Defenseman Graeme Hossack scores the game-winner in the final second.
DULUTH, GA. — In one of the most improbable endings to a game in team history, Graeme Hossack scored with one second left to give the Rochester Knighthawks a 9-8 win over the Georgia Swarm.
With the Swarm pulling their goalie for the extra man, Hossack stripped Lyle Thompson, spun around and fired the ball about 160 feet into the empty net. It was an incredible series of events that took under five seconds to complete.
“I was thinking ‘just pick up the ball and give myself a chance to throw it down the floor,’” said an excited Hossack. “I was able to put it on net.”
The goal was his second of the game and matched his career high. On his first tally, he fired a shot past Brodie MacDonald to give Rochester a 7-6 lead at 5:36 of the fourth. Hossack scored off a feed from Dan Dawson, who earned his 400th point as a Knighthawk on the assist.
“That one was nice,” said Hossack. “It kind of helped out that the pass was off a bit because it made me move my stick and not think about the shot so much.”
Dawson finished the game with two goals and two assists, while rookies Dan Lomas (1+2) and Luke Laszkiewicz (2+1) each tallied three-point nights. Joe Resetarits chipped in one goal and one assist to lead the team with 66 points this season.
After Dawson tied the game at one, Laszkiewicz struck 47 seconds later to give the Knighthawks their first lead of the night. The Robert Morris product would tally again in the second, ripping a shot from the left wing past Brodie MacDonald at 8:25 to give Rochester a 5-3 advantage.
“It felt great. I was really excited to play,” said Laszkiewicz. “I am glad a couple of shot fell tonight.”
Rochester also got a stellar performance from goalie Angus Goodleaf, who finished the game with a personal-best 49 saves. He also passed Derek General for fourth all-time in team history in saves. Goodleaf was solid from the start, making 16 saves in the first quarter. His best series of saves came midway through the first as he turned aside back-to-back shots from his backside.
“The ‘D’ was awesome and I could see everything,” he said. “I felt good going in. I just wanted to end the season on high note.”
Dylan Evans reached another milestone by becoming he first Knighthawks to win 900 faceoffs in his career. The Rochester defense not only held Lyle Thompson scoreless in the second half, but netted three goals. Besides the two from Hossack, Paul Dawson also scored late in the first quarter off a feed from Scott Campbell.
Hossack’s incredible goal allowed the Knighthawks (7-11) to end the season with a win over the top-seeded team in the upcoming National Lacrosse League playoffs.
“To end it this way is a credit to the guys. We’ve told the guys this season to give a full 60 minutes,” said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. “Tonight we did that and we got the ‘W”. It was a great team win.”