Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/14/18
From Press Release and Staff Report
Kevin Crowley (Fusion Lacrosse director/coach, Shipley School assistant coach) had a goal and two assists and four loose balls and defenseman Brett Manney (NXT LC coach/Showcase Lacrosse Director, Holy Ghost Prep & Delaware grad) added four loose balls as the host New England Black Wolves defeated the Rochester Knighthawks, 9-8, on Saturday night in NLL action.
Aaron Bold set a new season-high with 48 saves as the Black Wolves improved to 3-1.
Bold was just one save shy of his career-best and eclipsed his previous season-high of 39, set on December 29th against Vancouver. Stephan Leblanc (two goals, four assists) and Shawn Evans (one goal, five assists) each had six points in the win for New England (3-1).
The first half was a back and forth affair. Rochester (2-3) scored just 53 seconds into play, but the Black Wolves tied it up just 1:27 later on a goal by Kevin Buchanan. After the Knighthawks picked up another, Leblanc found the back of the net on the power play with 3:45 to go in the first. Rochester scored on its own power play just over two minutes later, but Kevin Buchanan picked up his second of the frame to tie up at 3-3 with 35 seconds to play in the frame.
The second quarter started the same as the first, with the Knighthawks picking up the first goal 3:57 in. Kyle Buchanan found the back of the net on the power play to tie it at 4-4 before Rochester scored again to take the lead. Evans tied it up on a pass from Adam Bomberry with just 47 seconds left in the half to put the score at 5-5 at the half.
New England scored first in the third, with Leblanc picking up his second 1:31 into the quarter to put the Black Wolves up 6-5. Rochester scored 50 seconds later, but David Brock picked up his second goal of the season to put New England up 7-6 with 8:47 left in the quarter.
Leblanc picked off a Rochester pass and fed it to Seth Oakes, who found the back of the net with 1:41 left in the third to put the Black Wolves up by two. That’s where the score stood at the end of the third.
To open the fourth quarter, Kevin Crowley increased his consecutive games scoring streak to 23 games, putting New England up by three, 9-6, with 11:51 left to play. Rochester scored with 1:57 to play to cut the Black Wolves’ advantage to two and with 20 seconds remaining, Cody Jamieson scored on a penalty shot to pull the Knighthawks within one. But Bold and the defense remained strong in the closing seconds to solidify the victory.
Jamieson led the Knighthawks with six points on two goals and four assists. Joe Resetarits scored twice and also dished out two assists in the loss for Rochester.
The Black Wolves return to action on Sunday, January 21st when they host the Knighthawks at Mohegan Sun Arena. Game time is set for 2 p.m.