By: Riley Pollock – 01.12.23
SETTIN’ IT UP
Finally, the regular season is here.
The Roughnecks head to Rochester to battle the Knighthawks Saturday at 5 p.m. MT on TSN+.
The Riggers come into Week 1 following a 3-0 preseason with victories over San Diego, Vancouver and Saskatchewan.
Calgary returns 19 players to their 21-man active roster after going 13-5 in the regular season last year and finishing one win away from the NLL Final.
New additions Thomas Hoggarth and Thomas Vela crack the opening 21 as forwards looking to add to an already dynamic group led by Jesse King and Tyler Pace.
This is the first trip to Rochester for the Riggers since April 22, 2022 – a game which the Knighthawks won 15-7 – and the only meeting between these two teams this season.
Players To Watch
Roughnecks: F Thomas Hoggarth: Hoggarth will play his first game as a Roughneck on Saturday against his old team. He had 30 goals and 24 assists in 17 games with the Knighthawks.
Knighthawks: F Connor Fields: Fields finished second in the league in goals with 52 last season and fifth in points with 112. He enters his fifth season in the NLL as one of the most feared offensive weapons in the game.
2022-23 Scoring Leaders:
Roughnecks:
Jesse King – 100 points (42g, 58a)
Tyler Pace – 74 points (24g, 50a)
Tanner Cook – 63 points (32g, 31a)
Josh Currier – 45 points (17g, 28a)
Knighthawks:
Connor Fields –112 points (52g, 60a)
Holden Cattoni – 84 points (40g, 44a)
Ryan Smith – 75 points (33g, 42a)
Goaltending 2022-23 Head-to-Head:
Christian Del Bianco: 13-5
GAA: 9.28
SV %: .810
Rylan Hartley 10-7:
GAA: 11.62
SV %: .778
