The final game of the regular season for the Georgia Swarm was a big one. They were on their home floor needing a win to secure a home playoff game. On the other side, the Rochester Knighthawks had a slim chance of making the playoffs and this game was the first of two this weekend. Rochester needed to win both and hope for a bit of help in order to secure their spot in this year’s playoffs.
The game was tied at 10 with 8:18 to play and the pace was fast and furious. Transition was buzzing on both sides, and each goaltender was up to any task thrown their way. Rochester went ahead with 2:47 to play and their defense and Rylan Hartley were as stout as ever down the stretch, giving them the 11-10 win. Step one down, K’Hawks faithful.
The scoring in the first quarter was in packs of two. Rochester broke the drought to begin as Curtis Knight and Connor Fields each buried their first just about six minutes into the game. Georgia roared right back with two of their own, one from Lyle Thompson and the other from Seth Oakes. Rochester, nay, Fields, tallied the last two in a bizarre turn as both of these goals were on penalty shots, also giving him the first quarter hatty. 4-2 Rochester after one.
Continuing with the two-goal pattern, Georgia opened up the second with exactly that, one from Thompson on the power play and the other from Shayne Jackson. But once again, Rochester was there to match and this time answered in the form of three straight to only further their advantage. Scorers in that run were Fields, Mitch Ogilvie and Kyle Waters. In addition, those goals spanned the final 10 minutes of the second, which meant Rochester’s defense was doing their part as well. 7-4 Rochester at the break.
“We know what’s at stake for us,” said Fields. “It’s win to stay alive here, so I think the message is to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Georgia also knew what was at stake, a home playoff game in the first round. Their message must have been something special coming out in the third quarter because they scored four straight to get their first lead of the game. Scorers were Bryan Cole and Andrew Kew thrice. Turner Evans tied it back up for Rochester but Oakes’ second re-gave them the lead. 9-8 Swarm after three.
Rochester very quickly snapped out of whatever funk they fell into defensively in the fourth. A stifling defense, a brick wall in Hartley, and outscoring Georgia 3-1 in the quarter, was the recipe to success. The lone goal scorer for Georgia was Jordan MacIntosh. Scorers for Rochester were Ryan Smith twice and Ogilvie. Smith’s second was the go-ahead at the 2:47 mark, and the rest of the way was a defensive masterclass. Your final from Duluth, 11-10 Rochester.
Players of the game for Rochester were Fields (4+4), Smith (2+2), and Ogilvie (two goals). Hartley was phenomenal down the stretch, stopping 36 of 46 in total. For Georgia, Kew (3+5), Thompson (2+3) and Oakes (two goals). Dobson was no slouch, obviously coming up short at the end. He made 47 saves on 58 shots.
“It’s big,” said Ryan Lanchbury after the game. “I think it gives us a chance to make the playoffs, it was do-or-die tonight and that’s what’s most important. We just have to go out (on Sunday), work really hard and stick to the game plan.”
Rochester has one game left and it’s on Sunday against an already eliminated Philadelphia Wings team. It will be a do-or-die if they want any shot of making the playoffs, and being in front of their home crowd in Rochester will certainly help. Georgia sets its sights on the playoffs. They can still host a playoff game, but will now need some help. Regardless, to the postseason the Swarm go.
