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NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Rochester Clips Wings; to Host Playoff Game

April 28, 2012 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


The Playoffs are coming back to Rochester! The Knighthawks earned their first home postseason game since 2007 after a 9-7 victory tonight over the Philadelphia Wings at The Blue Cross Arena.

Rochester will host the Wings in the Divisional Semifinal Game on Friday, May 4th at 7:30 p.m. Tonight's game was the third and final regular season meeting between Rochester and Philadelphia. The Knighthawks won all three meetings to improve to 25-16 all-time against the Wings.

Rochester ended its season with wins in two of its last three games to improve to 7-9 and clinch second place in the East Division. The Wings ended regular season with five straight losses and missed a chance to host a home playoff game for the first time since 2002. Philadelphia finished 7-9 and in third place in the East.

Rookie Stephen Keogh scored a career-high four goals and tied a career best with six points. Matt Vinc was stellar in goal with a 35-save effort. Craig Point (2+1), Joe Walters (1+2) and Johnny Powless (1+2) also all had solid three-point games for Rochester. Brendan Mundorf led Philly with four goals and three assists. Rookie Kevin Crowley recorded four assists and Dan Dawson collected three points (2+1).

In the game, the first quarter saw Rochester take a 2-0 lead early behind goals from Point and Keogh. Point scored on the power play, and just over a minute later Keogh doubled the Knighthawk lead with a goal of his own. Philadelphia quickly responded with two goals in 25 seconds to even the score. Dan Dawson and Drew Westervelt scored the Wings' goals.

In the second, Philadelphia took its first lead of the game when Westervelt scored at the 12:07 mark. The lead was short-lived however, as the Knighthawks drew back even with a goal off the stick of Powless less than a minute later. Keogh then scored again for Rochester, giving the Knighthawks the lead at 4-3. The two teams would both go scoreless over the final ten minutes of the half.

At the start of the third, Philadelphia quickly drew even again when Dawson scored on an early power play. Rochester then answered with a power-play goal of its own, a little over a minute later, when Keogh connected on a pass from Jamieson. The goal put the Knighthawks back in front by a goal, and they would not surrender the lead again.

Later in the third, Jarrett Davis extended the Rochester lead to 6-4 at 6:56. Mundorf was able to draw the Wings back within a goal, but Rochester opened the fourth period with four straight goals and never looked back. Point, Keogh, and Joe Walters scored in the rally for the Knighthawk. Mundorf added two more tallies for Philadelphia, but it was little too late.

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