Knighthawks Stun Toronto, Make NLL Finals
By: Thad Brown
Updated: May 13, 2012
The Rochester
Knighthawks ended their playoff drought in Toronto, defeating the
defending champion Toronto Rock 17-13 tonight at the Air Canada Centre.
Rochester will host Edmonton in the Champion's Cup game. The final will be played Saturday, May 19th at Blue Cross Arena at 7:30pm. Tickets go on sale at 10am Monday.
The Knighthawks were spear headed by Cory Vitarelli (4+1), Johnny Powless (2+4), Joe Walters (2+2), Mike Accursi (2+1), Jarrett Davis (1+3), and Craig Point (1+2). Matt Vinc was strong in net with 51 saves on 64 shots.
For the Rock, Garrett Billings (1+6), Colin Doyle (3+2), Stephen Leblanc (1+3), Josh Sanderson (4+1), and Kasey Beirnes (2+0) led the scoring while goalie Nick Rose made 22 saves on 36 shots.
The Knighthawks started quickly scoring the first two goals of the game to take an early 2-0 lead over the defending champion Toronto Rock. Cody Jamieson, team leader in points during the regular season, started the scoring at 1:04 followed by a goal by Accursi at 9:32 of the first.
Toronto went on a two-goal run to tie the score at two late in the first with goals by Josh Sanderson and Brenden Thenhaus. Point added a last second goal at 14:59 to re-take the lead making the score 3-2.
In the second, Toronto tied the score at three with a Kasey Biernes goal at 1:17. Hometown fan favorite, Joe Walters scored to take a 4-3 lead but seconds later the Rock answered with a goal by Colin Doyle at 5:24 to tie the game at four.
Walters scored his second goal of the game to give Rochester the lead again, the third time the Knighthawks re-gained the lead. Dylan Evans added onto the lead with a goal at 7:43 making the score 6-4. Jesse Gamble, however, reduced Rochester's lead to one when he put the ball past Vinc in transition, but Cory Vitarelli scored at 14:24 to re-take the two goal lead, making the score 7-5 going into halftime.
Rochester started the second half with three unanswered goals. Goals by Stephen Keogh, Accursi, and Jamieson gave the Knighthawks a 10-5 lead. A goal by Sanderson made the score 10-6, but Rochester responded quickly with a goal by Jarrett Davis at 6:06 to make the score 11-6. The Rock kept fighting as Billings' goal made the score 11-7 to end the scoring in the third.
In the fourth Rochester scored three unanswered goals. A goal by Vitarelli and two straight by Powless gave Rochester a 14-7 lead, breaking the game open. Toronto's first goal of the fourth came by Doyle followed by a goal by Sanderson to make the score 14-9 Rochester.
Rochester yet again responded with a key goal when Billings was charged with a boarding penalty leading to a power-play goal by Vitarelli to give him the hat trick. Seconds later, Mike Kirk scored his first goal of the year on an empty net to make the score 16-9.
Vitarelli scored his fourth goal and second power-play goal of the game at 10:06, making the score 17-9, but the Rock were not exiting the playoffs without a fight. Goals by Sanderson and Beirnes reduced Rochester's lead to six, making the score 17-11. Late goals by Leblanc and Doyle made the score 17-13, but it was not enough to stop Rochester from advancing to the Champion's Cup.
Rochester will host Edmonton in the Champion's Cup game. The final will be played Saturday, May 19th at Blue Cross Arena at 7:30pm. Tickets go on sale at 10am Monday.
The Knighthawks were spear headed by Cory Vitarelli (4+1), Johnny Powless (2+4), Joe Walters (2+2), Mike Accursi (2+1), Jarrett Davis (1+3), and Craig Point (1+2). Matt Vinc was strong in net with 51 saves on 64 shots.
For the Rock, Garrett Billings (1+6), Colin Doyle (3+2), Stephen Leblanc (1+3), Josh Sanderson (4+1), and Kasey Beirnes (2+0) led the scoring while goalie Nick Rose made 22 saves on 36 shots.
The Knighthawks started quickly scoring the first two goals of the game to take an early 2-0 lead over the defending champion Toronto Rock. Cody Jamieson, team leader in points during the regular season, started the scoring at 1:04 followed by a goal by Accursi at 9:32 of the first.
Toronto went on a two-goal run to tie the score at two late in the first with goals by Josh Sanderson and Brenden Thenhaus. Point added a last second goal at 14:59 to re-take the lead making the score 3-2.
In the second, Toronto tied the score at three with a Kasey Biernes goal at 1:17. Hometown fan favorite, Joe Walters scored to take a 4-3 lead but seconds later the Rock answered with a goal by Colin Doyle at 5:24 to tie the game at four.
Walters scored his second goal of the game to give Rochester the lead again, the third time the Knighthawks re-gained the lead. Dylan Evans added onto the lead with a goal at 7:43 making the score 6-4. Jesse Gamble, however, reduced Rochester's lead to one when he put the ball past Vinc in transition, but Cory Vitarelli scored at 14:24 to re-take the two goal lead, making the score 7-5 going into halftime.
Rochester started the second half with three unanswered goals. Goals by Stephen Keogh, Accursi, and Jamieson gave the Knighthawks a 10-5 lead. A goal by Sanderson made the score 10-6, but Rochester responded quickly with a goal by Jarrett Davis at 6:06 to make the score 11-6. The Rock kept fighting as Billings' goal made the score 11-7 to end the scoring in the third.
In the fourth Rochester scored three unanswered goals. A goal by Vitarelli and two straight by Powless gave Rochester a 14-7 lead, breaking the game open. Toronto's first goal of the fourth came by Doyle followed by a goal by Sanderson to make the score 14-9 Rochester.
Rochester yet again responded with a key goal when Billings was charged with a boarding penalty leading to a power-play goal by Vitarelli to give him the hat trick. Seconds later, Mike Kirk scored his first goal of the year on an empty net to make the score 16-9.
Vitarelli scored his fourth goal and second power-play goal of the game at 10:06, making the score 17-9, but the Rock were not exiting the playoffs without a fight. Goals by Sanderson and Beirnes reduced Rochester's lead to six, making the score 17-11. Late goals by Leblanc and Doyle made the score 17-13, but it was not enough to stop Rochester from advancing to the Champion's Cup.
