Around the National Lacrosse League for the games of Week Four, 18-19 January 2008. (Summaries are based on best-available information and may be amended as necessary.)

Rochester Knighthawks at Philadelphia Wings
Friday, 8:00 PM - Wachovia Center
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Despite allowing four fourth-quarter goals by John Grant, the Wings held on to top the Knighthawks, 15-14.

Philadelphia (2-0) opened hot, with Athan Iannucci scoring after just a half-minute, Jamie Rooney adding a goal just past the two-minute mark, and Iannucci scoring again at mid-quarter. However, Stephen Hoar potted a goal seconds later and a Shawn Evans tally made it 3-2.

Rochester (1-2) got the equalizer 34 seconds into the second quarter, but the Wings regained a two-goal cushion almost as quickly. After an exchange of goals, Rochester tied the game at 7-7 with goals by Grant and Luke Forget, but Jake Bergey provided the home side an 8-7 halftime lead by scoring the final minute.

Philadelphia made a big move in the third quarter, jumping out to a 13-7 lead. Merrick Thomson scored twice in the first 5:12, Iannucci scored twice in the final 6:36 and Bergey slipped in a goal of his own, blanketing just one Knighthawk goal for the period.

It turned out that the Wings needed every one of those goals, as Grant turned into a one-man comeback. Three quick Rochester goals, one scored by Grant and another assisted by him, pulled the Knighthawks to within 13-10. An Iannucci goal at 6:28 slowed the Granthawks, er, Knighthawks, but the reigning NLL Most Valuable Player potted two more goals, then another after a Rooney goal. Matt Lyons scored with 61 seconds left but then fired over the crossbar in the final seconds.

Iannucci led all scorers with eight points, on five goals and three assists. Bergey was close behind, recording four goals and three assists. Grant (5 goals, 1 assist) paced the Knighthawks.

New York Titans at Buffalo Bandits
Saturday, 7:30 PM - HSBC Arena
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John Tavares scored four goals, including the record-breaking 597th of his career, in the Bandits' 17-13 win over the Titans.

New York (1-1) jumped out to a 4-2 lead midway through the first quarter before the Bandits came to life -- strangely enough, or perhaps not so strangely (these are, after all, the Bandits), upon going a man down for five minutes.

Buffalo (2-1) scored shorthanded twice while killing off Kyle Schmelzle's high-sticking major, then scored another three goals while just about killing a Pat McCready major (Jordan Hall scored with 11 seconds left in the five-on-four). The last of those five goals came from Tavares, tying Gary Gait's record of 596 career goals.

Casey Powell pulled the Titans to within 7-6 halfway through the second quarter, but the Bandits countered with three of the next four goals and led 10-7 at intermission.

New York drew to within one goal twice in the third quarter, then, just as the Bandits appeared to putting the game away, did it again midway through the fourth quarter, on a pair of Mike McLellan goals. However, Delby Powless scored an insurance goal moments later, McCready opened some breathing room seconds later, and Mark Steenhuis slammed the door with a minute and a half to play.

Pat Maddalena led all scorers, tallying eight assists but no goals for the Titans; curiously, teammate Ryan Boyle got to six points the same way. Powless led Buffalo (2-1) with seven points, on two goals and five assists, with Tavares (4 goals, 2 assists) one point behind.

Toronto Rock at Edmonton Rush
Saturday, 9:30 PM - Rexall Place
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Blaine Manning scored three goals as the Rock slowed down the Rush, 14-9.

Aaron Wilson staked Toronto (2-2) to an early lead, but Kyle Goundrey countered with two for the Rush just past the midway point of the first quarter. Chris Driscoll and Scott Campbell both struck in the final two minutes of the first quarter, though, restoring the Rock's lead at 3-2.

Toronto extended its lead to 6-2 five minutes into the second quarter, as Jon Harasym, Kasey Beirnes and Manning all connected. Chris McElroy quickly got one back for Edmonton (0-2), but Josh Sanderson tacked on a goal just before intermission.

After slipping behind even further, 9-4, by the middle of the third quarter, Edmonton roared back, scoring four goals in succession. However, the equalizer never came, with Beirnes scoring a man-up goal with eleven seconds left in the period.

Afer Chris Gill brought the Rush back to within one, at 10-9, Toronto rattled off four straight goals (Jim Veltman, Wilson and Manning) to cruise home a winner.

Josh Sanderson led all scorers with seven points, on a goal and six assists; Manning (3 goals, 3 assists) and Ryan Benesch (5 assists) weren't far off the pace. Goundrey (3 goals) was among a trio of Rush players with three points each.