It’s officially Week 8 of the 2022-23 National Lacrosse League season and the Rochester Knighthawks have hit the ground running. Rochester remains the only undefeated team in the league, forward Connor Fields continued his torrid start to the season and the Knighthawks face perhaps their biggest test on Friday in a highly anticipated matchup against the intrastate rival Buffalo Bandits.
We cover it all, and more, with Knighthawks general manager Dan Carey in this week’s edition of Hawk Talk.
THE RECIPE TO SUCCESS IS A LITTLE BIT OF CAMARADERIE AND TRUST
After this past weekend, the Knighthawks are officially the last undefeated team in the NLL this season. According to the players, and Carey, this 5-0 start doesn’t come without the team coming together and trusting one another.
“I think that’s really showing at this point,” Carey began when asked if camaraderie and trust were helping with the success that the Knighthawks are seeing currently. “We, as a group, take pride in having that type of culture. I think that our culture is very important to us and the people and the players that we’ve put in place have taken priority with that.”
Through five games, the defense has allowed just 48 goals, which averages out to be about 9.6 goals allowed per game. Offensively, the Knighthawks have multiple players that can go off on any given night and have scored 69 goals on the season, which ranks second in the Eastern Conference. In terms of goaltending, Rylan Hartley has been the mainstay, starting every game thus far for Rochester and leading the league in wins (5) and ranking third in saves (198).
Again, though, this perfect start isn’t possible without each of these pieces perfectly falling into place and working well with one another.
New York Riptide vs Rochester Knighthawks
Regular season NLL
NEW YORK1/15/2023
“Our guys have always backed each other up and fought for each other. So, I think the camaraderie is definitely something that is showing right now and is a big part of why we’ve had success early on this season,” finished Carey when discussing the togetherness his team is exuding currently.
CONNOR FIELDS DOING CONNOR FIELDS TYPE OF THINGS
Last weekend against the New York Riptide, Fields returned the lineup after missing the game the week prior. And Fields’ offensive output didn’t disappoint.
“He’s (Fields) just a dynamic player. He’s tough to defend. He’s probably tough to scout against and to prepare for because he’s so dynamic,” started Carey when asked about where Fields continues to grow offensively each week.
Just another 4 goal game for Connor Fields 👀 pic.twitter.com/e3CfLWfa6C
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) January 15, 2023
Fields has appeared in four of the Knighthawks five games this season, and he still leads the team with his 16 goals and 29 points. He made an immediate impact in his return to the lineup, as he posted his fourth four-goal outing of the 2022-23 campaign.
A feat that Carey feels isn’t possible without the support system Fields has out on the floor with him.
New York Riptide vs Rochester Knighthawks
Regular season NLL
NEW YORK1/15/2023
“I don’t think it’s just him. He’s not the only reason that he’s having success and we’re having success,” continued Carey when talking about Fields’ offensive production. “There are other guys around him that are helping him with that, but he’s also helping out other offensive players as well by opening things up and he’s got very good vision. So, I think, him being a dynamic player has definitely made it hard on the other teams.”
TAKING ON BUFFALO
It’s another tough task for the Knighthawks this week as they return home against the Buffalo Bandits on Friday night.
“I think it’s a great challenge for us. They they’re a well-rounded team offensively. They’ve got a couple of very dynamic players like we have, and their defense is big and tough and they’ll make you pay,” commented Carey when asked about the matchup ahead.
Oh, Friday is going to be FUN!
The battle with the Bandits it coming… SEE YOU THERE!
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) January 15, 2023
Buffalo, which advanced to the NLL Finals for the second time in three years this past spring, currently sits in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 4-1 overall record and bring some heavy offensive firepower. Bandits forward Josh Byrne currently leads the league with his 20 goals and 37 points, while forward Dhane Smith leads the league with his 31 assists and is right behind Byrne with his 36 points.
Additionally, the Bandits will have veteran netminder Matt Vinc between the pipes. Vinc, a former Knighthawk in the previous organization and eight-time NLL Goaltender of the Year, is right behind Hartley with his 4-1 overall record while they rank even with a 80% save percentage. He’s currently tied for the league lead with 199 saves.
The @RocKnighthawks did it again… with an 11-8 win over @newyorkriptide, they remain the only unbeaten team left this season at 5-0.
Connor Fields scored 4 big first half goals, while Ryan Smith and Holden Cattoni had 2 goals and 2 assists each.
📄: https://t.co/ykUCqWL7EG pic.twitter.com/Vbl592XeHQ
— NLL (@NLL) January 15, 2023
“Their goaltender is still Matt Vinc, a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” continued Carey when talking about the challenges that Buffalo presents all over the floor. “He’s (Vinc) arguably one of the best goalies, if not the best goalie, we’ve seen in the National Lacrosse League in the history of our league. So, he’s still doing his thing and he is a guy that that is going to be as prepared as anybody else coming against any other team.”
Carey then finished with, “It’ll be another good test for us this Friday.”
Another hefty test is on deck as the Knighthawks look to make it six in a row when they return home this Friday, Jan. 20 against the Bandits at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:30 p.m. contest will be the first of two scheduled meetings between the intrastate rivals this season and will be carried live on Big 107.3 FM as well as ESPN+.
