Rochester Knighthawks

NLL Team Infobox
team_name=Rochester Knighthawks
bg_color=black
title_color=mediumturquoise
division=Eastern
logo=RochesterKnighthawks.jpg
founded=1995
home_arena=Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial
hometown=Rochester, New York
team_colors=Black, Teal, Purple
head_coach= flagicon|CAN Paul Suggate
general_manager= flagicon|US Regy Thorpe
plpa= flagicon|CAN Pat O'Toole
media= CW-WHAM, Time Warner Sports 26, WHAM, WROC, WHTK
website= [http://www.knighthawks.net www.knighthawks.net]
champs=1997, 2007
division_champs=2003, 2007

The Rochester Knighthawks (sometimes abbreviated as the K-Hawks) are a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. They play in Rochester, New York at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Knighthawks were previously members of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1995 to 1997. They have been members of the NLL since the league's inaugural 1998 season.

The Knighthawks reached the playoffs in each of their first 13 seasons, from 1995 to 2007. This is a league record (going back to the league's original creation, the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League). The previous record was 11 straight years, held by the Philadelphia Wings.

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History

The Rochester Knighthawks have been one of the league's most successful franchise since its formation in the 1995 season despite playing in the leagues oldest arena and smallest market. Even with these limitations the Knighthawks have been consistently near the top of the league standings every season.

In their inaugural season they finished 3rd during the regular season and dispatched the Boston Blazers in the playoff semifinals to get to the finals as an expansion team. As they would do three times later on, they found themselves coming up just short in the championship game, falling in overtime to the Philadelphia Wings.

Just two seasons later, the Knighthawks would find their way to the top of the MILL heap, claiming the final North American Cup before the merger with the National Lacrosse League prior to the 1998 season. It would be ten years before the Knighthawks claimed their second title.

=The 2007 season=

After starting the season a pedestrian 2-2, the Knighthawks beat Toronto 19-15 in Toronto, where they had only won twice before in team history. The Knighthawks followed this victory up with 11 more, finishing the season with a franchise-record 12 regular-season-game winning streak and a 14-2 record. The Knighthawks were a perfect 8-0 at home, becoming the first team since the 2003 Bandits to post a perfect record at home. [cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=2899|title=Week 16 News and Notes|work=NLL.com|date=April 16, 2007|accessdate=2007-04-21] The winning streak was extended to 13 games after they defeated the Rock 10-6 in the division semi-finals; [cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=2907|title=Knighthawks Edge Rock 10-6|work=NLL.com|date=April 20, 2007|accessdate=2007-04-21] and to 14 after beating the Bandits in overtime, 14-13, for the East Division title. [cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=2913|title=Knighthawks Advance to Championship Game|work=NLL.com|date=April 26, 2007|accessdate=2007-04-26] After the season, head coach Ed Comeau was named the 2007 Les Bartley Award winner. [cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=2927|title=Ed Comeau Wins Les Bartley Award|work=NLL.com|date=May 3, 2007|accessdate=2007-05-03]

Despite having the best overall record, they could not host the championship game due to a scheduling conflict with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Blue Cross Arena. [cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=2923|title=Arizona To Host Championship Game|work=NLL.com|date=April 30, 2007|accessdate=2007-04-30] Playing the game instead in Arizona, the Knighthawks defeated the Arizona Sting 13-11 on May 12, 2007, to win their first NLL championship. John Grant, Jr., regular-season league MVP, was named MVP of the game.

The winning streak continued during the 2008 season, as the Knighthawks defeated the Buffalo Bandits in the opening game on January 11, 2008. [cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=3230|work=NLL.com|title=K-Hawks Top Bandits in Friday's Opener, 12-9|date=January 11, 2008|accessdate=2008-01-13] However, the next night in Rochester, the streak was halted at 16 games as they were defeated by the Bandits 14-9. [cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3236|work=NLL.com|title=Bandits end K-Hawks Streak with 14-9 Win|date=January 12, 2008|accessdate=2008-01-13]

Lease issue

During the 2007 season, a dispute over concession revenues between owner Steve Donner and the Sports Management Group, operators of the Blue Cross Arena, jeopardized the continued play of the Knighthawks in Rochester. Donner claimed that the Knighthawks and the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League had lost over $500,000 the previous two seasons, and without concession revenue sharing, he would be unable to continue to operate the teams in Rochester. An agreement was reached between the Amerks/Knighthawks SMG, and the City of Rochester on a one-year lease extension on May 11, 2007 that will allow for long-term negotiations to continue through both teams' 2008 season. Under the extension, the Amerks/Knighthawks have agreed to an independent audit of their finances and the city agreed to forgo additional luxury suite revenue from the arena and to loan the Amerks an additional $100,000, added on to a $500,000 loan that is now past-due. All parties involved will now work diligently to reach a long-term agreement by the start of the 2007-08 AHL season in October 2007. However on June 16th 2008 the Knighthawks and Americans announced a new five year lease with the Blue Cross Arena.

ale of Team

On May 28, 2008 the National Lacrosse League's Board of Governors approved the sale of a majority stake of the Knighthawks to the President of Arrow Express Sports Curt Styres at a price of $5,575,000, the highest price paid for a team in league history. The league's approval is conditional upon whether or not the Knighthawks and Sports Management Group can secure a new lease for play at the Blue Cross Arena. [ [http://democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/SPORTS07/80528046&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL Knighthawks sold for nearly $6 million] , Rochester Democrat & Chronicle 28 May, 2008] Styres had also recently been approved by the American Hockey League to purchase the Americans. [ Also on June 16th 2008 the Knighthawks and Americans anounced a new five year lease with the Blue Cross Arena. [http://www.amerks.com/FeatureStories.aspx?news_id=1511 ARROW EXPRESS SPORTS ANNOUNCES MAJORITY OWNERSHIP OF AMERKS] , Amerks.com]

Fan Traditions

Throughout the Knighthawks tenure at the Blue Cross Arena, several traditions amongs the fans have developed. These tend to be lead by the fans sitting in the, "Hawks' Nest", an area of elevated seating behind the Court Street goal. Several times during a quarter where the Knighthawks are defending the opposite goal, it is common for the fans sitting there to chant the visiting team's goaltender's name three times, followed by a very loud, "You Suck!". Much like the fans of the Philadelphia Wings, Knighthawks fans shout, "Sucks," after each of the opposing teams' players are announced via loudspeakers. Whenever Pat O'Toole makes a good save, the announcer or a fan shouts, "What time is it?" The fans will chorus, "'Toole time!"

Awards & honors

*The Knighthawks had the overall top seed in the playoffs, but were unable to host the Championship game due to a scheduling conflict at the Blue Cross Arena.

Head Coaching History

Draft History

=NLL Entry Draft=

First Round Selections

* 1994: Cam Bomberry (1st overall)
* 1995: Derek Collins (5th overall)
* 1996: Cory Bomberry (3rd overall)
* 1997: None
* 1998: Casey Powell (1st overall) & Brad MacArthur (5th overall)
* 1999: John Grant (1st overall) & Ben Hunt (9th overall)
* 2000: Lindsay Plunkett (8th overall)
* 2001: Teddy Jenner (11th overall)
* 2002: Pete Benedict (11th overall)
* 2003: Scott Evans (5th overall)
* 2004: Mike Morrison (8th overall)
* 2005: Shawn Evans (2nd overall)
* 2006: Jack Reid (10th overall)
* 2007: Matt McLeod (8th overall) & Andrew Potter (14th overall)
* 2008: None

=NLL Dispersal Draft=

*2002 from Montreal Express: Steve Penny (10th overall); "Declined to pick" (22nd overall)
*2003 from Ottawa Rebel: Mat Giles (10th overall); Shawn Zettel (21st overall); "Declined to pick" (32nd overall)
*2004 from Vancouver Ravens: Chris McKay (5th overall); Peter Morgan (14th overall)
*2005 from Anaheim Storm: Cam Bergman (8th overall)
*2007 from Arizona Sting & Boston Blazers: Jack Reid, Boston (12th overall); Matt Lyons, Arizona (13th overall); Alex Smith, Arizona (36th overall)
*2008 from Arizona Sting: Lindsay Plunkett (5th overall); Matt Brown (18th overall)

=NLL Expansion Draft=

*1999 to Albany Attack: Josh Sanderson (2nd overall)
*2001 to Calgary Roughnecks, New Jersey Storm, Vancouver Ravens & Columbus Landsharks: Randy Mearns, Calgary (8th overall); Marc Landriault, Calgary (14th overall); Lindsay Plunkett, Vancouver (16th overall); Kevin Howard, Calgary (30th overall)
*2004 to Minnesota Swarm: Jon Harasym (N/A overall)
*2005 to Portland Lumberjax & Edmonton Rush: Pat Campbell, Edmonton (8th overall); Mat Giles, Portland (9th overall)
*2006 to Chicago Shamrox & New York Titans: Carter Livingstone, Chicago (17th overall); Ryan O'Connor, Chicago (19th overall)
*2007 to Boston Blazers: Brian Croswell (13th overall)
*2008 to Boston Blazers: Matt Lyons (3rd overall)

References

ee also

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