Joel Matthews rejoins the active roster coming off the PUP list.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Knighthawks announced on Friday that the team has activated forward Josh Becker, and defensemen Luc Magnan and Joel Matthews. In related moves, the Knighthawks moved forward Dan Lomas and defenseman John Rae to the practice squad.
Becker receives the first promotion of his NLL career. The 25-year-old, who signed a one-year deal on Feb. 1, recently played for the St. Catharines ShockWave of the Arena Lacrosse League (ALL). When he joined the Knighthawks, Becker was fifth in the league in scoring and fourth on his team in points. The Allegany product played his collegiate lacrosse at Division II Lake Erie College.
“Being called up to the active roster is obviously very exciting,” said Becker. “I have been dreaming of this opportunity my whole life. The biggest thing I want to do is have fun. Honestly, that’s when I play my best.”
Magnan, who signed with the Knighthawks in December, made his Rochester debut on Dec. 29. The Pine Falls, Manitoba native spent last season with Toronto and notched two assists and 39 loose balls in 11 games. The 24-year-old was originally selected by the Rock in the second round (16th overall) of the 2015 NLL Entry Draft.
“It’s pretty obvious that it’s a big weekend; we are playing the top two teams in the East,” said Magnan. “We want to make sure we are still in the (playoff) hunt. For me personally, I am happy about it and I am ready to go.”
Matthews rejoins the active roster from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. The St. Catharines, Ontario native has appeared in three games this season and has one goal and four loose balls.
“It feels great to be back on the active roster. I have been working harder in the gym and on my cardio,” he said. “I am going to bring energy and physicality, but I need to play smart and make sure I remain on the active roster. I’m thankful to the coaches. This is a defining weekend for the Knighthawks and I want to do anything I can to help.”
The Knighthawks will play two games this weekend against East Division foes. Rochester hosts the Toronto Rock on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Connors & Ferris Field at the Blue Cross Arena.
Bromance and Bestie packs: On Saturday, guys can take advantage of the Knighthawks bromance pack, while ladies can enjoy a night out with their besties. For just $40, you receive two tickets to the game and two $10 gift cards from The Distillery. To order, please call (585) 454-HAWK.
Broadcast Info: The game will be broadcast on 107.3 The Bull and is available on the iHeartRadio app. Fans can also watch the contest on NLL TV (nlltv.com).
Scouting the Knighthawks: Rochester (2-4) enters the week tied for third place in the East Division with the New England Black Wolves. Last Saturday, the Knighthawks were led by a career-high four goals from rookie Josh Currier. Rochester also got goals from five defensemen as Scott Campbell, John Rae, Andrew Suitor, Graeme Hossack, and Ian Llord all scored against the Rush. Rae’s goal was the first of his NLL career. Rookie Kyle Jackson also notched two goals and one assist to give him a team-leading 23 points. Jackson is second in the NLL in points among rookies. Currier is tied for second on the team with 20 points and is third in the NLL in points among first-year players. Dan Dawson chipped in four assists to move into sixth place on the Knighthawks all-time points list with 357.
Milestone Alert:
• Goalie Matt Vinc needs just 94 saves to reach 4,000 as a Knighthawk.
• The Knighthawks are only five wins away from reaching the 200-win plateau as a franchise.
Scouting the Rock: Toronto (4-1) enters the week a half game out of first place in the East Division after knocking off the Calgary Roughnecks 11-7 on Feb. 12. The Rock will play the top team in the East, the Georgia Swarm, tonight at the Air Canada Centre (ACC) at 7:30 p.m. The following night in Rochester, they will complete a three-game in seven-day stretch. Tom Schreiber leads the Rock and all NLL rookies with 29 points in five games.
Last Meeting: The Knighthawks edged the Toronto Rock 9-8 on Jan. 28 at the ACC. The Knighthawks were backstopped by a 49-save performance by Matt Vinc. Rookie Kyle Jackson scored the game-winner as part of a three-point effort, while Joe Resetarits led the way with three goals and one assist. Saturday’s game is the third and final meeting this season between the two teams. The season series is tied at one win apiece.
Right To Play Weekend: As part of a league-wide initiative, the Knighthawks will participate in the National Lacrosse League’s Right to Play weekend on Saturday. Players, coaches and staff from all nine NLL teams will be auctioning player jerseys and hosting fundraising activities to benefit the global organization. Right To Play is dedicated to educating and empowering youth in need through sport and games, while driving lasting social change in their communities.
Next Game: On Sunday, the Knighthawks will travel South to play the Georgia Swarm at 6:05 pm.