Rochester to retire John Grant Jr.’s No. 24 jersey Saturday.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Knighthawks open a key two-game weekend on Friday, with an 8 pm showdown against the Philadelphia Wings at Wells Fargo Center. The following night, Rochester will take on another East Division opponent as it hosts the Georgia Swarm at Connors & Ferris Field at the Blue Cross Arena.
Head-to-Head: Rochester and Philadelphia are meeting for the second time this season. In the series opener, the Knighthawks downed the Wings, 13-9, on Dec. 29. Fairport native Blaze Riorden had 4 points for the Wings.
Broadcast Info: Friday’s contest will be broadcast on 107.3 The Bull and the iHeartRadio app. Fans can watch the contest on B/R Live.
Scouting the Knighthawks: Rochester enters the game with a 2-3 record after defeating the Buffalo Bandits, 18-13, on Jan. 26. The 18 goals were a season-high for the Knighthawks. Rochester received production from nine different goal scorers. Second-year pro Austin Shanks had a night to remember, posting a career-high 7 goals and 8 points. Fellow forward Joe Resetarits scored his 100th goal as a Knighthawk as part of a 7-point performance (3+4). Not to be outdone, Pat Saunders connected for his 150th career tally, while Cam Milligan scored his first professional goal. Cody Jamieson also tied his season-high with 6 points (1+5). In goal, Angus Goodleaf turned in another incredible effort by making 43 saves.
Scouting the Wings: Philadelphia carries an 0-6 record into the contest, following a 13-12 loss to the Toronto Rock on Jan. 26. The setback was the second one-goal loss to the division-leading Rock this season. In the latest game versus the Rock, the Wings raced out to a 5-1 first-quarter advantage and led 10-6 heading into the fourth. The Rock, however, rallied for seven goals in the final frame to edge the Wings by one. Kevin Crowley led Philly with 4 goals and 6 assists. Kiel Matisz also had a big night, posting 3 goals and 4 assists. The Wings have now lost 4 times by 2 or fewer goals.
Next Game: On Saturday, the Knighthawks will host the Georgia Swarm on Origins of Lacrosse Night, presented by Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. Throughout the evening, the Knighthawks will pay tribute to the roots of the game and highlight the history of the franchise. Rochester will honor the Creator’s Game through Native American music, Fancy and Hoop Dancers, artisans and special guests.
Honoring No. 24: The organization will retire former forward John Grant Jr.’s No. 24 prior to the showdown against the Swarm. The Peterborough, Ontario, native will be the first player in team history to receive that distinction. In doing so, Grant will also become the 18th member of the Knighthawks Hall of Fame. “Junior” spent 11 of his 18 years (2000-10) in Rochester after the Knighthawks made him the first overall pick in the 1999 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft. The highly-touted forward completed his stint in the Flower City as the franchise’s all-time leader in goals (433) and points (894). He also posted 461 assists to finish second in that offensive category.