NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Rochester hits the road for two games

January 18, 2007 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Knighthawks hit the road again after a one-game stop at The Blue Cross Arena, as the Knighthawks visit two tough East Division rivals on back-to-back nights. Rochester faces Minnesota and Toronto as it completes a stretch of four road contests in four weeks.

Rochester enters the week in second place in the East with a 2-1 record. On Saturday, Rochester defeated the Toronto Rock 10-6 in its home opener. Shawn Evans (3+1) led the K-Hawks' offense, while Shawn Williams (2+1) and John Grant (1+2) contributed three points apiece. Pat O'Toole made 51 saves to earn his second straight victory.

Rochester continues its five-game tour of the East Division, as the Knighthawks play their second and third straight games against divisional opponents. On Friday, January 19th, the Knighthawks travel to play the Minnesota Swarm at 8:00 p.m. Xcel Energy Center. On Saturday, Rochester plays the Toronto Rock at 7:30 p.m. at the Air Canada Centre. Both games are available on B2 Networks. There will be no radio coverage for either game.

The game at Minnesota is the first of two against the Swarm this season. Rochester has a 4-2 all-time record against Minnesota, which includes a 3-0 mark last season. The Swarm enter the game with a 0-1 record after losing 11-10 to Chicago last Saturday. Former Knighthawks great Duane Jacobs is in his first season as the Swarm's head coach. He played in Rochester from 1995 to 2001-02.

On Saturday, January 20th, the K-Hawks travel to play the Toronto Rock in the final game of their two-game series. The Rock are 0-1 after losing in Rochester on January 13th in Glenn Clark's professional coaching debut. Toronto fell to 0-11 in the regular season against the Knighthawks at The Blue Cross. Rochester leads the all-time series with a record of 13-8, but are only 2-8 in Toronto. The game will be televised live on Rogers Sportsnet.

The Knighthawks have been led offensively by Shawn Williams. Williams leads the team with 15 points (7+8) in three games and is tied for fourth in the league. The Evans brothers are also making a statement this season. Shawn Evans has eight goals and six assists, and Scott has chipped in eight goals and four assists. John Grant has eight points (3+5), but has only played in two games due to a one-game suspension he served on January 5th. Grant needs one more goal to become the first Knighthawks player to reach 300.

After a shaky start, goalie Pat O'Toole has limited opponents to 11 and six goals, respectively. The 13-year pro is third in the NLL with a 10.17 goals-against average. He is also tied for the league-lead in wins (two) and is tied for third in saves (95). For his efforts he was named the NLL Overall and Defensive Player of the Week.

Rochester returns home on Saturday, January 27th to host Casey Powell and the New York Titans at 8:05 p.m. The contest begins a four-game homestand, which is the longest in team history. The game on January 27th will be televised live on Time Warner SportsNet and SportsNet New York. The contest will also be carried live on WYSL 1040-AM, wysl1040.com and B2 Networks.

During the game, the organization will honor the 1997 Knighthawks Championship Team. Fans can meet the former players and coaches at the official autograph session in the lower atrium lobby.

Upcoming Event: Teddy Bear Auction: The Knighthawks will hold a Teddy Bear Auction on Saturday, February 24th to benefit the CURE Childhood Cancer Association. That night, fans can bid on the animals made by the players at a silent auction at the Knighthawks-Arizona Sting game at The Blue Cross Arena. Build-A-Bear Workshop is also donating a bear signed by the entire team to help with the charitable event. The minimum bid is $100. For more information, go to knighthawks.net.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from January 18, 2007


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