The past season for the Rochester Knighthawks had its ebbs and flows like any other year, but one thing the team was tasked with more than anything was managing the constant movement at the goaltending position.
This left rookie netminder Joel Watson having to really step up in his first year in the National Lacrosse League. Here’s a closer look at Watson’s top moments from this past season.
LEARNING FROM THE BEST
As the Knighthawks 2021-22 campaign ensued, there were three goaltenders on the training camp roster. Now netminders Evan Kirk and Rylan Hartley were the two that made the eventual active roster to start the year, with Joel Watson being placed on the practice squad in his first year in the league.
To no surprise, the humble Watson was just excited to learn from some of the best going into the season.
BIG RIG! pic.twitter.com/ATu2XtRKk6
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) June 19, 2022
“You know, I was just looking to learn the game from those two guys, right? Kirky has been around for the league for 10 years and is one of the best in the game. So, it was exciting to be able to learn from him and Harts. I played against him growing up my whole life, and I’ve seen how good he is.”
However, learning from both Kirk and Harltey would quickly change, and Watson knew he’d need to buckle down in order to finish out things in the crease for Rochester.
WATCH: YEAR-END INTERVIEW WITH JOEL WATSON
STEPPING UP AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE
Just two weeks into the season, Kirk would be placed on the holdout list for the remainder of the year. This meant that Hartley was next in line to take over the starting job, however, this stint was also short-lived when the young netminder suffered a season-ending injury on March 4 against the Georgia Swarm.
As a result, Watson was needed to step up at literally a moment’s notice. Other than a combined 33 minutes over two prior appearances, Watson was essentially the team’s starting goaltender for the rest of the 2021-22 campaign starting on March 12.
Joel Watson said not today. pic.twitter.com/DRwPQ4AZ5O
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) June 19, 2022
“When everything kind of changed that it was game time for me and I needed to buckle down,” said Watson when asked how being thrown into the fire was the best approach to taking on the pros. “It was huge for me. I didn’t expect it. So, when I won a game, it was just like I got to learn to be a pro here and step in and help the boys win.”
Watson went on to appear in 10 games, combining for a 1-7 overall record and an 11.61 goals-against average.
GETTING THAT FIRST NLL WIN
Speaking of that first win in the NLL, it came for Watson on April 22 against the Calgary Roughnecks.
A second-quarter surge coupled with a season-high 43-save effort by Watson propelled the Knighthawks to a convincing 15-7 win over the reigning NLL champion Calgary Roughnecks. The matchup was the lone meeting between the clubs this season and the first since Rochester defeated the Roughnecks 13-12 in their inaugural meeting back on Jan. 18, 2020.
At this point in the season, Watson was making his seventh straight start in the crease for Rochester, allowing only seven goals-against while earning his first professional win in the process. For his efforts, he was named the NLL’s Rookie of the Week for Week 21, joining Knighthawks forward Ryan Smith as the only two Knighthawks to earn the weekly honors this season.
