The Rochester Knighthawks (10-7) remained the hottest team in the NLL, leading the entire way against the Ottawa Black Bears (7-9) and cruising to a 12-6 win on Saturday at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena.
It marked the team’s sixth win in a row to tie a previous best for the ‘Hawks set back in 2022-03. Following Halifax’s 13-10 win over San Diego earlier in the night, the Knighthawks became the third team in the league to punch their ticket to the NLL Playoffs, securing the team its third straight postseason appearance in the expansion-era.
Rochester utilized a spectacular power-play and dominant defensive showing to stifle the Black Bears on both ends of the floor.
In the first half, the Hawks converted on four of five power-play opportunities against the top penalty kill in the NLL entering the day at 75 percent. Defensively, Rochester allowed just two goals in the first half, which set a new franchise record that was previously set on March 8, 2020 in Colorado when the ‘Hawks held the Mammoth to three in the first 20 minutes of action.
Connor Fields (3+6) led all scorers with nine points while reigning NLL Player of the Week Ryan Smith (4+1) netted four goals, including three on the power-play, to push his season total to a league-best 47. Rylan Hartley shined in goal for Rochester, stopping 33 shots in his sixth win since coming back from injury on Feb. 1.
Ryan Lanchbury (1+5) climbed into top-10 in league history for assists in a season now with 84 on the campaign.
Thomas McConvey (1+4) also had a five-point night for the ‘Hawks. Kyle Waters (2+0), Curtis Knight (0+2), Josh Medeiros (1+0), and Chad Tutton (0+1) all recorded points in the win.
Rochester now has 94 goals during its current six-game win streak while holding opponents to just 57 during that span.
MVP Fields? @connorfields05 continues to dominate in Rochester. Will it be enough for him to claim the MVP title? pic.twitter.com/GvX4VdHZRp
— NLL (@NLL) April 6, 2025
FIRST QUARTER
The first half had a total of nine penalties, so Rochester found themselves on special teams early and often.
Callum Jones picked up the first Ottawa penalty just 1:10 into regulation, resulting in a quick start from Fields on the man-advantage.
Reilly O’Connor got the Black Bears on the board four minutes later but was sent to the box for another Rochester power-play opportunity.
Fields showcased his patience this time around, coming off two screens that fooled Ottawa goaltender Zach Higgins for a 2-1 advantage.
Connor Fields continues to dominate the NLL, recording 3 goals and 6 assists as the Knighthawks take down the Black Bears 12-6.
👀 FIELDS HIGHLIGHTS pic.twitter.com/DZYk6XzLP6
— NLL (@NLL) April 6, 2025
Jones picked up a slashing penalty less than 40 seconds later that allowed Smith to bury his league-best 17th on the power-play off the no-look feed from McConvey that set up Smith wide open on the backdoor.
McConvey then awarded Rochester its first even-strength goal with 2:50 remaining in the frame for his 29th of the season.
For even more momentum Hartley denied Ottawa’s Jeff Teat on a breakaway opportunity in the final seconds of the quarter to remain up 4-1.
SECOND QUARTER
Less than a minute into the second, McConvey was given a delay of game infraction, but the ‘Hawks would kill off their third of four penalties heading into the halftime break. Physicality started to set in on the Ottawa side as Matt Marinier delivered a hard hit to Fields at the end of a sequence which resulted in a roughing penalty for the recently activated Black Bear.
Fields delivered a quick pass to Smith as he cut to the middle of the floor for a quick-release shot that cashed in its fourth consecutive goal on the power-play.
Ryan Smith claims the top spot of the NLL Leaderboard with 47 goals this season.
It was a 4-goal, 1-assist night for Smit as the Knighthawks take down the Black Bears 12-6
👀 SMITH HIGHLIGHTS pic.twitter.com/Bun2TNhJnx
— NLL (@NLL) April 6, 2025
Ottawa made it a 5-2 game as Teat netted the team’s first goal in over 17 minutes for his 44th of the season after drawing a penalty from Tutton but still getting the shot to fall from close range past Hartley.
Fields completed his eighth hat-trick and fourth in a row just 36 seconds later to regain the four-goal advantage. The Knighthawks couldn’t convert the group’s fifth chance on the power-play on the ensuing face-off, giving Ottawa its first successful kill of the game.
Neither team would net another in the final 6:21 of the half as Rochester went into the halftime break up 6-2.
THIRD QUARTER
Akron native Larson Sundown opened the scoring on the power-play in the second half, sneaking a dunk attempt from behind the net that squeaked by Hartley’s shoulder.
Rochester responded with a transition goal orchestrated by Tutton on the rush with a perfectly timed pass that gave Medeiros enough space to unleash a short-side shot against Higgins.
Rookie Jake Piseno delivered a bone-crushing hit to ignite a 4-on-2 breakout that resulted in a prime opportunity for Tyler Biles to score his first goal of the season on the doorstep. Biles didn’t get the bounce shot off cleanly, which gave Higgins enough time to swipe his left hand out to get enough of the ball to record the save on a wide-open net. Rochester head coach Mike Hasen threw his challenge flag but was deemed unsuccessful after video showing that the Biles shot never crossed the goal line.
“Our defense are dogs!” – Rylan Hartley
Only giving up 2 goals in the 1st half, the Knighthawks take down the Black Bears 12-6 and punch their ticket to the postseason. pic.twitter.com/TESTlJFGUg
— NLL (@NLL) April 6, 2025
However, less than a minute later, Waters found the back of the net for Rochester to push the lead to five. Smith capped off a 3-0 run off great ball movement started by Lanchbury and Fields to make it a 9-3 game.
Teat went five hole on Hartley with just 16 seconds left for his second goal of the game, providing Ottawa its first multi-goal quarter of the night.
FOURTH QUARTER
O’Connor made it back-to-back goals on the man-advantage for Ottawa, which finished the game going 3-9 on the power-play compared to 5-6 for Rochester.
Following his holding stick penalty, Fields delivered a behind-the-pack pass in stride to Waters, who finished near the crease to return the ‘Hawks five-goal cushion.
The Knighthawks tacked on another power-play goal from Smith for good measure that capped off his third on special teams and fourth of the game.
The @RocKnighthawks have punched their ticket! #NLLMarchtoMay pic.twitter.com/vc6xWL8P7J
— NLL (@NLL) April 6, 2025
Lanchbury stepped into a shot on the left side that whizzed by Higgins for his first goal of the night with 7:27 to go.
Ottawa’s Connor Kearnan cut the deficit back to six on the Black Bears second power-play goal of the quarter with a little over three minutes remaining to create the 12-6 final.
UP NEXT
Rochester will have another bye week upcoming before completing the three-game homestand in the final week of the regular season against the Toronto Rock (5-9) on Saturday, April 19. The matchup will be carried live on Big 107.3 FM, CW Rochester, 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.
