John Grant scored five goals, including the game-winner in overtime, as the Rochester Knighthawks avoided a major scare Friday night, rallying to defeat the Columbus Landsharks at Nationwide Arena before a crowd of 5,211 fans.

People thought the rematch between these two teams would be like the last meeting eariler in the season, a 24-9 thrashing by the Knighthawks on 19 January at Blue Cross Arena. The Landsharks made sure that didn't happen in their last home game of the season.

In the first period, ex-Knighthawk Neal Powless started the scoring early. Ted Jenner got the Khawks on the board just a couple of minutes later, then Grant scored to make it 2-1. Columbus' Spencer Martin scored two in a row, though, to give the Landsharks a 3-2 lead. However, the K'Hawks tied it at three before the quarter ended, on a goal from Cory Bomberry.

Rochester started to pull away a bit, with the first two goals of the quarter, making it 5-3, Knighthawks. Pat O'Toole made a unbelieveable save in this quarter. The 'Sharks had a two-on-one chance and O'Toole robbed them. The net was wide open and O'Toole stuck out his stick out and saved the shot. The fans were starting to cheer, but when O'Toole made the save, the fans didn't know what happened. Columbus finally scored its only goal in the quarter, from Jamie Taylor, but Bomberry scored to make it 6-4 at halftime. Rochester could have made it 10-4 at intermission if not for the goalie's best friend, the goal post.

The third was the scoring quarter for both teams. Rochester bagged the first two, then traded goals with Columbus. By the end of the period, Rochester had scored five goals, Columbus four. 11-8, K'Hawks, with 15 minutes left.

Columbus forged a comeback in the fourth quarter. Gewas Schindler started the ball rolling at the 1:36 mark. Dan Dawson scored seventy seconds later to make it 11-10, then Powless tied it at 5:16. Niall Maynard followed 37 seconds, giving Columbus its first lead since the first quarter.

Duane Jacobs tied the game, twelve-all, at the 9:43 mark, before Kasey Barnes scored to make two minutes later in what looked like the game-winner. Cory Bomberry was called for slashing with 2:42 left in regulation. Grant, though, made sure that wasn't going to happen. Rochester had a two-on-one shorthanded opportunity when Tim Soudan passed to Grant, who then beat Columbus goaltender Chris Levis to tie the game at thirteen with 55 seconds left.

In overtime, Rochester won the faceoff and called timeout. After drawing up their play, the Knighthawks ran it successfully, finding Grant in front of the goal. Grant made a stick fake and beat Levis with a bounce shot inside the far post 27 seconds into overtime.

Grant was named Game MVP with five goals and two assists. He became the first Knighthawk to break the hundred-point barrier in a season. Cory Bomberry was one of four with two goals and had four assists. Powless scored five times to lead the Landsharks.

The Landsharks head to New Jersey tomorrow night for their season finale, while the Knighthawks will get set for the playoffs. If Albany loses to Montreal, the Knighthawks will be Central Division champions and have a first-round bye in the postseason; otherwise, the Knighthawks will settle for a wild card berth and host Vancouver a week from tomorrow.

BOX SUMMARY
                                   1  2  3  4 OT     TOT
Rochester Knighthawks (13-3)       3  3  5  2  1  --  14
Columbus Landsharks (5-10)         3  1  4  5  0  --  13

ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS         COLUMBUS LANDSHARKS
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
Grant          5 - 2     7    Powless        5 - 0     5
Co Bomberry    2 - 4     6    S Martin       2 - 1     3
Soudan         1 - 2     3    Beirnes        2 - 0     2
T Jenner       2 - 0     2    Schindler      1 - 1     2
D Malawsky     2 - 0     2    Taylor         1 - 1     2
S Williams     2 - 0     2    Dawson         1 - 0     1
Abrams         0 - 1     1    Maynard        1 - 0     1
Sweet          0 - 1     1    Rothfuss       0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           54    Shots on goal           54
Saves made by           41    Saves made by           40
   O'Toole           41          Levis             40
Penalties                6    Penalties                7
Penalty Minutes         15    Penalty Minutes         17
Power Play Chances       5    Power Play Chances       3
Power Play Goals         1    Power Play Goals         1
   S Williams         1          Powless            1
Shorthanded Goals        1    Shorthanded Goals        0
   Grant              1          (None)
Loose Balls             97    Loose Balls            101
   Soudan            13          Greer             15
   Sweet             13          D Suddons         14
   Co Bomberry        9          Dawson             8
   Thorpe             9          
Faceoffs Won            21    Faceoffs Won            10
   Co Bomberry  (15- 8)          Cousins      ( 6-12)
   Thorpe       ( 4- 2)          Greer        ( 4- 5)
   Soudan       ( 2- 0)          Powless      ( 0- 3)
                                 Rothfuss     ( 0- 1)

 *** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH COLUMBUS 'SHARKS ***