The Rochester Knighthawks put a bow on training camp with a 13-9 win over the New York Riptide in their preseason finale Saturday evening at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena.
With the win, the ‘Hawks finished exhibition play with a perfect 3-0 record, taking wins over Buffalo, Georgia and New York. They will take to the floor again eight nights from now on Saturday, Dec. 2 against Calgary to begin the 2023-24 regular season.
Rochester’s power-play was electric on the night, striking for five goals on the man-advantage, including the game’s opening conversion from Connor Fields, who finished the night with a hat trick and three assists for six points.
The Knighthawks and Riptide opened the game exchanging three-goal runs that started with a power-play conversion from Fields 2:16 into play. Ryan Smith quarterbacked the top of the zone, with Fields flanking him to the right side where the 2023 Second Team All-League selection wrapped a shot inside the post and past New York’s Cam Dunkerly for the 1-0 lead.
Fields found the back of the net again on a shot that swung underneath the armpit of Dunkerly to double Rochester’s advantage 6:42 into the first, before rookie Thomas McConvey scored one minute later, making it 3-0. Smith earned an assist on McConvey’s goal and finished the night with five helpers.
New York answered back with a trio of its own. After getting on the board 9:10 into the contest, the Riptide were aided by two penalties called in the final four minutes of the first, granting the visitors a two-man advantage that Jeff Teat capitalized on with 1:37 left in the first. New York would tie it shortly thereafter with the 3-3 goal scored just over a minute into the second quarter by Connor Kearnan, but Rochester roared back with four unanswered to enter halftime with a 7-3 lead.
Dan Lomas, who’s now back for his second stint in Rochester with the expansion-era Knighthawks, got the home team back on the board after a 15:58 drought, pulling ahead with a goal against his former team from the previous three seasons. Lomas crept underneath New York’s defense after the Knighthawks continued applying pressure low in the attacking zone.
The seventh-year pro was followed by fellow veteran Turner Evans, who scored 35 seconds later. Kyle Waters sprung ahead for a breakaway where he shuffled through the gut of the turf to curl a shot past Dunkerly, regaining a three-goal edge for the Hawks, before Austin Hasen padded the lead with a tally in the final two minutes of the half.
New York retaliated with four of the five total goals scored in the third quarter, inching to within a goal of tying the contest before Mike Hasen’s team lashed out, scoring five goals in the fourth to pull away from New York. The final frame saw balanced scoring throughout Rochester’s lineup, with five different ‘Hawks finding the back of the net.
🚨 SMITTY MAKES IT 8! pic.twitter.com/bVZkJyCgOD
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) November 26, 2023
Waters unloaded the ninth goal for Rochester off a feed from Smith less than two minutes into the fourth. Fields followed-up with 10:20 left, as Dunkerly cradled the ball, but turned it over to the Knighthawks forward directly in front of the goal, allowing for Fields to swat home his third of the night and push Rochester’s goal total to double digits.
From there, Cory Highfield, Lomas, and Taylor Jensen connected for three goals in a span of 3:12 to thwart New York’s rally.
For your viewing pleasure: Thomas McConvey 🚨 pic.twitter.com/0blvXLJRqu
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) November 26, 2023
Rylan Hartley had an impressive showing in-between the pipes, recording 23 saves in 41:03 of action. Riley Hutchcraft played the final third of the game, making 11 stops.
Waters posted two goals and five points. He, Fields and Lomas each had multi-goal outings.
The Knighthawks open the 2023-24 National Lacrosse League season on Saturday, Dec. 2 when they host the Calgary Roughnecks on Western Knight at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena.
In honor of the first-ever Western Knight in Rochester, the first 1,000 fans will receive a Knighthawks-branded cowboy boot pint glass while everyone in attendance will take home a 2023-24 magnet schedule, courtesy of Nissan.
Tickets for the Home Opener and every Knighthawks home game for the 2023-24 regular season start at just $10.
