One word to wrap up Week 2 of the 2022-23 National Lacrosse League season for the Rochester Knighthawks…WOW.
Rochester netminder Rylan Hartley held the Toronto Rock to just seven goals in a stellar 50-save performance and Knighthawks forwards Thomas Hoggarth and Connor Fields combined for 11 points. The team, as a whole, looks scary good to start off the season and it’s all thanks to the “team-first” mentality they’re all rocking with.
Knighthawks general manager Dan Carey covers it all in this week’s Hawk Talk chat.
HOGGARTH AND FIELDS CONNECTING ON OFFENSE
On Saturday, the duo of forwards Thomas Hoggarth and Connor Fields combined for 11 points, while scoring eight of the team’s 11 goals on the night against Toronto.
“I think they’re both players that are creative in many ways,” Carey began when asked about the connection he saw from Hoggarth and Fields this weekend.
Fields and Hoggarth fueled the Knighthawks offense against the Rock as they both produced four-goal efforts. Over the last two games Hoggarth has posted nine points on six goals and three assists, while Fields has registered an NLL-best 17 points in his first two games as a Knighthawk, including eight goals.
It was a four-goal game from Connor Fields and Thomas Hoggarth plus 49 saves from Rylan Hartley as the @RocKnighthawks defeat the Toronto Rock 11-7.
GAME RECAP 👀 pic.twitter.com/WCtsV9aq2f
— NLL (@NLL) December 11, 2022
“Hoagie’s (Hoggarth) a guy that gets open for anybody who has a ball in their stick and has a pretty good knack for catching in tight and smaller areas and spaces when he’s covered by defenders.”
But with all the success Hoggarth and Fields had over the weekend, Carey affirms that their production is ultimately a reflection of Rochester’s offense collectively.
“He had success with Connor this weekend and that’s kind of a testament to our offense as a whole because other guys are working so hard to create room for them. It’s been a good connection.”
HARTLEY HAVE YOURSELF A NIGHT
Hartley has started both games this season for the Knighthawks and the young netminder hasn’t disappointed, helping propel the Rochester squad to back-to-back wins to kick off its third season in the NLL.
“If anybody knows him (Hartley), they know how much energy he brings,” explained Carey when asked about Hartley’s performance the last two weekends. “There’s so much that people don’t see, but you can really see his personality in his play. He’s a guy that, right now, has confidence and I think it’s our job as a team to play well in front of him.”
Rylan Hartley was INCREDIBLE last night!
Harts tied his career-high with 50 saves last night and now has 96 saves in two games so far this season 🤯 pic.twitter.com/VvhOsdodTA
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) December 11, 2022
Play well in front of Hartley is exactly what the Knighthawks did this past weekend against the Rock, holding Toronto to just seven goals when they posted 19 the week before. On Saturday, Hartley made a career-best 50 saves in the 11-7 win, including 30 shots in the second half, and keeping the Rock off the board during a perfect fourth-quarter performance.
“He’s still a young goalie, but he’s super competitive and he’s a guy that wants to be the best and wants to win every game. I think that showed this weekend with him being prepared and being a guy that is one of, if not, the most competitive guy on the floor.”
Over the first two games of the season, Hartley has gone on to combine for 95 saves, tally an assist and has two wins under his belt. Not bad for the third-year pro.
Rylan Hartley was absolutely spectacular in net tonight! pic.twitter.com/kdhrufElXC
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) December 11, 2022
ANOTHER TOUGH TEST IN ALBANY
This Saturday, the Knighthawks are back in action for the first of two matchups against the Albany FireWolves this season.
“They’re a team with a lot of energy and there’s a lot of guys that are proving themselves still on that team which can be difficult to play against. Their defense and goaltending has been strong,” started Carey when asked what kind of team the Knighthawks would be taking on in Albany this Saturday.
The Firewolves are another team that’s trying to make a statement for themselves this year in the NLL, and in the first week they did just that by defeating the Buffalo Bandits 11-10, the same Bandits who last season advanced to the NLL Finals for the second time in three years.
Albany forward Tanner Thomson led the FireWolves offense with seven points on two goals and five assists, while forward Connor Kelly added six points in his FireWolves debut, logging two goals and four assists. Other new members to Albany, forwards Kieran McArdle and Ethan Walker, contributed four and three each, respectively. In net, goaltender Doug Jamieson allowed just 10 goals while recording 44 saves in the winning effort.
Carey is expecting the FireWolves to come out fast and for the Knighthawks to continue to get better against another tough team in the NLL.
“They’re a fast team that we have to really play our game and continue to get better. We’ve got to continue to improve and get better and hopefully we are able to improve on where we left off with Toronto.”
The Knighthawks look to continue their winning ways as they travel to MVP Arena to face the FireWolves this Saturday, Dec. 17. Face-off is set for 7:00 p.m. and will be carried live on Big 107.3 and ESPN+.
