The two teams go at it again on Saturday afternoon at the BCA.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Rochester Knighthawks fell 13-9 to the Buffalo Bandits on Friday night at KeyBank Center.
The game seesawed the first quarter and a half with 4 ties and 3 lead changes. Pat Saunders put the Bandits ahead 5-4 with a lead they never relinguished in the second quarter.
Dan Dawson paced the Knighthawks with 7 points on 3 goals and 4 assists. Rookie Kyle Jackson collected 5 points on 2 goals and 3 assists as Joe Resetarits and Jarrett Davis collected 1 goal and 3 assists apiece. Cory Vitarelli added 1 goal and 2 assists as rookie Dan Lomas had 1 goal and 1 assist.
Hawks goalie Matt Vinc recorded 46 saves.
Rochester Rattlers forward Dhane Smith led the Bandits with 7 points on 2 goals and 5 assists as former Knighthawk Brad Self contributed 6 points with 3 goals and 3 assists.
The same two teams will meet Saturday afternoon in Rochester, as the Knighthawks (3-7) host Buffalo (4-5) at 1 pm at Connors & Ferris Field at The Blue Cross Arena.
The Knighthawks activated defenseman Scott Campbell from the injured reserve list on Friday. He was available for the home-and-home series against the Buffalo Bandits as he and Brad Gilles each had 1 assist.
“It’s nice to be back. I needed the weekend off to get healthy,” Campbell said. “I am feeling healthy now and ready to go.”
Although admitting that he doesn’t get caught up in letters on a jersey, Campbell has been both an alternate and team captain this season. Leadership is definitely something that Campbell brings to the team each and every game.
“‘Soupy’ is a guy you don’t want to see in the stands,” said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. “He is a huge factor for us in the dressing room and on the field. We are going to need him this weekend. This weekend, as we all know, is huge.”
With Campbell rejoining the active roster, the Knighthawks placed Wayne Van Every on the practice squad. In 2017, Campbell has appeared in eight games, posting five points and 26 loose balls.
Now in his seventh season in Rochester, he has achieved unprecedented success with the Knighthawks. Last season, he was named the team’s Best Defenseman during a campaign in which he collected a career-high 94 loose balls. From 2012-14, he was a key member of a Rochester defense that helped the franchise win a league-record three straight Champion’s Cups. In 2011, he received the Knighthawks Unsung Hero award.
The 13-year pro has played in 175 games and made stops in Minnesota, Toronto and Boston before arriving in Rochester as a free agent in 2011. Campbell was originally selected by the Minnesota Swarm in the second round (10th overall) of the 2004 NLL Entry Draft.
After missing one game this season, Campbell returns for a pivotal two-game series against the Bandits. Rochester trails Buffalo by just one-half game for the third and final playoff spot in the East Division.
“It’s a huge rival and we are neck-and-neck with them in the standings,” said Campbell. “We need to be passing teams like this to make sure we’re available for a playoff spot at the end of the year. If we can take two, that just helps us reach our goal of getting to the playoffs.”