Despite a six-goal fourth quarter and a heroic 11-point effort from forward Ryan Smith, the Rochester Knighthawks (3-4) came up short in a 15-14 loss to the defending NLL champion Buffalo Bandits (5-3) Saturday night at KeyBank Center.
With the loss, Rochester drops to 3-4 on the season after opening the year with three straight wins. Three of the four Knighthawks defeats during their skid have been decided by three goals or less.
Along with Smith tying the single-game franchise record for goals (5), he also added six assists for a team-high 11 points while Connor Fields (4+5) and Ryan Lanchbury (2+2) both notched multi-goal games. Dan Lomas (1+2) and Kyle Waters (1+2) registered multiple points in the contest. Rookie Thomas McConvey (1+0), Austin Hasen (0+1), Matt Gilray (0+1), Ryland Rees (0+1), and Joe Post (0+1) all recorded one point each.
Goaltender Riley Hutchcraft drew the start in the crease for Rochester, and despite making 41 saves, suffered the defeat. Except for the fourth quarter, he faced 11 or more shots in each frame. Former Bandit Doug Buchan also saw time in the crease but did not make any saves in 63 seconds of play.
Josh Byrne (3+4), Chris Cloutier (3+3) and Kyle Buchanan (3+1) all scored hat tricks for Buffalo, who completed the season-sweep against the Knighthawks for the second straight season. Dhane Smith (2+4) and Chase Fraser (2+4) both tallied six points while Nick Weiss (1+2) and Dalton Sulver (1+1) added multi-point efforts. Ian MacKay, Cam Wyers, Christian Watts, Matt Spanger, Carter McKenzie, and Brandon Robinson all produced one assist each.
Eight-time NLL Goaltender of the Year Matt Vinc made 50 saves to earn his fifth win of the campaign and fourth win over the Knighthawks since the start of the 2022-23 season, which includes a playoff victory last spring.
Trailing by four goals to begin the final quarter, the Knighthawks made it 12-9 score 29 seconds into the frame on Smith’s fourth of the night from Lanchbury and Fields.
GET UP FOR KYLE WATERS 👏 pic.twitter.com/fZyKGZLsPq
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) February 4, 2024
Buffalo countered with a pair of goals with Byrne and Buchanan, but Rochester used a four-goal run to make it a one-score game with just over four minutes to play in regulation.
On the ensuing face-off after Lanchbury and Ryan Smith teamed up for the Knighthawks’ 13th goal of the night, Cloutier cut to the net before finishing off a Dhane Smith centering feed from the right of the crease.
Lomas brought Rochester within a goal yet again at the 13:48 mark, however, the visitors were unable to complete the comeback as Vinc held off the Knighthawks’ final attempt to even the score in the final 20 seconds.
WE LOVE LANCH 🫶 pic.twitter.com/AFJmyVblhC
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) February 4, 2024
Following an opening quarter where the intrastate rivals combined for five goals, they each tallied four markers in the second frame.
They alternated goals in the six minutes before Buffalo used a three-goal run to take an 8-3 cushion, which was capped by Cloutier’s power-play goal with 6:49 left in the quarter.
Rochester managed to trim the deficit as Fields completed his fifth hat trick in the last seven games and McConvey’s goal just prior to the horn.
🚨 FI3LDSY MAKES HIS RETURN!
8-4, them | Q2, 1:20 remaining pic.twitter.com/fCKay2zkAb
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) February 4, 2024
Similarly in the third quarter, the two traded goals on back-to-back occasions before Buffalo added two of the next three to close out the frame.
Rochester, whose only lead came 3:53 into the contest, outscored Buffalo 6-3 in the final frame, but could not finish the rally as they fell 15-14.
We're too busy thinking about this goal that got us started for any of the Bandits' shenanigans. pic.twitter.com/uGkPpYfS24
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) February 4, 2024
The Knighthawks return home looking to get back in the win column on Saturday, Feb. 10 when they welcome the Georgia Swarm to Segar and Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena at 7:00 p.m. ET. All the action will be carried live on Big 107.3 FM as well as ESPN+.