After wasting a pair of three-goal leads in the first half, the Philadelphia Wings held on to beat the Rochester Knighthawks, 17-16, before a crowd of 9,870 at the Blue Cross Arena Saturday night.

Jeff Ratcliffe's goal with 5:51 remaining proved the game-winner even after John Grant, Jr. scored his seventh goal of the game with eleven seconds to go in regulation. The Wings won the ensuing face-off, but Rochester got possession back with two seconds left. Dallas Eliuk stopped Cory Bomberry’s shot at the buzzer to secure the win.

John Grant Jr. opened the scoring in a wild first quarter where the Wings chased starting goaltender Pat O’Toole in the opening minutes, after he allowed four goals on only five shots. The Wings opened a 6-3 lead, but it did not last long. Rochester score the next three goals to tie the game at six apiece before Tom Marechek and Kevin Finneran increased the margin to 8-6 after one period. A Jake Bergey hat trick highlighted the first quarter.

Rochester opened the second-quarter scoring to close within one, then Jason Clark responded with his first goal of the year. This lead was short-lived, as well. Rochester scored twice to tie the game at nine before Tom Ryan’s goal carried Philadelphia to a 10-9 halftime lead.

Game MVP Jake Bergey scored the initial second-half goal, but Rochester fought back to tie the game and later take their first lead since the opening minute on another goal by Grant. Philadelphia's reponding goal tied the game at thirteen as the third quarter expired.

After a Philadelphia goal to begin the fourth quarter, Rochester’s Curt Malawsky tied the game once again, this time at 14-14. The Wings retook the lead and stretched it to a two-goal margin before Brad MacArthur cut the lead back to a single point, 16-15. Ratcliffe's first career goal made the score 17-15, which held as the decisive goal even after Grant's seventh goal of the night when Eliuk stoned Bomberry on his last-second, game-tying try.

After the high-scoring first period (fourteen combined goals), the teams' defenses took over, allowing just nineteen goals in the final three quarters. Philadelphia was led by Bergey's six goals and four assists. Marachek followed with 8 points (4+4), Finneran added six points (2+4) and Clark scored twice. Mark Millon recorded his 300th career point on a three-point (1+2) effort. Grant led all scorers in the game with seven goals and four assists, and teammate Bomberry also had eleven points, on three goals and eight assists. MacArthur and Duane Jacobs each scored twice for the Knighthawks.

Philadelphia’s next game is Friday, 12 January at home against the expansion Ottawa Rebel. Rochester will be in action on Sunday, 7 January, against the Washington Power at the MCI Center.

BOX SUMMARY
                                      1  2  3  4     TOT
Philadelphia Wings (1-0)              8  2  3  4  --  17
Rochester Knighthawks (0-1)           6  3  4  3  --  16

PHILADELPHIA WINGS            ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
Bergey         6 - 4    10    Grant          7 - 4    11
Marechek       4 - 4     8    Bomberry       3 - 8    11
Finneran       2 - 4     6    C Malawsky     1 - 4     5
Ryan           1 - 3     4    Jacobs         2 - 1     3
J Clark        2 - 1     3    MacArthur      2 - 1     3
M Millon       1 - 2     3    Zaph           1 - 2     3
Jalbert        0 - 3     3    Mearns         0 - 3     3
Ratcliffe      1 - 0     1    Hollenbeck     0 - 2     2
Slate          0 - 1     1    Kruger         0 - 2     2
Gagliardi      0 - 1     1    Hasen          0 - 1     1
                              Mutch          0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           53    Shots on goal           51
Saves made by (GA)      35    Saves made by (GA)      36
   Eliuk (16)                    Dietrich (16)     35
                                 O'Toole (4)        1
Power Play Chances       6    Power Play Chances       8
Power Play Goals         2    Power Play Goals         4
Loose Balls             54    Loose Balls             68
Faceoffs Won            15    Faceoffs Won            22
   Hanford      (12-15)          MacArthur    ( 8- 6)
   Stilley      ( 3- 7)          Bomberry     ( 5- 3)
                                 Thorpe       ( 5- 3)
                                 Soudan       ( 4- 3)

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