The New Jersey Storm scored four unanswered goals in the final two minutes, rallying to defeat the Rochester Knighthawks, 13-11, Saturday evening at the Blue Cross Arena.

Cam Bomberry, Mike Laurano, and Bryan Bendig all scored for New Jersey in a forty-two-second span late in the fourth quarter, flipping an 11-9 deficit into a 12-11 lead. Doug Noganosh wrapped up the scoring a half-minute later.

All game long, it was clear that the Knighthawks were in for a battle. Although Rochester jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from John Grant and Andrew Turner, New Jersey closed out the first quarter on a 3-0 run, including power play strikes from Scott Stewart and Bomberry.

Rochester started to take control in the second quarter, even managing to score two shorthanded goals on the same penalty. After Casey Zaph was sent off for checking from behind, Steve Penny and Turner each found rope on the five-on-four disadvantage.

Late in the first half, the Storm bagged a man-down goal of its own, when defenseman Shawn Nadelen scored unassisted. However, Curt Malawsky struck later with the first of three goals on the night, sending the Knighthawks to the locker room with a 7-5 lead.

New Jersey's Roy Colsey turned up the heat after the break, scoring thrice in succession to open the half. By the time Rochester was able to tie the game at eight, on an even-strength goal by Marshall Abrams, the Storm had ensured that the game would come down to a decisive fourth quarter.

The final fifteen minutes played out as two offensive explosions surrounding a tense defensive standoff. Within the first 75 seconds, Colsey had scored again for New Jersey and Bomberry and Malawsky struck for Rochester.

The two sides stayed scoreless until just 2:23 remained in regulation, when Malawsky finished his hat trick. After that, it was all Storm, in what some have begun calling the "Miracle Minute."

The loss snaps Rochester's fifteen-game home winning streak, which dated back two seasons. The last team to defeat the Knighthawks at the Blue Cross Arena was Philadelphia (17-16), on 30 December 2000.

BOX SUMMARY
                                      1  2  3  4     TOT
New Jersey Storm (1-0)                3  2  3  5  --  13
Rochester Knighthawks (0-1)           2  5  1  3  --  11

NEW JERSEY STORM              ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
Colsey         5 - 3     8    O'Toole        0 - 4     4
Ca Bomberry    2 - 3     5    C Malawsky     3 - 0     3
Bendig         1 - 3     4    Grant          1 - 2     3
Benedict       0 - 4     4    Turner         2 - 0     2
Stewart        1 - 2     3    Co Bomberry    1 - 1     2
Nadelen        1 - 1     2    D Malawsky     0 - 2     2
Laurano        1 - 0     1    Soudan         0 - 2     2
Noganosh       1 - 0     1    Abrams         1 - 0     1
D Squire       1 - 0     1    Hollenbeck     1 - 0     1
Chemotti       0 - 1     1    Penny          1 - 0     1
Sombrotto      0 - 1     1    Zaph           1 - 0     1
                              Schiller       0 - 1     1
                              S Williams     0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           48    Shots on goal           53
Saves made by           42    Saves made by           35
   Roik              42          O'Toole           35
Penalties                4    Penalties               10
Penalty Minutes          8    Penalty Minutes         20
Power Play Chances      10    Power Play Chances       3
Power Play Goals         5    Power Play Goals         1
   Colsey             3          C Malawsky         1
   Ca Bomberry        1
   Stewart            1
Shorthanded Goals        1    Shorthanded Goals        3
   Nadelen            1          Turner             2
                                 Penny              1
Loose Balls             62    Loose Balls             80
   Purdie             9          Hollenbeck        10
   Nadelen            7          Grant              9
   Stewart            7          Schiller           7
                                 Thorpe             7
Faceoffs Won            16    Faceoffs Won            12
   Purdie       (14-12)          Co Bomberry  ( 4- 5)
   Noganosh     ( 1- 0)          Soudan       ( 4- 6)
   Stewart      ( 1- 0)          Hollenbeck   ( 2- 0)
                                 Thorpe       ( 2- 5)

 *** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH ROCHESTER K'HAWKS ***