Sting And Knighthawks Set To Battle For Champion's Cup
May 11, 2007 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Arizona Sting News Release
This coming Saturday afternoon, the Arizona Sting will take to the floor at Jobing.com Arena to face the Rochester Knighthawks in a contest that will determine the National Lacrosse League's top team of 2007.
The Knighthawks have won one league title since joining the NLL in 1994, defeating Buffalo 15-12 in the 1997 championship match. Rochester has lost the big game on four other occasions, most recently the 2003 final, which saw the K-Hawks fall to the Toronto Rock by a score of 8-6 at Blue Cross Arena. In that game, current Sting forwards Curt and Derek Malawsky donned the white, teal, and purple in what remains one of the most disappointing losses in Rochester history.
"That was a tough loss," said Derek. "To lose a game like that on your home floor is something you never really get over, which is why we're really focused on doing our best to not let that happen again this year in the desert."
This will be Arizona's second appearance in the Champion's Cup Final in the four year history of the team. In 2005, the Sting lost to the Rock at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, coming up just short of capturing their first championship in franchise history. This time around, the Sting appear to be more balanced and just as dangerous as the squad that made the finals two years ago.
"We're definitely more experienced and better prepared to play for the title this season as opposed to back in 2005," said Sting Head Coach/GM Bob Hamley in Tuesday's pre-game press conference. "Two years ago we were going into Toronto, a very difficult place to play, and made a few bad mistakes that cost us the game. This year, our guys are very focused on putting forth a full sixty minute effort and hopefully coming up with a league championship on our home floor."
The Sting have faced the Knighthawks only once in Glendale, putting forth a dominating performance in a 14-4 victory on March 6, 2004. In that match, Dan Dawson contributed 2G-2A-4P as a third-year pro. Three years later, 'Dangerous Dan' has emerged as an elite player in the NLL, finishing second in the league this season with 107 points. The man who finished ahead of Dawson with 111 points, John Grant, will feature prominently in Rochester's offensive game plan this weekend.
"John Grant is the best player in the game today," said Coach Hamley. "We'll have to work hard to limit his chances on Saturday in order to be successful."
In addition to Grant, the Knighthawks' lineup features star players such as Steve Toll, Mike Accursi, Shawn Williams, Stephen Hoar, and the Evans brothers - Shawn and Scott. The strong nucleus of talented players on the K-Hawks is a big reason for the team's league-best record of 16-2 this year. Head Coach Ed Comeau, who won the 2007 Les Bartley Award as the NLL's best coach last week, is hoping to earn a 17th victory for his team this weekend at Jobing.com Arena.
"It's definitely exciting to be in the Championship Game," said Comeau. "That's been our objective all year long and we're definitely anxious to get on the floor this Saturday. Winning a title is never easy, especially against a great team like Arizona, but we that if we execute our game plan effectively that we'll have a good shot of winning this thing."
Earlier this season, the Knighthawks defeated the Sting by a score of 19-16 in Rochester. The 35 combined goals accumulated during that game represents the highest total in any of Arizona's regular season matches in 2007. Craig Conn and Dan Dawson combined for 15 points that night, while John Grant and Scott Evans combined for 17. All four dressed goaltenders received floor time in that game, as Rob Blasdell, Mike Attwood, Pat O'Toole, and Phil Wetherup all saw action in what proved to be a barn burner at the BCA. The 19 goals surrendered by the Sting's defense was highly uncharacteristic for a unit that put up some of the best numbers in the league this season, holding opponents to 181 goals scored all year - the second-best total in the West Division.
The stellar Arizona defense, led by All-Star net minder Rob Blasdell, will have their hands full in Saturday's match, as Rochester scored 249 goals during the regular season - 40 more than any other team in the National Lacrosse League. The Knighthawks are especially dangerous with a man advantage, having posted 67 power play goals during the regular season, also the highest total in the league. The Sting penalty killing unit, which allowed only 44 goals this year (tied with Edmonton for lowest total in the NLL), was burnt seven times in nine opportunities against the Knighthawks in February's road loss.
"We know we'll have to play disciplined lacrosse against Rochester and not give them many power play chances," said Coach Hamley. "Back in February we took a few too many penalties against them and that really cost us the game."
The Sting are undoubtedly pleased to be playing the Champion's Cup Final on their home floor. Arizona has never lost a playoff game in Glendale (2-0), and posted a record of 6-2 at Jobing.com Arena during the '07 regular season.
"Our fans are the best in the league," said second-year forward Andy Secore, who tallied the game-winning goal against San Jose in the West Division Championship on April 28. "They've been really great all season long and we're thrilled that we've got the title game here in Arizona."
Game time on Saturday is set for 1:00pm. The game will be televised nationally on VERSUS and broadcast locally on The Fan 1060 AM. Tickets to the match are available by calling 623-842-GOAL.
NLL CHAMPION'S CUP FINAL
STING vs. KNIGHTHAWKS - MAY 12, 2007/ JOBING.COM ARENA, 1:00pm
ARIZONA ALL-TIME VERSUS ROCHESTER:
Record: 2-2
Goals For: 56
Goals Against: 44
TOP SCORERS (Playoffs):
ROC: Shawn Williams (2GP-3G-10A-13P); Mike Accursi (2GP-8G-2A-10P); Scott Evans (2GP-3G-7A-10P); John Grant (2GP-5G-2A-7P); Ken Millin (2GP-0G-6A-6P)
ARZ: Craig Conn (2GP-2G-9A-11P); Dan Dawson (2GP-5G-5A-10P); Derek Malawsky (2GP-2G-7A-9P); Curt Malawsky (2GP-4G-2A-6P); Scott Self (2GP-2G-3A-5P); Matt Brown (2GP-2G-3A-5P)
TOP SCORERS (Reg. Season):
ROC: John Grant (15GP-51G-60A-111P); Shawn Williams (16GP-36G-55A-91P); Scott Evans (16GP-45G-42A-87P); Mike Accursi (16GP-26G-51A-77P); Shawn Evans (16GP-32G-34A-66P)
ARZ: Dan Dawson (16GP-47G-60A-107P); Craig Conn (16GP-21G-55A-76P); Lindsay Plunkett (16GP-31G-35A-66P); Derek Malawsky (16GP-20G-35A-55P); Curt Malawsky (15GP-24G-21A-45P)
GOALIES (Playoffs):
ROC: Pat O'Toole (2-0 record, 9.59 G.A.A., .824 save %)
ARZ: Rob Blasdell (2-0 record, 8.00 G.A.A., .842 save %)
GOALIES (Reg. Season):
ROC: Pat O'Toole (13-1 record, 11.80 G.A.A., .774 save %); Phil Wetherup (1-0 record, 12.63 G.A.A., .791 save %)
ARZ: Rob Blasdell (9-5 record, 10.94 G.A.A., .761 G.A.A.); Mike Attwood (0-2 record, 13.14 G.A.A., .699 save %)
STING FORWARDS ALL-TIME VERSUS ROCHESTER:
Player GP G A P GPG APG PPG
Craig Conn 3 9 8 17 3.0 2.67 5.67
Dan Dawson 6 12 13 25 2.0 2.17 4.17
Lindsay Plunkett 6 15 4 19 2.5 0.67 3.17
Derek Malawsky 8 10 14 24 1.25 1.75 3.0
Andy Secore 1 1 1 2 1.0 1.0 2.0
Curt Malawsky 2 1 2 3 0.5 1.0 1.5
Matt Brown 2 1 0 1 0.5 0.0 0.5
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National Lacrosse League Stories from May 11, 2007
- Sting And Knighthawks Set To Battle For Champion's Cup - Arizona Sting
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