NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks Host Minnesota in Saturday Night Showdown

Published on February 12, 2011 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Knighthawks three-game homestand ends tonight as one of the top teams in the West Division, the Minnesota Swarm, will buzz into town for a 7:35 p.m. showdown with the K-Hawks. The first 3,000 fans that night will take home a Cody Jamieson bobblehead.

Prior to the game, fans can meet Knighthawks Hall of Famer Randy Mearns will join Webster native and former Knighthawk Pat Dutton, former K-Hawk and Nazareth College star Jake Coon and former Knighthawk and Hobart star Bill Warder as part of the team's Legends Series. The game will be broadcast on 94.1 The Zone and thezone941.com.

The Knighthawks (3-2), who are in the midst of a three-game homestand, are in a tie for second place in the East Division. Rochester is coming off its biggest victory of the season, an 11-6 win over the Philadelphia Wings last Saturday. Shawn Evans led the way with 10 points (1+9), while Jordan Hall notched four points (3+1) in his Knighthawks debut. Evans was rewarded with NLL Player of the Week honors and Hall earned Transition Player of the Week. Goalie Matt Vinc made 33 saves as Rochester won for the first time at home this season. Evans leads the Knighthawks with 25 points and is tied for eighth in the NLL with 18 assists. He also passed Duane Jacobs for fourth all-time on the Knighthawks' assist list. Cody Jamieson chipped in one goal and two assists en route to Rookie of the Week status. He currently leads all rookies in points with 18 (13+5). Pat McCready was named a starter for the East Division All-Star team earlier this week. He is currently tied for the most points among league defensemen. He will be joined by Sid Smith, Jamieson and Evans in the All-Star Game on February 27th at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

The game against the Swarm is the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams. Rochester defeated Minnesota 11-10 in overtime on Saturday, January 8th. Rochester has an all-time record of 8-4 against the Swarm.

Minnesota is 3-2 and just a half game behind the first-place Calgary Roughnecks in the West Division. The Swarm dropped their last game, 15-12, last Friday night to the Buffalo Bandits. The loss ended Minnesota's three-game winning streak. Forward Ryan Benesch led Minnesota with seven points (3+4). On Monday, Benesch was named to the starting lineup for the West Division NLL All-Star team. He is tied for third in the NLL with 16 goals and is fourth with 33 points. He has 17 points (7+10) in his last three games. Goalie Nick Patterson was selected as the West Division netminder. He is 3-1 this season with a 9.79 goals-against average. Joining Benesch and Patterson at the 2011 All-Star will be teammates Callum Crawford and Andrew Watt.

Minnesota added some more firepower to its lineup by acquiring Jamie Shewchuk and a fourth-round pick in the 2012 entry draft from the Colorado Mammoth in exchange for Tim Campeau and Minnesota's second-round pick in the 2011 entry draft. Shewchuk was third on Mammoth in points with 15 (5+10) in five games.

The Swarm has the top power-play unit in the NLL, converting 11 of 22 chances. Minnesota also has the second best penalty-killing unit, killing off 19 of 27 opportunities. The game is the second straight road game for the Swarm and part of four road games in five contests.

On Saturday, February 19th, the Rochester Knighthawks will induct former defenseman Mike Hasen and past forward Jeremy Hollenbeck will be inducted into team's Hall of Fame as the Class of 2011. The inductees played together in Rochester for six seasons (1999 to 2004) and led Rochester to three NLL Championship Games and one championship. The two men join Paul Day, Jody Gage, Paul Gait, Randy Mearns, Duane Jacobs and Tim Soudan in the Knighthawks Hall of Fame. The game is a 7:35 p.m. start against the Rock. The first 5,000 fans will receive a Knighthawks Wall Decal.

NOTES: Care Bears: The Rochester Knighthawks/Amerks Charitable Foundation, Inc. will hold a Teddy Bear Auction during the game. Fans can bid on bears made by Jordan Hall and Matt Vinc at Build-A-Bear Workshop©. The winners will be announced during the fourth quarter. All the proceeds will go to CURE Childhood Cancer Association.

Lacrosse and a side of Pizza and wings: In February, Knighthawks fans can take advantage of Mark's Pizzeria Family Value Nights. This special package offers fans four tickets, four T-shirts, one large one-topping pizza, two orders of jumbo wings and one two liter of Pepsi for just $69 from any area participating Mark's Pizzeria location. Fans can enjoy Family Value Nights four times during the month of February, starting on Saturday, February 5th as the Knighthawks host the Philadelphia Wings. To purchase the package go online at ticketmaster.com or head down to The Blue Cross Arena Box Office. For more information, please call the Knighthawks office at (585) 454-5335 and speak with an account executive.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from February 12, 2011


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