A back-and-forth affair came down to the final minutes of regulation as the Rochester Knighthawks (6-6) survived a late-game push from the Albany FireWolves (10-4) and narrowly escaped with an 11-10 win in Saturday’s rematch between the intrastate rivals at MVP Arena.
With the win, the Knighthawks, who also defeated Albany 18-12 last weekend, have won three straight since dropping six consecutive contests to move up to seventh place in the NLL’s unified standings with an even 6-6 record on the season. The Knighthawks also completed the season-sweep over the FireWolves and now boast a 5-1 mark all-time against Albany.
Ryan Lanchbury (3+2) and Connor Fields (3+2) both registered hat tricks as well as a pair of assists for five-point efforts while Turner Evans, who returned to the lineup for the first time since Week 4, had four helpers. Team captain and defenseman Dan Coates also made his first appearance with the Knighthawks since Dec. 23, helping the team improve to 4-0 with him in the lineup.
Ryan Smith (1+3) and Curtis Knight (0+3) each had three-assist performances as Thomas McConvey (1+2), Matt Gilray (1+1), Mitch Ogilvie (1+1) and Kyle Waters (1+0) all scored in the win for Rochester, which has outscored Albany 74-55 in the five games in which they’ve been victorious dating back to the 2021-22 campaign.
Goaltender Riley Hutchcraft faced 50 shots, making 40 saves, including double figures in the second and third quarters, respectively. Hutchcraft has earned each of Rochester’s six wins in the 2023-24 NLL campaign.
Ethan Walker (2+4) and Alex Simmons (2+4) both totaled six points while Tye Kurtz (2+1) also netted a pair of goals for Albany, which has dropped back-to-back games for the second time this season after beginning the year 6-0. Patrick Kaschalk (1+1), Sam Firth (1+1), Marshall Powless (1+0), and Travis Longboat (1+0) all scored one goal apiece.
Connor Fields + scoring in Albany…name a better duo, we'll wait 😉
11-8, us | Q4, 13:12 remaining pic.twitter.com/nU9lwJHSAw
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) March 17, 2024
Albany netminder Doug Jamieson (10-2) drew the start in the crease, and despite making 49 saves, including 32 in the first half alone, took the loss.
After the two clubs traded goals to begin the first quarter, Rochester used a six-goal run to seize an 8-2 cushion at the 6:12 mark in the second frame.
Fields ignited the scoring frenzy with a pair of power-play goals and assisting a net-front tally from Gilray in-between to give Rochester a 5-2 lead.
T-MAC MAKES IT 🔟!
10-8, us | Q3, 1:25 remaining pic.twitter.com/cl5sWtcP9E
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) March 17, 2024
Lanchbury, who opened the scoring just 21 seconds into the contest, then scored twice in succession to complete the hat trick before Smith increased Rochester’s advantage to 8-2 as he finished off Knight and McConvey’s feed with just under nine minutes to play in the half.
Albany closed out the second quarter by stopping the run as Kurtz and Walker made it an 8-4 deficit at the break. Kurtz’s goal was the first by the FireWolves in nearly 19 minutes.
The second half proved to be more defensive in nature but not before the two teams exchanged goals in transition, the latter of which opened a four-goal run for the FireWolves.
Ryan Lanchbury takes FLIGHT from behind the net for the one-handed dunk ✈️@RocKnighthawks lead by 4 in the 2nd! pic.twitter.com/7uR0Mi3giH
— NLL (@NLL) March 16, 2024
Albany continued to chip into the score with goals from Longboat, Walker and Firth, however, McConvey stopped the run with Rochester’s third power-play marker of the night with 1:25 left in the frame.
Holding a 10-8 lead to start the final 15 minutes of regulation, Fields completed his hat trick with his third tally on the man-advantage from Evans and Smith.
Back-to-back strikes from Simmons and Powless brought the FireWolves to within a goal late in the fourth quarter, but Rochester tightened down defensively in the closing minutes to hang on for the 11-10 victory.
12 Assists Last Week ✅
First Goal This Week ✅Ryan Lanchbury looks to stay hot for the @RocKnighthawks!
Watch them take on the @AlbFireWolves in the #NLL Saturday Showcase LIVE on ESPN+ (https://t.co/ZnLXHUttvM) and TSN+ pic.twitter.com/ISV9UN7pbX
— NLL (@NLL) March 16, 2024
The Knighthawks put their three-game win streak on the line on Saturday, March 23 when they visit the Mile-High City to take on the Colorado Mammoth for the only time this season at Ball Arena. Game time is slated for a 9:00 p.m. ET start and will be carried live on Big 107.3 FM as well as ESPN+.
