TONIGHT’S GAME OVERVIEW
The high-flying Rochester Knighthawks (8-7) continue their push to the playoffs while also seeking their fifth straight win tonight as the San Diego Seals (8-6) make their inaugural visit to Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:00 p.m. matchup will be the only meeting of the season between the two teams and will be carried live on Big 107.3 FM and ESPN+ in addition to being available to viewers on NLL+, a free direct-to-consumer streaming platform which provides instant global access to every game as well as increased access to highlights, full game replays and exclusive league content.
HOW THE TEAMS MATCHUP
Saturday’s contest will be the first of three straight at home for the Knighthawks to close out the regular season as well as the very first against the Seals in Rochester. A win tonight would not only extend Rochester’s current win streak to a season-long five straight games but will also mark the first in franchise history for the Knighthawks over San Diego, which has outscored Rochester by a combined score of 36-20 over the previous two encounters in southern California dating back to the Knighthawks’ inaugural 2019-20 campaign. The Seals are one of only two active teams that remain unbeaten against Rochester lifetime. Both teams come into weekend currently in playoff positioning and are coming off explosive wins over the last two weeks which saw the Knighthawks and Seals combine for 39 and 36 goals, respectively, with both reaching the 20-goal mark in their respective wins over Las Vegas. Both Rochester and San Diego rank among the top five scoring teams in the NLL with each averaging nearly 13 goals per game this season. More importantly, tonight’s contest sees the league’s top offense go up against the top defense. Coming into the weekend, Rochester continues to pace the NLL in goals scored (192) and shots for (1,224) while the Seals have allowed the fewest shots-against (958) all season, limiting the opposition to fewer than 70 shots per game. San Diego has also allowed the seventh-fewest goals-against per game (160) through its first 14 games.
LAST TIME OUT
The Knighthawks followed the playbook from their win in Las Vegas a week prior, dominating from start to finish on their way to a convincing 18-8 win in over the Ottawa Black Bears in their inaugural visit to Canadian Tire Centre on March 15. A week after putting up 11 points in the win over Las Vegas, Connor Fields nearly duplicated the effort, becoming the just the first American-born player in NLL history to post three consecutive 100-point seasons thanks to a five-goal, 10-point showing, earning him NLL Player of the Week honors for Week 16. Fields, who reclaimed the NLL scoring lead, also finished with 19 shots on goal, coming up just two short of his own single-game franchise record. Ryan Lanchbury (1+7) finished the day second in scoring for the Knighthawks, with Ryan Smith (2+4) and Kyle Waters (2+3) not far behind. Lanchbury is now within three points of reaching the 100-point mark for the first time in his pro career. Additionally, Thomas McConvey, Graydon Hogg, and Chad Tutton each scored twice, while Josh Medeiros and Matt Gilray also found the back of the net. Rylan Hartley was masterful in goal, making 49 saves to secure the win for Rochester, which has now four straight and five of its last six games since Feb. 1. The Knighthawks tied their second-highest output from a game this season at 18 and the 10-goal differential also set a new mark for the largest margin of victory in team history.
SCORING IN BUNCHES
There has certainly been no shortage of goals over the last several weeks for the Knighthawks, who continue to find the back of the net at a sweltering pace. Rochester has exploded for 92 goals dating back to its 15-12 win over Philadelphia on Feb. 1, including 68 goals over its current four-game win streak, the most in the NLL by a single team over that span. Earlier this month, the Knighthawks became just the second team this season to score 21 goals in a game, matching a season-high previously achieved by Calgary back on Feb. 16 in a win which also came against Las Vegas. The March 7 thrashing of the Desert Dogs marked the 106th time in league history in which a team has scored 21 or more goals in a contest. The league record for goals in a game by one team is 32, set on Nov. 24, 2001 by Montreal in a 32-17 drubbing over Calgary. That game also holds the record for total combined goals in a game with 49. Despite coming off a bye, the Knighthawks continue to lead the NLL with 192 goals, three more than the next closest team. Rochester has also scored at least 10 goals in each of its eight wins this season, including reaching the 15-goal mark on five different occasions.
A HISTORIC THREE-PEAT FOR FIELDS
Over the last three seasons, Knighthawks forward Connor Fields has quite impressively evolved into arguably one of the most dynamic and prolific scorers in the National Lacrosse League. He officially cemented that status in the 18-8 win at Ottawa on March 15, scoring five goals and assisting on five others to become just the first American-born player in league history – and second overall – to reach the 100-point mark in three in consecutive years. Fields, who’s totaled 21 points over his last two games, enters the weekend leading the NLL in scoring with 105 points while ranking fourth in goals (38) and fifth in assists (67). A two-time Second Team All-Pro selection, Fields recently surpassed Drew Westervelt for seventh all-time in scoring amongst American players and his 453 career points are also third-most among active American-born players, trailing only Toronto’s Tom Schreiber (592) and Philadelphia’s Joe Resetarits (848), a former Knighthawk in the previous organization. Averaging exactly seven points per game this season, Fields, who also continues to lead all forwards with 128 loose ball recoveries, will finish the regular season with his third 110-point season of his NLL career, a feat previously achieved by only three others in league history. Prior to this season, only Mark Matthews, Shawn Evans and Dhane Smith have posted three or more 110-point seasons in their respective careers. Since joining the Knighthawks prior to the 2022-23 season, Fields, who is two goals away from 200 in his career, has scored at least one goal and recorded at least one assist in all 50 games he’s appeared in for Rochester.
SHOOTING GALLERY
The Knighthawks, who closed out the 2023-24 regular season leading the NLL in shots per game with 81.44 and were the only team that averaged more than 80 per contest, are again at the top of the league in terms of shooting efficiency in 2024-25. Through the first 15 games this season, Rochester is averaging an NLL-best 81.60 shots per game. Coming into this weekend, Rochester has outshot the opposition in 25 of its last 33 games going back to last season, including all but four on the road. Fields, who averaged nearly 15 shots per game last season on his way to establishing a new league record (267), remains on pace to duplicate the effort with an NLL-best 208 shots on goal through his first 15 games game of the current season. He’s the only player this season with more than 200 shots and has 32 more than the next closest player. With the addition of Ryan Smith (144), Ryan Lanchbury (128) and Thomas McConvey (127), the Knighthawks are the only NLL team to have four different players with more than 100 shots.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
It’s a family reunion of sorts tonight in Rochester for the two starting goaltenders. Knighthawks goaltender Rylan Hartley, who’s started every game since returning to the lineup Feb. 1 and has won four of his last six starts, goes up against his younger stepbrother and San Diego netminder Christopher Origlieri. Once former teammates with the Orangeville Northmen, the siblings now find themselves standing on opposite sides of the floor for the first time in their respective careers.
HASEN ON THE MOVE
Leading the Knighthawks into their fifth season of the expansion-era is an all-too-familiar face in head coach Mike Hasen, who earlier this season surpassed Troy Cordingley for fifth all-time in career coaching wins (113). Tonight, he will be behind the bench for his 238th career regular-season game, surpassing Paul Day, his former assistant coach in Rochester, for third all-time in career games coached. Last season, Hasen became just the sixth head coach in NLL history to reach 100 career wins, doing so by way of a 13-11 win over Vancouver on Dec. 23. One of the most decorated coaches in league history, Hasen is certainly no stranger to Rochester, having previously served as head coach of the former Knighthawks franchise from 2011 to 2019. In nine seasons behind the bench with the original Knighthawks, Hasen guided Rochester to an 81-75 regular season record while leading the team to six playoff appearances. Hasen’s most successful run at the helm of the Knighthawks came from 2012-14 when he made National Lacrosse League history by leading Rochester to an unprecedented three straight Champion’s Cups. He remains the only NLL bench boss to accomplish the feat. Hasen, who was named the NLL’s Coach of the Year in 2011 following his first season behind the bench, boasts a 32-49 record with the expansion-era Knighthawks, whom he’s led to back-to-back playoff appearances, as well as a 113-124 record all-time over his 14 combined seasons in Rochester.
