By CRAIG POTTER
The Rock score late to secure a 10-6 victory over Rochester in NLL action.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Knighthawks continue to look for their offense this season as they fell 10-6 to the Toronto Rock on Saturday night before 5,483 fans at Connors & Ferris Field at the Blue Cross Arena.
The first half was tight with the Knighthawks holding leads of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2. However, the Rock netted a pair of goals in the final 3 minutes of the half to forge ahead 4-3, a lead they would not relinquish.
Rochester outshot Toronto, 48-46, but were unable to get more than 6 goals past Rock netminder Nick Rose. He added insult to injury as he scored an empty net goal in the final minute with Hawks netminder Matt Vinc pulled in favor of an extra attacker.
Vinc finished with 36 saves as he turned in a much stronger performance than he did in last week’s 21-12 loss to Saskatchewan when coach Mike Hasen pulled him after the Rush scored their 13th goal.
“‘V’ played very well,” said Hasen. “He was making all the saves we expect him to make.”
The Rochester goaltender faced 46 shots and made 36 saves, including 19 in the first half.
“Let’s be honest, the defense and ‘Vno’ played outstanding tonight,” said team captain Dan Dawson. “We’re putting up six and that’s not going to win you any games.”
Dawson, who led the offense a week ago with 4 points, equaled that against the Rock with 2 goals and 2 assists. He was the lone Hawk to tally more than one goal.
Joe Resetarits, Cory Vitarelli, Brad Gillies and rookie Josh Currier accounted for the other Rochester goals.
“We want to get in, get physical,” said Hasen. “Physicality in our back end, that’s where we want to play. That’s what we want to do every night.”
The Knighthawks (2-5) will get the opportunity to do just that as they do not get much rest as they leave at 6 am on Sunday for Atlanta to play the Eastern Conference leading Georgia Swarm (6-1) in the evening.
*NOTES – In 7 games thus far this season, the Knighthawks have scored in double digits just twice, and split those 2 games…The Knighthawks and Swarm will not face each other again until the final 2 games of the regular season- April 28 at the BCA and April 29 in Atlanta…Matt Vinc needs 58 saves to reach 4,000 as a Knighthawk…Toronto lost to the Swarm, 13-12, in overtime on Friday night north of the border…With the victory, the Rock captured the season series from the Knighthawks, 2-1…The Knighthawks do not return to the BCA until March 4 when they play host to Thruway rival Buffalo Bandits.
Links
Rochester Knighthawks – www.knighthawks.com
Videos
Cory Vitarelli pp goal – https://youtu.be/a3V1OGBp8_M
Dan Dawson goal – https://youtu.be/inlecJLAg04
Joe Resetarits pp goal – https://youtu.be/iCSNtja9X4o
Dan Dawson interview – https://youtu.be/hZrloeVMwIE
Scott Campbell interview – https://youtu.be/nd3R6wLZl5A
Mike Hasen interview – https://youtu.be/7xu4ExdeB4w