This season the Rochester Knighthawks have the opportunity to do something no one has done in 27 years in National Lacrosse League (MILL/Eagle Pro Box). What is it you may ask? As the Knighthawks celebrate their 20th year in the league, they can be the first team to win three championships in a row. This is a feat that has not been done in the past 27 seasons of the league. Teams have tried, but could not do it. Here is a list of teams who have won it two years in a row, and the spoiler.
89 & 90 Philadelphia Wings………91—Detroit Turbos
92 & 93 Buffalo Bandits…………..94—Philadelphia Wings
94 & 95 Philadelphia Wings………96—Buffalo Bandits
99 & 00 Toronto Rock…………….01—Philadelphia Wings
02 & 03 Toronto Rock…………….04—Calgary Roughnecks
12 & 13 Rochester Knighthawks….14–??????
So the question is, Can the Knighthawks make history and be the first team to three-peat? It’s a feat that has been attempted five times with zero success. The teams who have had this opportunity had the talent to accomplish the feat.
This season with an 18 game schedule, the Minnesota Swarm moving back to the Eastern Conference and the possibility of a new playoff format the task will be difficult. But remember, the Knighthawks are loaded with a lot of young talent in Cody Jamieson, Johnny Powless, Stephen Keogh, and Cory Vitarelli just to name a few. The veterans, Dan Dawson, Joe Walters, Mike Accursi, and lets not forget Goalie of the Year Matt Vinc.
In 2012 the Knighthawks went 7-9 and defeated the Wings in round one, then traveled to Toronto and defeated the heavily favored Rock to get to the Championship Game. With lady luck on there side, they hosted the title game against the Edmonton Rush. For the first half of that game they were outplayed, but in the second half they turned it on and won the Champions Cup their third in franchise history.
In 2013 much of the same. Finished at 8-8, defeated Wings in round one, then defeated the Swarm in the second round to face the Washington Stealth out West and win a very close game as Rochester was only able to score one goal in the second half after scoring ten goals in the first half, but held on to win 11-10 for back to back titles and Championship number four in franchise history.
The 2014 team doesn’t look like there will be a lot of change in the roster from the past two seasons, so they could be the favorite this season. But this year’s draft, the Swarm picked up some scoring power, the Bandits traded for Benesch, and the Wings pick up Wiles, some scoring punch and a solid goaltender in Evan Kirk. So the task to three-peat will be a difficult one.
But with the talent the Knighthawks have, the veteran leadership, the young fast talent, and possibly the best goaltender in the last decade, you can be sure of one thing. The Rochester Knighthawks will make a run at a three-peat.