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NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks Will Try To Turn Fortunes Around Tonight

January 26, 2013 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


The Rochester Knighthawks will host the Toronto Rock tonight at 7:30 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena. Fans can catch the game on Sportsradio 950 ESPN and online at www.sportsradio950espn.com. The game will also be televised live on the Time Warner Sports Channel, ESPN3.com and TSN2 (in Canada).

Honoring Local Heroes: The Knighthawks will sponsor "First Responder Appreciation Night" tonight and are offering complimentary tickets to all first responders at The Blue Cross Arena Box Office with a valid ID. As part of this tribute, the Knighthawks Charitable Foundation, Inc. will present a check for $1,100 to the West Webster Volunteer Fire Department prior to the game. The final $100 was donated by Jim Crelly, Rick Brower and Butch Castellano, who won the 50-50 drawing last Saturday, as a way to benefit the families of the firefighters affected by the tragic events on December 24th. The presentation to West Webster Volunteer Firemen's Association Vice President Bryan Bayer will be made by the first responders represented on the Knighthawks' roster: Assistant Coach and Niagara Regional Police Service Sergeant Paul Day, and players Joel McCready and Dan Dawson, who serve as firefighters in Burnaby, BC and Brampton, Ontario, respectively. It's not too late to donate, as firefighters from the West Webster Volunteer Fire Department will pass the boot during the game.

Head-to-Head: Rochester leads the all-time regular season series with a 19-17 record, which includes a 15-3 mark at The Blue Cross Arena. The game is a rematch of the 2012 NLL East Division Finals, which was won by the Knighthawks 17-13.

Knighthawks Notes: The Knighthawks (0-2) lost their second straight one-goal loss last weekend, dropping a 14-13 decision to the Buffalo Bandits. Leading the Rochester offense was former NLL MVP Casey Powell. In his season debut, the veteran netted two goals and added four assists. His assist on Dan Dawson's third-quarter goal, his third helper of the night, was his 600th career point. Last year's two first-round draft picks continued their goal-scoring streaks with Johnny Powless and Stephen Keogh reaching seven games. Keogh led all Rochester scorers with a hat trick, while Powless netted his only goal with two seconds remaining in the opening quarter. Three Knighthawks drew closer to milestones with their performance on Saturday. Craig Point earned three points (2+1), and now has 149 career points as a Knighthawk, while Jamieson is two points short of the 150-point plateau after a five-point game (1+4) versus Buffalo. Dan Dawson scored his first goal of the season with a four-point performance (1+3). He is now three goals shy of his 350th career goal. Saturday's game was Vinc's 100th game of his career. Now in his eighth season, the two-time NLL Goaltender of the Year is also within reach of two more goalie milestones. He is 36 minutes away from his 5,500th minute played, and is also 40 saves shy of 3,500. This Saturday, January 26th, the Knighthawks host the Toronto Rock at 7:30 p.m. Last time Vinc faced the Rock-the East Division Finals game that propelled Rochester into the Champion's Cup-he made 51 saves.

Toronto Notes: The Toronto Rock rallied for five straight goals to defeat the Minnesota Swarm 13-12 Friday night. The game kicked off a two game in two night stretch. The Rock moved into a first-place tie with the win to improve to 3-1. Garrett Billings led the way with eight points (2+6), while Josh Sanderson chipped in six (2+4) and Colin Doyle added five (1+4). Billings' goal in the third quarter was the 100th of his career. He is now second in the NLL with 22 points, while Doyle is tied for fourth with 19. Billings also leads the league with 17 assists with Doyle close behind in second with 16. Goalie Nick Rose leads the NLL in saves (161) and ranke second in goals-against average (9.90).

Rock's Big Three: Toronto has three of the Top 10 point producers in NLL history. Doyle leads the way with 1,197 points to place second overall, while Josh Sanderson is fifth (1,095) and Blaine Manning is 10th (809).

Knighthawks' Nemesis: Toronto's Garrett Billings has averaged over six points per game in his three seasons against the Knighthawks. In nine games, Billings has 21 goals and 34 assists for 55 points. Last year during his career 114-point season, he notched six goals and 18 assists in three games versus Rochester.

Next Game: The Knighthawks host the Washington Stealth on Saturday, February 2nd at 8:00 p.m. on Tony Stewart Night. For the first time ever, the NLL team will welcome the three-time NASCAR Champ to The Blue Cross Arena. The Knighthawks are offering fans an opportunity to attend an exclusive pregame event at The Radisson Riverside Hotel at 5:30 pm. The purchase of a Pit Pass includes admission into the Meet and Greet with Tony Stewart, Pit Pass Credential, 8 by 10 photo of Tony Stewart, hors d'oeuvres and a ticket to the Knighthawks game all for $250. For more information, please call (585) 454-HAWK (4295).

Jersey Auction: Rochester will also host its annual Men's Health Night on February 2nd, presented by the Urology Associates of Rochester. The team will wear special jerseys, which will be auctioned off to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer. A Tony Stewart numbered, lettered and autographed jersey will be among the auction items. The online auction will begin tonight and end on February 2nd at www.gobuyrochester.com.

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