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Player Spotlight highlights the finer details and elements while supplying insight to the fans on what a player's thought process may be pertaining to a certain play, game or situation. It brings the intensity, passion, and inner most thoughts of the individual player that otherwise may not be felt or heard. |
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The veteran goalie for the Rochester Knighthawks had a night for the ages in Toronto, stopping 44 shots, dishing out four assists, and holding the Rock to a franchise-record home low of just 6 goals. The K-Hawks romped 15-6, and a very happy Pat O'Toole talked it out with PLPA correspondent Ben Knight right after the game. | |
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That was kind of a record-breaking, Air Canada Centre opposing goalie performance. Did you feel like that was their best game, or what did it look like from where you were? |
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I think they played pretty good, but they had some bad luck. Shots that were going to beat me got tipped by defenders - just tipping off the end of their sticks and going in the corner. Stuff that they normally do and score? Tonight they were just an inch away. It's not that they were playing that bad. They were getting open. But our guys played really well, and forced them to do things they didn't want to do. |
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For all of that, there were some terrific saves today. I saw you get across the crease with your shoulders in ways I don't quite remember seeing from you before. You really had it tonight. |
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I was seeing the ball well, and adapting to situations and reading the plays well. That allowed me to get over. But a lot of that comes with the proper defensive pressure, because I know where the shot is coming from, and where it's going to. That allows me that extra second that gets me across to make the save, rather than being a half-second behind and giving up a goal.
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I was just talking to your coach, Paul Day, and he's got a lot of praise for your defensive corps. We usually think of the Knighthawks as an attacking team. Is there a big step up on defence this year? |
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No. A lot of people think we're an offensive team, but I've been here for six or seven years, and I think our defence has been the best aspect of our team. If you look at our past history, I've always been in the top two or three in goaltending, and if you put me out there by myself, I wouldn't do very well. That's strictly defence. Everyone looks at the old Toronto Rock and their D, but we've just been steady and good for years, and we'll get some recognition with games like this.
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Okay, so larger picture - this season: Rochester has one-goal losses at home to an expansion team [Minnesota] and a team that missed the playoffs last year [Arizona], then you come in here and hand the Rock the worst home loss they've ever had. What's going on? |
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It's a tough, tough league, and Vancouver dropping out has helped the western teams a lot. They picked up a lot of quality players, and it made every team that much closer. And that's what it is. One-goal games. They drop one pass and we get a goal, and we win those games. We could be 4-0 just as easily as 2-2. You have to put out efforts like this every night.
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This was actually a huge night for you guys to come up big. We're at the quarter pole of the season. A loss tonight and you're 1-3, and if they beat you again the next night you've got real playoff problems. Now you hand them a big loss, and you've got a chance to put them in the hole. |
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We're 2-2 and they're 2-1, and it's in the division. Anytime you get into division games you go in with the mindset that we have to win. Hopefully tomorrow night we can go into our barn and get another one [They do, 12-11 in overtime].
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Disappointing season for you guys last year. Lots of injuries. What's the feeling on the Knighthawks this season? |
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There's a lot of excitement. Until we got all those injuries, we were doing well last year. And then it just seemed that losing John Grant and Marshall Abrams deflated us a bit. And then we had to give everything we had just to get to the playoffs, and when we got there, we were a little short. Last year was satisfying in a way, because we made it after everyone had counted us out.
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Are you guys making any predictions about how it's going to go this year? I'm scared to predict anything right now. |
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I'm not predicting anything either. If we go the way we're going right now, every game is going to be a one-goal game, and you never know who's going to win. The league is too close to predict.
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...And you're having a lot of fun. |
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I love lacrosse. Anytime you can be doing that, it's fun.
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| PLPA Correspondent Ben Knight is a lacrosse and soccer columnist for Sportsnet.ca. He lives in Toronto. |
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