LAS VEGAS (March 10, 2026) — The Las Vegas Desert Dogs (4–7) and the Rochester Knighthawks (5–6) will play in back-to-back matchups starting with a Sunday matinee in Las Vegas at PENTA Field at Lee’s Family Forum, with faceoff set for 3:00 p.m. PST on March 15.
This game is the Desert Dogs’ annual Tucker Out Lymphoma Night, honoring the life of Tucker Williams and raising awareness for lymphoma research. Tucker, the son of Desert Dogs Head Coach and General Manager Shawn Williams, inspired the original initiative, and this special night continues to unite the lacrosse community in his memory.
This will be the fifth matchup between the Desert Dogs and Knighthawks, with the all-time series tied 2–2. Their last meeting was on March 7, 2025, when Rochester went on a 13-goal run to win 21–13. With both teams familiar with each other and the trade deadline recently passed, this two-game stretch is expected to start fast and hard.
THUNDERBIRDS ROLL OVER VEGAS
The Desert Dogs have dropped four straight games, most recently a 13–11 loss to the Halifax Thunderbirds. Despite holding a five-goal lead in the second quarter, Las Vegas couldn’t hold off Halifax’s comeback.
Mitch Jones opened the scoring on the power play, and the Desert Dogs surged in the second with a four-goal run from Adam Poitras, Jones, Jackson Webster, and Connor Kirst. Jonathan Donville added his 15th goal of the season to give Las Vegas the lead at halftime. Poitras and Kyle Killen each scored twice, while Chris Cloutier contributed two power-play goals. Donville led the team with five points (1G, 4A), followed by Cloutier and Killen with four points each (2G, 2A).
KNIGHT AND DAY FOR ROCHESTER
Following a 14-7 loss to the Calgary Roughnecks, the Rochester Knighthawks relieved head coach Mike Hasen and assistant coach Pat O’Toole of their duties. Despite the loss, Rochester maintains a 5-6 record, but they have been inconsistent all season and are particularly struggling after losing to a team tied for the fewest wins of the year. They have gone 1-5 in their last six games.
The Knighthawks do boast top-end talent despite their record. Connor Fields leads the team with 71 points (30 goals, 41 assists), ranking seventh in NLL scoring. He is followed by Ryan Lanchbury with 65 points (16 goals, 49 assists), Ryan Smith with 46 points, and Thomas McConvey with 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists).
Given the history between the Desert Dogs and the Knighthawks, this matchup promises to be exciting from the opening faceoff. The grittier, more aggressive team is likely to pull off the win in what should be a hard-fought contest.
MILESTONES
Sheldon Burns is 9 points away from 100 career NLL points.
Mitch Jones is 6 assists from 500 career NLL assists.
Tony Malcom is 3 goals away from 100 career NLL goals AND 3 assists from 150 career NLL assists.
Mitch Jones achieved 300 career NLL goals against Halifax.
Chris Cloutier achieved 150 career NLL goals against Halifax.
LVDD POINT LEADERS
#16 Mitch Jones – 63 points (23G, 40A)
#3 Jonathan Donville – 62 points (15G, 47A)
#25 Chris Cloutier – 51 points (22G, 29A)
#91 Adam Poitras – 30 points (18G, 12A)
#8 Chase Fraser – 22 points (10G, 12A)
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE GAME
St. Paddy’s Sunday Presented by Rady Children’s Health is here, and all fans will receive a Green Rally Towel! Our annual Tucker Out Lymphoma Night just got a whole lot greener, celebrate the life of Tucker and wear lime green to show your support for non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer research.
Big Dog’s Tiltyard Tailgate will be back to kick off the fun before doors open to the Den, featuring $2 Big Dog’s Good Boy Lagers and Twisted Tail Seltzers, Decker’s Kids Zone, outdoor games, food trucks, and a 64-team Cornhole tournament starting at 12:00 p.m. PST.
Once the doors open at 3:00 p.m. PST, fans can enjoy $5 Good Boy Lagers and Twisted Tail Seltzers all night, along with Den Deals on fan-favorite foods like nachos, boxed popcorn, hot dogs, french fries, and pretzels—all for just $5.
🎟️ General tickets can be purchased at lasvegasdesertdogs.com/tickets 🎟️
ABOUT LAS VEGAS DESERT DOGS
The Las Vegas Desert Dogs are a professional box lacrosse team and a member of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). Known for their dedication to excellence and their passionate fanbase, the Desert Dogs have become a symbol of local pride for the city of Las Vegas and one of the most entertaining nights out. The Desert Dogs play 18 games in the regular season, 9 home games + 9 away games. All home games are played at Lee’s Family Forum located in Henderson, NV, minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip. Games can be viewed locally on FOX 5, SSSEN, YouTube TV, ESPN+ and select games on ESPN2 and ESPNU. To stay updated on all things Las Vegas Desert Dogs, visit our official website lasvegasdesertdogs.com and follow us on social media @VegasDesertDogs on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.
**ABOUT NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE **
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s largest professional lacrosse league and welcomed more than 1 million fans for the third consecutive year during the 2024-25 season. Founded in 1986, the NLL is comprised of 14 franchises across Canada and the United States, and recently unveiled its largest brand campaign ever, “Welcome to The Next Major League™” and introduced its comprehensive grassroots initiative, NLL UnBOXed™, that will expand the League’s footprint to 60 communities across North America by 2028. For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and TikTok. Games are available live and streaming on TSN, TSN+, ESPN, and NLL+.
For all media inquiries please contact, Dana Mariotti, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, [email protected].
To request media credentials to the Las Vegas Desert Dogs Home Opener, please click HERE.
