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Breaking: League Adopts Unified Standings Format & Updated Playoff Structure for 2023-24 Season

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 1
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Halifax
Fri, Dec 1
22:00:00
Albany
Las Vegas
Fri, Dec 1
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
Sat, Dec 2
19:00:00
Calgary
Rochester
Sat, Dec 2
19:30:00
Philadelphia
New York
WK
2
Sat, Dec 9
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Dec 9
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Dec 9
19:30:00
Colorado
Georgia
Sat, Dec 9
20:00:00
Rochester
Saskatchewan
Sat, Dec 9
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sun, Dec 10
16:00:00
Las Vegas
Panther City
WK
3
Fri, Dec 15
22:00:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
Sat, Dec 16
13:00:00
Albany
Philadelphia
Sat, Dec 16
19:30:00
Halifax
New York
Sat, Dec 16
19:30:00
San Diego
Buffalo
Sat, Dec 16
22:00:00
Georgia
Vancouver
WK
4
Fri, Dec 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Panther City
Fri, Dec 22
21:00:00
Georgia
Colorado
Sat, Dec 23
19:00:00
Vancouver
Rochester
WK
5
Fri, Dec 29
18:30:00
Philadelphia
Halifax
Fri, Dec 29
19:30:00
Georgia
Buffalo
Fri, Dec 29
22:00:00
Rochester
San Diego
Sat, Dec 30
16:00:00
New York
Toronto
Sat, Dec 30
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Sat, Dec 30
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sun, Dec 31
20:00:00
Albany
Saskatchewan
WK
6
Sat, Jan 6
19:00:00
Halifax
Albany
Sat, Jan 6
19:30:00
Panther City
Georgia
Sat, Jan 6
19:30:00
Colorado
Buffalo
Sun, Jan 7
15:00:00
New York
Philadelphia
WK
7
Fri, Jan 12
18:30:00
Toronto
Halifax
Fri, Jan 12
22:00:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
Sat, Jan 13
19:00:00
Buffalo
Rochester
Sat, Jan 13
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Philadelphia
Sat, Jan 13
19:30:00
Panther City
New York
Sat, Jan 13
19:30:00
Albany
Georgia
Sat, Jan 13
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Jan 13
22:00:00
Calgary
Vancouver
WK
8
Fri, Jan 19
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Jan 20
19:00:00
Georgia
Toronto
Sat, Jan 20
19:00:00
San Diego
Albany
Sat, Jan 20
20:00:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sat, Jan 20
21:00:00
Calgary
Colorado
WK
9
Fri, Jan 26
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Jan 27
18:00:00
Rochester
Halifax
Sat, Jan 27
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Jan 27
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Jan 27
19:30:00
San Diego
Philadelphia
Sat, Jan 27
22:00:00
Panther City
Las Vegas
WK
10
Fri, Feb 2
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Fri, Feb 2
19:30:00
Vancouver
Georgia
Fri, Feb 2
21:00:00
New York
Calgary
Sat, Feb 3
19:00:00
Las Vegas
Albany
Sat, Feb 3
19:30:00
Rochester
Buffalo
Sat, Feb 3
20:00:00
Panther City
Saskatchewan
Sat, Feb 3
21:00:00
Toronto
Calgary
Sun, Feb 4
18:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
WK
11
Fri, Feb 9
18:30:00
Las Vegas
Halifax
Fri, Feb 9
20:00:00
Colorado
Panther City
Sat, Feb 10
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Feb 10
19:00:00
Calgary
Toronto
Sat, Feb 10
19:30:00
San Diego
New York
Sat, Feb 10
22:00:00
Saskatchewan
Vancouver
WK
12
Fri, Feb 16
18:30:00
Buffalo
Halifax
Fri, Feb 16
22:00:00
Philadelphia
Las Vegas
Sat, Feb 17
19:00:00
Colorado
Albany
Sun, Feb 18
19:00:00
Halifax
Calgary
WK
13
Fri, Feb 23
21:00:00
New York
Colorado
Fri, Feb 23
22:00:00
Georgia
San Diego
Sat, Feb 24
19:00:00
Las Vegas
Rochester
Sat, Feb 24
19:00:00
Vancouver
Toronto
Sat, Feb 24
19:30:00
Albany
Buffalo
Sat, Feb 24
20:00:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Feb 24
21:00:00
Philadelphia
Calgary
Sun, Feb 25
16:00:00
Georgia
Panther City
WK
14
Fri, Mar 1
19:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Fri, Mar 1
20:00:00
San Diego
Panther City
Fri, Mar 1
22:00:00
Toronto
Las Vegas
Fri, Mar 1
22:00:00
Buffalo
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 2
13:00:00
Calgary
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 2
19:00:00
New York
Albany
Sat, Mar 2
21:00:00
Saskatchewan
Colorado
Sat, Mar 2
22:00:00
Toronto
San Diego
Sun, Mar 3
16:00:00
Rochester
Panther City
WK
15
Fri, Mar 8
19:00:00
Vancouver
Albany
Fri, Mar 8
19:30:00
Calgary
Georgia
Fri, Mar 8
19:30:00
Saskatchewan
Buffalo
Sat, Mar 9
17:00:00
Colorado
Toronto
Sat, Mar 9
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Mar 9
19:30:00
Las Vegas
New York
Sat, Mar 9
22:00:00
Halifax
San Diego
Sun, Mar 10
15:00:00
Panther City
Philadelphia
WK
16
Fri, Mar 15
18:30:00
Panther City
Halifax
Fri, Mar 15
21:00:00
San Diego
Calgary
Fri, Mar 15
22:00:00
Las Vegas
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 16
19:00:00
Rochester
Albany
Sat, Mar 16
19:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Mar 16
19:30:00
Philadelphia
Georgia
Sat, Mar 16
20:30:00
New York
Saskatchewan
WK
17
Fri, Mar 22
20:00:00
Buffalo
Panther City
Fri, Mar 22
21:00:00
Albany
Calgary
Sat, Mar 23
19:00:00
Halifax
Toronto
Sat, Mar 23
19:00:00
Vancouver
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 23
19:30:00
Saskatchewan
New York
Sat, Mar 23
21:00:00
Rochester
Colorado
Sat, Mar 23
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Mar 24
17:30:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
WK
18
Sat, Mar 30
13:00:00
Buffalo
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 30
19:00:00
Halifax
Rochester
Sat, Mar 30
19:30:00
Toronto
New York
Sat, Mar 30
22:00:00
Vancouver
Las Vegas
WK
19
Fri, Apr 5
21:00:00
Saskatchewan
Calgary
Fri, Apr 5
21:00:00
Buffalo
Colorado
Fri, Apr 5
22:00:00
Panther City
San Diego
Fri, Apr 5
22:00:00
Halifax
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 6
19:00:00
New York
Rochester
Sat, Apr 6
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Apr 6
19:30:00
Las Vegas
Georgia
Sat, Apr 6
20:00:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 7
16:00:00
Philadelphia
Panther City
WK
20
Fri, Apr 12
21:00:00
Philadelphia
Colorado
Sat, Apr 13
19:00:00
Rochester
Toronto
Sat, Apr 13
19:30:00
Calgary
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 13
20:00:00
San Diego
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 13
22:00:00
Colorado
Las Vegas
Sat, Apr 13
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sun, Apr 14
16:00:00
Albany
Panther City
WK
21
Fri, Apr 19
19:30:00
Rochester
Georgia
Fri, Apr 19
22:00:00
Vancouver
San Diego
Sat, Apr 20
18:00:00
Colorado
Halifax
Sat, Apr 20
19:30:00
Albany
New York
Sat, Apr 20
20:00:00
Toronto
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 20
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 20
22:00:00
Buffalo
Las Vegas
Sun, Apr 21
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
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Final Four: Knighthawks Knock Off Rock, 11-7

Keeping their hopes alive to come back and win the East Division, the Rochester Knighthawks (8-4) defeated the Toronto Rock (11-4) on the road by a score of 11-7 before a crowd of 10,218 at Air Canada Centre on Friday night.

Rochester now sits just a game and half back from the first place Rock after Friday night’s victory, leaving the East Division regular season crown up for grabs. A Toronto win and a Minnesota loss this weekend would have clinched top spot for the Rock, but a big efforts from Dan Dawson (3+3) and Matt Vinc (49 saves) negated that scenario all together.

“We had a lot of big efforts tonight,” said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. “(Dan) Dawson was great, he set the tone for us early. He was driving and doing stuff that we haven’t seen consistently done this year. It opens up a lot of things.”

Two wins over Toronto this season awards the Knighthawks with the regular season tie-breaker should the two teams finish with the same record. While the task is tall, this means Rochester controls their own destiny the rest of the way. If the three-time defending champs win each of their remaining six games, they will realize the East Division’s first seed.

“We circled this game as a big game for us and we knew that,” said Knighthawks forward Joe Walters. “The winner of tonight got the tie-breaker, we came in ready to go.”

Toronto’s Kasey Beirnes opened all scoring with a power play goal on the doorstep 3:06 after first whistle. Rochester however, answered strongly by scoring five-straight goals over a nine minute stretch, two of which from Dawson in close. Beirnes stopped the bleeding with another powerplay goal in the slot, capping the first quarter at a 5-2 Rochester advantage.

“It was a disappointing start,” said Rock head coach John Lovell. “We’re playing for big stakes here.”

The Knighthawks continued their dominance into the second frame as Jordan Hall, Dawson and Cody Jamieson each scored within the quarter’s first 6:04. Just over two minutes later, Stephan Leblanc and Beirnes completed 2-0 mini-run to bring the Rock to 8-4 deficit, the score standing until halftime.

Rock newcomer Kevin Crowley and Brad Self traded goals just seconds apart to open all second half scoring. After 10:26 of scoreboard silence, Knighthawk forward Joe Resetartis and Jesse Gamble swapped goals exactly one minute apart, capping the third quarter at a 10-6 Rochester advantage.

Leblanc made things interesting by scoring his second of the night early in the final frame, but stellar Knighthawk defence cancelled any chance for a Rock comeback. Jamieson scored the game’s final tally with 2:14 remaining.

Rochester’s hot start put rest to looming concerns about Week 13’s three-goal goal effort against the Edmonton Rush. On Friday night, it took only 6:21 for the Knighthawks to match a total that was conceived in sixty minutes time just six days ago.

“After last weekend, it was a huge opportunity for us to bounce back,” said Walters. We have another game tomorrow, so we just need to take one game at a time.”

Toronto meanwhile are feeling the woes of mid to late-season offensive slump. Over their last five games – a stretch that includes three of Toronto’s four losses – the Rock are averaging just 10.2 goals per game. It’s an alarming change from the 14 goals per game Toronto earned over first 10 matches.

“Our special teams have gone south on us for the last few games and that’s got to get better,” Lovell said. “Our powerplay has not performed for us like it was early in the season. Things that were going for us early are not going now…but they will come back.”

Some attribution has to go to the absents of the Rock leading scorer Rob Hellyer, who has missed two and a half games of action since suffering an upper-body injury nearly three weeks ago. The Rock have since made an attempt to patch that hole with the well-documented acquisition of Crowley from the Black Wolves in exchange for Garrett Billings. Crowley put the Rock uniform on for the first time on Friday night and chimed in with a goal and two assists.

“There’s going to be some transition time coming into a new team,” said Crowley. “But these guys on the offense are really easy to play with.”

“I thought [Matt Vinc] played great in there tonight, we had a lot of good looks, shots that hopefully next time will fall for us. The defense did a great job stopping their run,” Crowley added.

Rock goalie Brandon Miller got the start in goal, but did not last long as the veteran gave up five goals on Rochester’s first eight shots. Toronto back up Nick Rose came on in relief and played nicely. Rose made 26 saves on 32 shots for a .812 save percentage.

On the other end of the floor, Rochester netminder Matt Vinc stood very tall making 49 saves on 56 shots for an even better .875 save percentage. Friday night’s performance earns “Vno” the title of the league’s top ball stopper as he holds a league-leading .796 save percentage thus far.

Dawson (3+3) led all shooters with six points each on the night. Joe Walters (1+4) followed up with five points of his own. Beirnes (3+1) tallied four points in the loss, while Josh Sanderson (0+3) and Crowley (1+2) followed close behind with three points each.

The Knighthawks are back at it on Saturday night when they host the Minnesota Swarm at the Blue Cross Arena. The Rock meanwhile have the rest of the weekend off and will host the Vancouver Stealth on April 10.

Three Stars of the Game as selected by the media:

1) Dan Dawson
2) Matt Vinc
3) Kasey Beirnes

By Justin Millerson (@RockBeatToronto) for NLL.com. Photo by Graig Abel.

NLL