The New York Riptide remain in playoff contention after another strong showing on the weekend, defeating the Rochester Knighthawks 15-7 at Nassau Coliseum. After the NLL’s week 20, only two teams have clinched playoff spots in the East.
Halifax, Georgia, Albany and Philadelphia stand in New York’s way, but with two games left for most teams, anything can still happen. It could be settled this coming week, or it could come down to the last game of the regular season for the final standings to be unveiled.
The Riptide are doing everything in their own power to help their cause. They’ve won their last two games, one over the best team in the league (Buffalo last week, 15-12), and one over an already eliminated team in Rochester. Jeff Teat (3G/7A) and Jake Fox (4G) continue to lead the offense and Steven Orleman (36 saves) has been solid in goal.
New York was up 6-0 in the second before Rochester found the back of the net. Teat was in on five of those six goals, scoring once and adding four assists. Curtis Knight got Rochester on the board but Kieran McArdle answered back with a power play marker. Knight and Mike Burke then scored 34 seconds apart for the Knighthawks but New York still led 7-3 at halftime.
Teat ripped an underhand past Joel Watson just over a minute into the third quarter. Rochester put together another mini two-goal run which was stopped by Connor Kearnan. Scott Dominey’s transition marker, assisted by Steven Orleman, was a highlight of the period. “The Flash” simply outran Knight to bounce a hard shot past Watson. Teat then made perhaps the pass of the year, with a backhand high to low pass that found a reaching Jake Fox who whipped the ball into the net for an 11-5 lead after 45 minutes.
New York continued to outpace Rochester in the fourth, doubling them up 4-2.
Tyler Digby fought Tyler Biles in the third quarter with each player holding the other at arm’s length.
New York hosts Halifax this coming Saturday evening, and then finish their season on the road in Albany on April 30th.
