famer Dallas Eliuk for second on the NLL's all-time playoff saves list.

"It's just great to be back in the playoffs," said Vinc, downplaying his milestone. "That's why we play. We established something when I first got here in Rochester. The norm was being in the playoffs, and we got away from that. With all those individual records, it's all about wins and losses."

Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen was very pleased with his team's ability to close out the game.

"It's been a process all year long for us," he said. "We took a deep breath in the fourth quarter and started playing smart lacrosse."

Rochester will continue its quest for a sixth championship when it travels to play the Georgia Swarm in the East Division Finals on Saturday, May 12 at 7:05 p.m.

Rochester Knighthawks Goalkeeper Matt Vinc stops a New England Black Wolves' shot

National Lacrosse League Stories from May 5, 2018

• Knighthawks Headed to East Division Finals - Rochester Knighthawks

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.

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