A five-goal run that began in the first quarter and carried over into the second propelled the Rochester Knighthawks to an 11-9 win over the Colorado Mammoth in their preseason finale Saturday afternoon at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville, Ontario.
Ryan Smith, who’s coming off a 99-point season with the Knighthawks in 2023-24 and a gold medal win with Team Canada at the 2024 World Box Lacrosse Championship in September, led the way with five goals and eight points as Rochester completed the preseason sweep with three straight wins. Connor Fields finished with a team-six five assists as part of a six-point performance while forwards Ryan Lanchbury and Thomas McConvey each scored once and added three assists. Riley Hutchcraft and Kevin Orleman combined to make 35 saves, including 19 from Orleman in the second half.
“We had our lineup and active roster on the floor here today, but guys are still earning spots,” said head coach Mike Hasen, who last season became just the sixth coach in NLL history to reach 100 career coaching wins. “They were dialed in early, there was a lot of special teams work as well, and I thought the guys were great from the start.”
Smith factored in on five of Rochester’s first six goals, including scoring twice in the opening frame, each time each time in response to a Colorado goal. Smith’s second goal of the quarter would ignite a five-goal run and establish a 6-2 lead for the Knighthawks.
Smith then set up Fields for his only goal of the day, giving Rochester a 3-2 lead before completing the hat trick minutes later and later earning the primary assist on a tally from Lanchbury. McConvey also found the back of the net during the scoring flurry.
A pair of goals from the Mammoth cut Rochester’s lead to 6-4, but Smith’s fourth of the game with 40 seconds remaining gave the Knighthawks a three-goal cushion heading into halftime.
After being held off the scoreboard in the third quarter by Colorado, who scored twice to come within a goal, the Knighthawks turned it around in the fourth while holding off a late push from the Mammoth.
Smith netted his fifth of the game just 1:30 into the frame, one of four fourth-quarter goals for the Knighthawks. Kyle Waters scored twice and Chad Tutton delivered the eventual game-winner, sealing the 11-9 win for Rochester despite a late rally by the Mammoth in the closing minutes of regulation.
“I think the win was nice (to win our final preseason game), but I think what was more important was how we played a full 60 minutes,” said veteran defenseman and Knighthawks captain Dan Coates. “We needed a better start than what we’ve had. I thought we were connected, and we responded the right way.”
Rochester opens the 2024-25 National Lacrosse League season at home on Saturday, Nov. 30 when they host the Las Vegas Desert Dogs at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena. Knighthawks single-game tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now and can be purchased at The Blue Cross Arena Box Office, online at www.rochesterknighthawks.com or by phone by calling 585-454-5335. Season Ticket Memberships start as low as $20 per seat per game depending on seating location. For more information, visit www.rochesterknighthawks.com/memberships.
