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Season opens on December 1st. Find 2023-24 schedules here and buy your tickets today

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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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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].”

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