The Washington Stealth opened their 2013 National Lacrosse League season with a 13-12 win over the defending champions Rochester Knighthawks.
Rochester failed to tie the game on a few attempts in the final minute and a half after Athan Iannucci put the Stealth on top with an incredible individual effort goal.
Washington's leader on offense, Rhys Duch, opened the game's scoring with a laser shot from outside. Rochester's Johnny Powell responded with a brilliant shot of his own.
Before the first quarter was over the Stealth added two more goals. Matt Beers scored on a fast-break; then Cliff Smith added another one to give Washington a 3-1 entering the second quarter.
Rochester's sticks heated up in the second stanza with three straight goals by Joe Walters, Scott Campbell, and Mike Accursi. It wasn't until Washington's Cliff Smith notched his second goal of the night midway through the period to stop the Knighthawks run.
The teams kept filling the nets before halftime. Brad Self and Cory Vitarelli made their mark on the game with a goal apiece, but Athan Iannucci and Cliff Smith answered back to bring the score even at 6-6.
The third quarter was evenly matched, but Rochester took a 9-8 lead into the final period thanks to two goals by Cory Vitarelli and one by Cody Jamieson. Dean Hill and Lewis Ratcliff notched goals in the third for Washington.
Rochester's Stephen Keogh extended his team's lead to start the final quarter, but Rhys Duch answered back less than one minute later with a goal of his own.
Off a rare face-off win by the Knighthawks, Joe Walters found the back of the net to put his team back up by two goals.
Washington's big guns, Duch and Ratcliff, were able to tie the game before rookie Mitch McMichael gobbled up a rebound and scored on a diving effort. The play would be upheld after a challenge to put the Stealth in the lead 12-11.
Powless would score with less than two minutes remaining to tie the game once again. However, only thirty seconds later Iannucci split a double team and buried the ball in the back of the net.
With one minute left on the clock Jamieson beat his defender, dove across the face of the goal, and took a shot, only to have the ball ricochet off the post. Jamieson would have one more chance before time expired, but his shot was deflected off goal.
Washington starts their 2013 campaign with a 13-12 victory, while Rochester will look to bounce back when they return to the floor in two weeks. The game's leading scorers include Cliff Smith (3g, 5a), Rhys Duch (3g, 3a), Johnny Powless (2g, 3a), and Cody Jamieson (1g, 4a).
Everett, WA's Comcast Arena was filled with over 7000 fans, a high attendance rarely seen in Washington. With the win, Stealth management hopes those enthusiastic fans will return on January 20 when they host the Edmonton Rush.
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