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Wings Playoff Hopes Dashed in 13-8 Loss to Knighthawks

April 3, 2004 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Philadelphia Wings News Release


ROCHESTER, NY - The Philadelphia Wings suffered a season ending loss to the Rochester Knighthawks by a score of 13-7 at the Blue Cross Arena. The loss eliminated the Wings (6-9) from the National Lacrosse League playoffs and secured a berth for the Knighthawks (7-8). The Wings will close out their 2004 season tomorrow against the Buffalo Bandits at HSBC Arena at 3 p.m.

"Rochester came out strong and kept pushing," said Head Coach Adam Mueller. "We couldn't clear the ball well and our offense stuggled. Rochester played hungrier and it showed in the final score."

Rochester started the game with a strong offensive attack in the first quarter with two goals in the first 2:30 of play. The Wings got their first of the game when Keith Cromwell scored at 4:52 and a second goal by Tom Marechek at 12:04. At the end of the first quarter the Wings and Knighthawks were locked in a 1-1 tie.

The Knighthawks scored the first two in the second, but the Wings' Marechek netted his second of the night at 8:57 to pull Philadelphia within one. Rookie Ryan Ward netted his first goal of the night for the Wings to tie the game at four apiece. Jeff Ratcliffe beat the buzzer with a last minute score to tie the game at 5-5 at the half.

The Knighthawks scored first again in the third quarter to take the lead, but the Wings Brian Tower scored at 5:43 to tie the game at six. Rochester scored three goals in the next seven minutes of play to take a three point lead. Dan Marohl scored for the Wings at 13:27, but the Knighthawks held a 9-7 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Rochester scored first in the fourth quarter on a power play goal to increase their lead to three again and scored three more goals. The Wings Cromwell scored his second of the night, but in the end the Knighthawks prevailed by a score of 13-8. Wings goaltender Dallas Eliuk finished the night with 31 saves while Rochester's Pat O'Toole finished the night with 26.

Leading the Wings in scoring was Keith Cromwell with four points (2G, 2A), Tom Marechek with three points (2G, 1A), Ryan Ward with three points (1G, 2A), Jeff Ratcliffe with two points (1G, 1A) and Dan Marohl and Brian Tower with one goal each.



National Lacrosse League Stories from April 3, 2004


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