Nll Top 50 Players: #6 Matt Vinc

December 9, 2014

Knighthawks netminder has won 4 of last 5 Goaltender of the Year awards

As the start of the 2015 NLL season looms, IL Indoor continues to count down the Top 50 Players in the National Lacrosse League. Three-time defending champion goaltender Matt Vinc, who has won four of the last five NLL Goaltender of the Year awards with the Rochester Knighthawks, shores up the #6 spot with now only five players remaining on Inside Lacrosse’s exclusive list.

IL Indoor contributors Bob Chavez, Stephen Stamp and Marty O’Neill collaborated with their own Top 50 lists for a points system that produced the final list. Click the link for the player to read their full analysis on Inside Lacrosse and check back to follow the countdown all the way to No. 1.

6) Matt Vinc – Rochester Knighthawks

“Vinc is a true veteran in every sense. This goalie didn’t just arrive and start his storied career, instead he climbed the ladder of success with some supporting roles before he made the most of his big chance. He has cruised to endless triumphs with the Knighthawks, winning 3 titles and a bunch of hardware. What is next for Vinc? There are still many good years left in Matt’s game and that bodes well for the Knighthawks dynasty.” – Marty O’Neill

“The records speak for themselves. Four goalie of the year awards in the last five seasons. In those four seasons, his worst save percentage was .794 and he never gave up more than 10.17 goals per game. Vinc is ridiculously strong and athletic. He’s also extremely competitive. Playing behind a top-notch Rochester defence, he often faces the shots you like to see as a goalie, but he’s one of the best at turning aside the high-quality shots as well.” – Stephen Stamp

“It’s tough to find words to describe the play of Vinc when all the hardware he’s won does plenty of talking. But the bottom line with Vinc is that he’s a winner. He makes the saves that are expected of any goalie, then usually adds a few saves to keep teams from establishing any sort of momentum. Yes, he’s had a great defense in front of him for years, but he’s just as much a part of it and can be counted on when there are breakdowns by the runners.” – Bob Chavez

The National Lacrosse League opens its 29th season with NLL Face Off Weekend 2015 presented by New Era on January 2-3 with every team in action.