NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks Try to Ground Defending Champs Tonight

Published on April 16, 2011 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


(Rochester, April 16)... The Rochester Knighthawks are in the Pacific Northwest to play the defending champion Washington Stealth tonight at 10:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on The Zone 94.1 FM and www.thezone941.com. The game is the second all-time meeting between the two teams. Last season, Washington beat the Knighthawks, 15-9 on April 24th, to end their season.

The Knighthawks are coming off a 10-6 win over the Philadelphia Wings Sunday at the Wells Fargo Arena, which secured third place in the East Division. The win allowed Rochester to salvage a split on the weekend that began with a 9-8 loss to Buffalo Saturday night. The win in Philly was the Knighthawks' eighth of the season. The Knighthawks were led by four-point efforts from Shawn Williams (2+2), Cody Jamieson (2+2) and Shawn Evans (1+3). Jamieson is currently second in the NLL in points among league rookies. The former Syracuse star has 23 goals and 19 assists. This past weekend, he recorded three goals and four assists in two East Division games en route to Rookie of the Week honors. Evans continues to lead the team with 62 points (20+42).

Matt Vinc made 47 saves in the win at Philadelphia, including stopping Drew Westervelt on a penalty shot at 1:02 of the fourth quarter with the Knighthawks clinging to a two-goal lead. Vinc was named the Ricoh USA MVP last Saturday by his teammates. The 2010 NLL Goalie of the Year is fourth in the NLL with a 9.75 goals-against average, and third in saves (510) and save percentage (.793). His save total is the eighth best in single-season team history.

The Stealth (8-7) head into the game in second place in the West Division and can clinch second with a win or a Minnesota loss. Washington has won two straight games, two of those in overtime, including last Saturday's 16-15 win over the Minnesota Swarm. Ruys Duch netted the OT game winner to end the third straight overtime game for the Stealth. He was rewarded with Overall Player of the Week honors. Lewis Ratcliff led the Stealth with 11 points (6+5), while Duch recorded five goals and five assists.

The Stealth's dynamic duo is first and second in the NLL in points. Ratcliff leads the league with 88 points (39+49), while Duch is second with 84 points and tied for first with 40 goals. Washington has scored a league-high 193 goals, but has yielded the second most tallies at 180. The Stealth also have two of the top scoring defensemen in Mike Grimes and Eric Martin. Grimes leads all NLL defensemen with 20 points (10+10), while Martin is tied with Rochester's Pat McCready with 17 points. If that wasn't enough, Washington has the deadliest power play, converting 48.6 of its chances (34 of 70).

The Knighthawks end the regular season with a 7:30 p.m. tilt against the East Division rival Buffalo Bandits on Saturday, April 23rd at HSBC Arena. The game will be broadcast live on The Zone 94.1 FM and www.thezone941.com.

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