ROCHESTER – Dan Lomas scored a franchise record six goals and tallied a franchise-high eight points, including four straight goals in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough as the New York Riptide fell to the Rochester Knighthawks 13-12 on Saturday night at Blue Cross Arena in the battle of the expansion teams.
Trailing 13-6 just 41 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Riptide (1-11) started chipping away three minutes later on a goal by Travis Longboat and followed that with a short-handed goal by John Wagner with 10:48 to go to put New York in striking distance. The rest of the night was the Lomas show, as he picked up four goals in seven minutes to put New York within one, 13-12, with 1:48 to play. However, the Knighthawks (2-8) defense held the Riptide without a goal in the closing minute.
Both goal and point totals were career-highs for Lomas. Rookie Tyson Gibson added a career-best seven points on two goals and a career-high five assists in the loss for New York.
Gibson got things started for the Riptide, finding the back of the net just 1:13 into play to put New York up 1-0. Lomas increased the lead to 2-0 6:33 into the frame. The Knighthawks answered with two goals by Dan Michel in a minute and a half to tie the game at two goals each with 3:21 to go in the quarter. However, Gibson scored just 16 seconds later to make it 3-2 Riptide with 3:05 to play.
The Knighthawks tied it at 3-3 with 9:57 to play in the second on a goal from Ryland Rees before Lomas found the back of the net with 7:44 to go in the quarter to put the Riptide back ahead by one on the power play. Holden Cattoni found the back of the net to tie it at 4-4 with 5:55 to go before Mark Cockerton put the Knighthawks up 5-4 with 4:04 to play in the first half. That is where the score stood to close out the half.
Rochester opened a two-goal lead 53 seconds into the second half on a power play goal by Turner Evans and rattled off four more over the following four minutes to go up 10-4 with 10:25 to play in the third quarter. Kieran McArdle stopped the Knighthawks run with 9:59 to go to make it 10-5 in Rochester’s favor. Gale Thorpe found the back of the net just over a minute later to make it a four goal game at 10-6. Rochester scored again to make it 11-6 with 6:30 to go in the frame and took a six-goal lead with 3:10 remaining. The quarter ended with Rochester ahead 12-6.
Curtis Knight led the Knighthawks with eight points, all helpers. Cattoni had six points on four goals and two assists while Turner Evans, Cockerton and Michel each had two goals in the win for Rochester.
In goal, Alex Buque had 29 saves while recording the loss for the Riptide while Ryan Hartley had 51 saves in the win for Rochester.
The Riptide will be in action next on Saturday, March 7 when they return home to NYCB LIVE to take on the Georgia Swarm. Game time for Hometown Heroes Night is set for 7 p.m. and tickets are available at NewYorkRiptide.com.