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BUF at SD - Sat. 10pm ET on ESPNews Schedule

×
WK
1
Fri, Dec 2
FINAL
Philadelphia
8
Halifax
18
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Vancouver
8
Toronto
19
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
San Diego
15
New York
14
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Albany
11
Buffalo
10
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Rochester
16
Georgia
11
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Colorado
6
Saskatchewan
18
WK
2
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL
Las Vegas
11
Panther City
13
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
12
San Diego
13
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Toronto
7
Rochester
11
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Vancouver
9
Calgary
11
WK
3
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
5
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Panther City
9
Las Vegas
3
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Buffalo
11
Toronto
8
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Rochester
14
Albany
13
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Philadelphia
13
Georgia
12
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Halifax
20
New York
11
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Colorado
12
Panther City
9
WK
5
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
Halifax
13
Buffalo
18
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
San Diego
17
Calgary
14
Sat, Dec 31
FINAL
Panther City
9
Saskatchewan
11
WK
6
Fri, Jan 6
FINAL
Philadelphia
14
Las Vegas
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Panther City
9
Rochester
17
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Halifax
14
Albany
11
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Buffalo
18
Georgia
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Toronto
15
New York
7
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Calgary
8
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Vancouver
11
San Diego
16
WK
7
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Albany
11
Halifax
10
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
10
Colorado
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Halifax
8
Toronto
17
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Panther City
12
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Georgia
9
Buffalo
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
San Diego
10
Calgary
14
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Las Vegas
16
Vancouver
19
Sun, Jan 15
FINAL
Rochester
11
New York
8
WK
8
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Buffalo
12
Rochester
15
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
15
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
Toronto
14
Philadelphia
5
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
New York
16
Albany
10
WK
9
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Rochester
7
Halifax
17
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Buffalo
13
Philadelphia
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Buffalo
16
New York
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Las Vegas
10
Saskatchewan
15
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL/OT
Toronto
11
Calgary
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
San Diego
13
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Panther City
20
Vancouver
7
WK
10
Fri, Feb 3
FINAL
Georgia
10
Colorado
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL/OT
Calgary
12
Halifax
11
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
New York
14
Toronto
22
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Albany
5
Philadelphia
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Rochester
10
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Panther City
10
San Diego
12
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
14
Vancouver
8
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Colorado
8
Las Vegas
13
WK
11
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Toronto
11
Georgia
10
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
13
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Halifax
14
Rochester
16
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Albany
12
New York
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Vancouver
13
Panther City
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Colorado
9
Calgary
13
WK
12
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
9
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
16
San Diego
11
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Georgia
7
Toronto
16
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
Albany
10
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
12
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Colorado
7
Panther City
13
Sun, Feb 19
FINAL
New York
12
Halifax
13
WK
13
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Panther City
12
Colorado
14
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Calgary
9
Las Vegas
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL/OT
New York
10
Rochester
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Albany
4
Georgia
20
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Vancouver
16
Saskatchewan
12
WK
14
Fri, Mar 3
FINAL
Buffalo
10
Halifax
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
New York
12
Philadelphia
19
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
San Diego
15
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Rochester
8
Toronto
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL/OT
Georgia
9
Albany
8
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
10
Panther City
16
Mon, Mar 6
FINAL
Toronto
10
Philadelphia
11
WK
15
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL/OT
Halifax
9
Buffalo
10
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL
Calgary
16
Colorado
10
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Albany
6
Toronto
12
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Philadelphia
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
San Diego
12
Saskatchewan
11
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
5
Sun, Mar 12
FINAL
Rochester
19
Georgia
18
WK
16
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
11
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
San Diego
16
Vancouver
9
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Georgia
13
Philadelphia
12
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Toronto
12
Halifax
14
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Albany
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Colorado
13
Buffalo
8
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
8
Panther City
11
Sun, Mar 19
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
9
Rochester
8
WK
17
Fri, Mar 24
FINAL
San Diego
17
Panther City
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Toronto
11
Albany
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Halifax
14
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Georgia
13
New York
8
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Calgary
14
Saskatchewan
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL/OT
Buffalo
7
San Diego
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Colorado
12
Vancouver
14
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Rochester
7
Las Vegas
12
WK
18
Fri, Mar 31
19:00:00
New York
Georgia
Fri, Mar 31
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Colorado
Fri, Mar 31
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sat, Apr 1
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Apr 1
20:00:00
Albany
Panther City
Sat, Apr 1
21:30:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 2
13:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Sun, Apr 2
18:00:00
Rochester
Philadelphia
WK
19
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sat, Apr 8
22:30:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
WK
20
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Georgia
Albany
Sat, Apr 15
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 15
21:30:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 15
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
WK
21
Fri, Apr 21
20:30:00
Calgary
Panther City
Sat, Apr 22
18:00:00
New York
Halifax
Sat, Apr 22
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 22
21:30:00
Colorado
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 22
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Apr 23
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Albany
WK
22
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Halifax
Georgia
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 29
22:30:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
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Stories/Op-Ed

Knighthawks Mean Business While Continuing to Search for Their Identity

Who am I? Who are we?

These are some of the questions we have been asking ourselves since the COVID-19 pandemic drastically altered our lives. It has forced many of us to reevaluate what and who is most important to us.

They are also the same questions being asked by the Rochester Knighthawks players and coaches as they continue to search for identity and cohesion following a shortened first year as an NLL franchise.

With a 2-10 record when the 2020 NLL season was canceled due to the pandemic, the Knighthawks didn’t achieve the win-total they would’ve hoped for, but they didn’t come out empty-handed, explained GM Dan Carey.

“We wanted to try and find out who we were – our identity,” Carey said. “As far as the character and the culture, that’s one of the things we felt very good about – what we created and what we built so far. I think a lot of that has to do with the type of players we have. Obviously, though, we knew we had some improving to do with how we did last season.”

When I spoke with the team in January following a 0-3 start, the universal message preached was patience, the importance of camaraderie, the importance of a never-quit attitude, and a desire to learn and improve. By achieving those goals as a unit, the team believed it would beget success.

Considering that they won two of their last seven games and challenged their opponents – to the bitter-end in some cases – it’s fair to say the team was making progress. But let’s be clear, the team was, and still is, far from a finished (championship-contending) product.

“I don’t know if our record necessarily shows what kind of team we were last year; that’s what we believe, anyway,” Carey said. “But, at the same time, we did only win two games. We want to get better.”

Head coach Mike Hasen added that his guys did many of the right things during the season, especially how the veterans helped teach the young, up-and-comers the ropes.

“There’s wasn’t a game where we shut it down,” Hasen said. “We competed for the entire 60 minutes, and I think the guys who were on our roster bought in. Our veterans understood what it was going to take, and it was a bit of a learning curve for them – they were going to be teachers as much as players, and I thought they did a great job of bringing the young kids along.”

However, with all they did right to stay in games and begin to gel as a unit, there is still a drastic need to get better. During the 2020 campaign, the Knighthawks had the third-lowest goals scored per game (9.58), the highest goals allowed per game (13.75), were the only team not to win a divisional game, were one of two teams not to win a road game, had the highest penalty minutes per game (17.25), allowed the most short-handed goals and power-play goals (9 and 31 respectively), had the fourth-worst power play, had the worst penalty kill, the second-worst shots for per game (47.6), the most shots against per game (58.3) and were 0-3 when leading at half time. So, to say that the Knighthawks have a lot to improve upon (in many facets of their game) would be an understatement.

The 2020 NLL Entry Draft, in which the Knighthawks were the most active team in the league, and a couple of off-season moves, is evidence that the front office is putting in the work to attempt to improve the franchise. The message to the players is: “We’re trying our best to show you that we’re serious about winning. We expect the same of you.”

“We’ve asked our players to come in and do what they do,” Hasen said. “We don’t want to keep spinning our wheels. We have to show them we’re serious about competing and being better this year. The draft helps, but bringing in quality veteran guys that guys can relate to and have played against us also, I think, gives the idea that we’re serious.”

To both Carey and Hasen’s points, it is clear that the team has already established that it will fight to the bitter end, literally and figuratively. The Knighthawks were 2-6 in games decided by three goals or less, outscored their opponents in the 4th quarter three times in games decided by three goals or less, and were part of two overtime games (both losses).

They also showed how they would stand up for themselves when they were being pushed around by the Philadelphia Wings back in January. In that 12-4 blowout loss on the road, the Knighthawks battered and beat the Wings seemingly every chance they got. In one of the scrappiest quarters in recent memory, the Knighthawks accumulated a total of 43 PIM in 15 minutes. While no coaching staff would ever encourage their team to give away so many penalties, it sent a message to the league that this team will not go quietly into the night, no matter what the score.

The 2019 Knighthawks showed how hard they’d play for each other while trying to perfect a winning formula but with a handful of moves this off-season in the 2020 NLL Entry Draft and throughout the summer, how can the new pieces mesh with their hardworking, never-say-die attitude?

The Knighthawks brought in veterans such as Mike Manley and Thomas Hoggarth and re-signed other long-term league staples such as Curtis Knight, Jay Thorimbert, and Shawn Evans – let’s not forget that Paul Dawson still has two years left on his contract. Pairing those hardworking, good-character men with the high-performance new-comers such as Jeff Wittig, Ryan Smith (who will be joining the Knighthawks following his final year at Robert Morris University), John Wagner, Matt Gilray, and the like will give the Knighthawks more grit, lacrosse IQ and confidence on both sides of the floor.

It will be imperative they determine who they want to lead them in between the pipes. Last season, Craig Wende, Rylan Hartley, and Steve Fryer all spent ample time in the net – they nearly split their time on the floor evenly, totaling around 225 minutes played each.

What will be essential to these new-look Knighthawks establishing themselves as an unselfish, grind-it-out, winning club is that they need to give 110% every night. There is still a learning curve for a second-year franchise, but the expectations are much higher this time around. If the Knighthawks want to be seen as a team that plays a no-nonsense, dedicated, and diligent style of lacrosse, the front office will hold each player to that.

“Bringing in new guys means there’s an opportunity that you don’t have your job anymore at the end of the day,” Hasen said. “So, if you want to keep your job, make sure you’re ready to go [each practice, each game].”

NLL