(Six Nations, December 20)
The Boston Blazers used a four-goal fourth quarter to defeat the Rochester Knighthawks 9-7 in a National Lacrosse League preseason scrimmage game at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. Rochester finished its preseason schedule with a 1-1 record.
Jamie Rooney had the hot hand for the Knighthawks, collecting four goals and one assist. Daryl Veltman led the Blazers with three points (2+1), while Gary Bining and Greg Downing each scored twice. Mike Poulin earned the win in goal, allowing four goals in two quarters of play. Jake Henhawk picked up the loss as he backstopped Rochester in the fourth quarter.
Veltman opened the scoring at 3:50 of the first quarter as he converted a rebound past the right arm of Pat O’Toole. Rochester tied things up at 5:27 off a goal by Rooney. Rooney took the feed from Shawn Williams and drove across the crease and beat Anthony Cosmo to the far post. Yet, the Blazers regained the lead at 11:50 on a power-play goal from Bining to make it 2-1.
In the second, Veltman picked up his second point of the game, assisting on Brendan Thenhaus’ goal power-play goal at 1:29 and the lead was 3-1. Boston quickly went on its fourth PP, but this time John Grant tallied for Rochester, receiving an outlet pass from O’Toole to make it 3-2 at 2:23.
The Knighthawks knotted their second straight at 6:41, while on a 5-on-3 power play. Shawn Evans converted from just outside the crease to tie the game at three. The Blazers recaptured the lead with two goals in 11 seconds as Mike Kirk beat O’Toole at 9:12 to make it 4-3 and then Downing tallied at 9:23 for a 5-3 Boston advantage.
In the third quarter, it was the Jamie Rooney show as he scored three straight. His first of the quarter cut the lead to 5-4 at 3:47 off a pretty pass from Peter Jacobs. Rooney struck for the third time today at 10:45 from Jacobs to tie the game at five. He scored an acrobatic goal, as he leapt in the air and dunked the ball over a diving Mike Poulin. Rooney recorded his fourth of the game, and third straight, off a crease dive at 12:43. It was the first lead of the game for the Knighthawks.
The final quarter began with Rooney picking up his fifth point of the contest. His pass was deflected off the stick off Craig Point and past Poulin for a 7-5 lead 46 seconds into the final frame. The Blazers, however, stormed back with three goals in the next 2:22 to take an 8-7 lead. Veltman, Downing and Bining all scored their second goals of the game in the three-goal outburst. Mike Stone then added an insurance goal for Boston with 1:15 to play.
The Knighthawks open their 16th season opener on Saturday, January 9th against the Buffalo Bandits. The game is set for an 8:05 p.m. start at The Blue Cross Arena and will be broadcast on 94.1 FM The Zone and thezone941.com
