(January 4, 2013)… The Rochester Knighthawks will begin their title defense on the road to open the 2013 season. The World Champions will kick off their 19th season against the Washington Stealth at 10:00 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, January 5th. Fans can catch the game on Sportsradio 950 ESPN and online at www.sportsradio950espn.com. Viewers can also watch a live web cast of the game on The Lacrosse Network.

Opening Nights: Rochester owns a 10-8 record on opening night and is riding a three-game winning streak. Their showdown against the Stealth on Saturday is the lone game on the opening weekend of the NLL season.

Head-to-Head: Rochester leads the Knighthawks-Steath all-time series with a 2-1 record. The Knighthawks also held a slight edge over the Stealth when they were based in San Jose, owning a 3-2 mark. The teams will meet twice this season with the final meeting coming on Saturday, February 2nd in Rochester.

Knighthawks Notes: Rochester concluded the preseason with a 1-1 record, earning its victory over the West Division Finalists - the Minnesota Swarm. The Knighthawks are led by 2012 Championship Game MVP Cody Jamieson and two-time NLL Goalie of the Year Matt Vinc. Jamieson was named a Second Team All-Pro after notching a team-best 85 points. Vinc posted incredible numbers in the postseason, recording 134 saves in just three games. He also notched a 10.67 goals-against average and a .807 save percentage. Rochester also boasts second-year stars in 2012 All-Rookie Team members Stephen Keogh and Johnny Powless. Powless hit the 50-point plateau and earned the NLL Sportsmanship Award in his rookie season. Keogh finished third on the team with 58 points and third among rookie point producers in the league. Rochester concluded the 2012 campaign with wins in five of its last six games. The Knighthawks rallied from a 5-1 halftime deficit to defeat the Edmonton Rush 9-6 in the 2012 NLL World Championship Game.

Milestones:
• Scott Campbell will play in his 100th pro game.
• Casey Powell is five points away from 600.
• Dan Dawson is four goals away from 350.
• Mike Kirk is four games away from 100.
• Matt Vinc is two games away from 100.

New Faces Added to Defending Champs: Rochester enters the season with some new additions. The most notable are Casey Powell, Joel McCready, Dan Dawson and Paul Dawson. Powell, who was the 2010 NLL MVP, enters his 10th season of professional lacrosse and his third season with the Knighthawks. McCready, who like Powell took last season off, will start his fourth season with the Knighthawks. In Dan Dawson, Rochester adds one of the most talented scorers in the game, ranking eighth on the NLL all-time scoring list. Last season with the Wings, “Dangerous Dan” finished third in the NLL in points (103) and second in assists (78). He was named a First Team All-Pro and finished third in the MVP race. Dawson brings his scoring touch and leadership to the defending champion Knighthawks. The six-time NLL All-Star and seven-time NLL All-Pro Selection was the 2009 NLL MVP with the Boston Blazers. Paul Dawson brings a tough defensive style to the Knighthawks. He enters his seventh season in the NLL in 2013. Last season in Philadelphia, he was third in the league with a career-best 67 penalty minutes. He also collected 53 loose balls and forced eight turnovers.  

Stealth Notes: Washington has advanced to the NLL Finals in two of the past three seasons. The team is led by the Big Three in Rhys Duch, Lewis Ratcliff and Athan Iannucci. Last season, Duch led the Stealth with 46 assists and 79 points, while Ratcliff scored a team-high 36 goals. Duch is third on the Stealth’s all-time goal-scoring list (143), and fifth in assists (201) and points (344). Ratcliff is also among the top point producers in team history. He ranks eighth with 262 points, seventh in goals with 123, and eighth in assists with 147. Iannucci also returns after finishing third on the team with 45 points in 11 games. Washington also boasts one of the best faceoff men in the game in Bob Snider. He led the NLL with 319 faceoff wins and was second with 202 loose balls. In goal, Tyler Richards posted a 12.70 goals-against average and finished fifth in the league with 514 saves. Last season the Stealth missed the playoffs with a 4-12 record.

Home Opener: The Knighthawks will play their home opener on Saturday, January 19th against the rival Buffalo Bandits at 7:30 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena. The Knighthawks will raise their championship banner before the game. Fans can catch the game on Sportsradio 950 ESPN and online at www.sportsradio950.com. The game will also be televised live on the Time Warner Cable Sports Channel.