On Friday night against the Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks forward Ryan Smith made a statement. In his best game yet of the 2022-23 campaign, Smith posedt a nine-point effort along with a new career-high fives goals during the Knighthawks’ 15-12 victory.
“I just found my shot in the second quarter,” started Smith when asked what was working for him after Friday’s game.
Not to forget that Smith reached this feat against, arguably, the best goaltender in the National Lacrosse League in Buffalo’s Matt Vinc, something that the second-year pro is pretty understandably proud of.
“It’s kind of cool having it against the greatest goalie of all time, too.”
So, a massive win for the franchise, their first-ever over Buffalo, and for Smith considering the offensive production he saw.
“He (Smith) was making the most of his opportunities,” said Knighthawks general manager Dan Carey when asked about Smith’s offensive efforts on Friday. “He’s a very unselfish player and he tends to let his teammates kind of take the opportunities that sometimes should be his.”
Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen echoed what Carey said about Smith’s Friday night performance.
5 goals.
9 points.RYAN SMITH HAD HIMSELF A KNIGHT! pic.twitter.com/8ZArqxX8rY
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) January 21, 2023
“He just took control and, again, he’s such a big load and a big body, he’s got great hands, great vision, and he took control. It was great to see.”
In just his short time in Rochester, Smith has already made a massive impact.
Last season with Rochester, Smith finished second among NLL rookies with 35 goals and third with 59 points. While Smith was named to the NLL All-Rookie Team for the 2021-22 season, he led all first-year players with a franchise record eight power-play goals and ranked third among rookies in overall power-play scoring with 15 points.
Ryan Smith set a personal career high for goals in a single game with 5 last night and tied his career high in points with 9 👏
Player of the Game | @IdeDealerships pic.twitter.com/KMZl2lsCQd
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) January 21, 2023
This year, Smith has continued that same offensive trajectory by already producing 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points through the Knighthawks first six games.
“Ryan Smith is a talent and he’s a guy that, I think, is just still scratching the surface of this league, and on our team, so it great to see him finally take the bull by the horns and go out and do what he does best,” finished Carey when discussing Smith’s skillset.
Smith and the Knighthawks look for their seventh straight win on Friday, Jan. 27 when they take on the Halifax Thunderbirds at Scotiabank Centre. The 6 p.m. ET matchup will be the first of two scheduled meetings between the two teams this season and will be carried live on Big 107.3 FM as well as ESPN+.
