Knighthawks Down Buffalo on the Road
from nll.com
Rochester Knighthawks forward John Grant had his second eight-point
game as he continues his comeback tour in a 13-11 victory over the
Buffalo Bandits at HSBC Arena tonight. Rochester improved to 2-0 to
a start a season for the first time since the 2000 season.
Grant has led the way for the Knighthawks with three goals and five
assists to tie Tom Marechek for fourth in NLL history with 399
goals. Shawn Williams also had two goals and three assists, and
Craig Point chipped in four goals and 15 faceoff wins. Rochester
also converted four of seven power-play chances.
O'Toole (6,168) made 33 saves to climb within just 188 saves away
from breaking Dallas Eliuk's league record of 6,356. The win was
the 99th of O'Toole's Knighthawks career, placing him two away from
becoming the first Rochester goalie to reach the century mark.
Mark Steenhuis led Buffalo with four goals and two assists, while
Mike Accursi collected five points (1 4). The NLL's all-time
goal-scoring leader, John Tavares, was a late scratch. Goalie Ken
Montour stopped 29 saves in the loss. The Bandits dropped to 0-2 to
start the season.
Buffalo jumped out to a 3-0 first-quarter lead and a 4-2
second-quarter lead, but each time Rochester responded to tie the
game. Grant provided both goals to even the game at four. The teams
then traded goals before Steenhuis gave Buffalo a 6-5 lead on the
power play at 10:20 of the second.
Rochester scored four of the next five goals to open the third
quarter to take a 9-7 lead at 7:25 of the third quarter as Cory
Bomberry netted his only goal of the game. Brett Bucktooth cut the
lead to one before the end of the quarter with a power-play marker
at 11:52.
The Knighthawks controlled the beginning of the fourth quarter with
three of quarter's four goals. Bobby McBride, Point and Gary Gait
tallied to give Rochester a 12-9 lead. Buffalo chipped in two late
goals before Steve Toll clinched the game with an empty-netter.
