For nearly 45 minutes after yesterday afternoon's National Lacrosse League game, the Rochester Knighthawks' locker room door remained closed.

Inside that room, the Knighthawks let it all hang out during a team meeting that was deemed necessary by coach Paul Day in the wake of the club's third straight loss, an uninspired 17-15 setback to Albany in front of 6,843 disgruntled patrons at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.

Too bad they hadn't let it all hang out during the game, but then again, that is becoming commonplace for the Knighthawks.

"We're just not jelling," said Duane Jacobs, one of the original Knighthawks who said this three-game losing streak has been one of the most frustrating periods he's ever experienced.

"It's nothing about X's and O's, we're just not going to the wall for each other and we've got to start doing it, otherwise we're going to miss the playoffs for the first time in franchise history."

Jacobs is right.

The loss dropped the Knighthawks to 3-4 and they now reside in sixth place in the eight-team NLL. Only four teams make the playoffs, and because they don't play Albany again this year, the Knighthawks would lose a tiebreaker to the 3-3 Attack if they finish with the same record.

"We'll rebound, I'll tell you that right now," said Jacobs. "I'll guarantee it that we'll make the playoffs."

Those are brave words coming from a fierce competitor, but the harsh truth is this team isn't going to make the playoffs if it keeps playing the way it has the last two weeks.

"We've lost three games in a row, two of which were against teams who totally outworked us," said a mystified Day. "We have a lot of talent, but talent alone doesn't win championships. It's consistency, they can't work for a quarter and take one off."

Day decided to start former No. 1 goalie Steve Dietrich, and the move backfired. Dietrich, coming off double knee surgery, simply isn't in game shape and only because Albany goalie Rob Blasdell played poorly in the first half were the Knighthawks able to open a 9-8 halftime lead.

During intermission, Dietrich told Day he didn't feel physically capable of continuing, so Day turned to Pat O'Toole who had started the team's first six games and played well in five of them.

However, O'Toole was lit up for four goals on six shots in the first 3:30 of the third quarter, and Day had no choice but to re-insert Dietrich with his team trailing 12-9.

By then it didn't matter as Albany was able to maintain its advantage by matching Rochester goal for goal the rest of the way.

"Not playing in a long time, I'm not in game shape," said Dietrich. "We have a guy sitting on our bench who is our No. 1 guy, he's been there for us all year, so I figured we're up one goal, we can make the change and we'll win the game.

"I put Patty in a tough spot and then they came out fast and we didn't. It probably cost us the game."

Day said he started Dietrich because he had to find out if he can rely on his backup if something were to happen to O'Toole.

"It's halfway through the year, we have to test him to see what we have, we have to know what he's capable of doing," explained Day.

The biggest disappointment of the day for Dietrich was the fourth quarter. With John Grant Jr. scoring three Rochester goals in a row, the Knighthawks were on the verge of making a run, but each time, the Attack answered with one of their own, never allowing Rochester to get closer than two down.

"If I can make a big save when the team needs me to, then I've done my job, but tonight I couldn't do that," said Dietrich. "Those are saves that I've got to make and I just didn't do it."

Grant led the Knighthawks with four goals and four assists while Curt Malawsky had 3+4 and Tim Soudan 4+1.

Ex-Knighthawk Ted Dowling -- who was traded to Albany in the deal that enabled Rochester to draft Grant -- earned game MVP honors with six goals and an assist.

"I couldn't have written a better script, that was amazing," said Dowling. "I have a lot of friends on that team, a lot of guys I respect, but it was a great feeling, it really was."

BOX SUMMARY
                                  1  2  3  4     TOT
Albany Attack (3-3)               5  3  6  3  --  17
Rochester Knighthawks (3-4)       6  3  2  4  --  15

ALBANY ATTACK                 ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
Dowling        6 - 1     7    Grant          4 - 4     8
Rosyski        4 - 1     5    C Malawsky     3 - 4     7
J Sanderson    3 - 2     5    Soudan         4 - 1     5
Cordingley     1 - 4     5    Co Bomberry    1 - 3     4
D Kilgour      0 - 3     3    D Jacobs       0 - 4     4
Beisel         1 - 1     2    McCready       2 - 1     3
John Rosa      1 - 0     1    Kruger         1 - 2     3
Fannell        1 - 0     1    Mearns         0 - 3     3
P Sanderson    0 - 1     1    Dietrich       0 - 1     1
MacDonell      0 - 1     1    Turner         0 - 1     1
D Squire       0 - 1     1
Woods          0 - 1     1
Mutch          0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           55    Shots on goal           52
Saves made by (GA)      37    Saves made by (GA)      38
   Blasdell (15)     37          Dietrich (13)     27
                                 O'Toole (4)        2
Loose Balls             80    Loose Balls             59
   P Sanderson       13          D Jacobs           7
   John Rosa         10          Mearns             6
   Blasdell           8          Thorpe             6
   Fannell            8

*** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH KNIGHTHAWKS WEB SITE ***