(October 29, 2012)… For the second straight season, the Rochester Knighthawks will host the Minnesota Swarm in a National Lacrosse League preseason game at The Blue Cross Arena. On Saturday, December 8th, the Knighthawks will host the Swarm at 8:00 p.m.

FREE Tickets are available online at Knighthawks.com, by clicking here. Fans must have a ticket to enter the game.

“We are happy to announce that the Knighthawks will be playing a preseason game at The Blue Cross Arena again this year,” said Knighthawks President Lewis Staats. “Minnesota has once again agreed to play us here in Rochester. This will give our fans a chance to see a team we will not be playing during the regular season. This game is an excellent opportunity for the Knighthawks to kick off the season. We hope that many of our loyal fans will join us and bring a few friends to experience the championship atmosphere in our home arena.”

The preseason game is the first of two events that weekend. On Sunday, the Knighthawks, in conjunction with the Knighthawks Krew, will hold “Lunch with the Knighthawks” on Sunday, December 9th at noon at the Stock Exchange Restaurant. Fans can meet the 2013 players, staff and coaches, while dining at the location situated on the first floor of the First Federal Plaza. The event is free and open to the public.

The lunch follows the team’s practice at Total Sports Experience in Gates, which is scheduled from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. The Stock Exchange Restaurant has been a proud partner of the Rochester Knighthawks since the 2010 season and is the pre and postgame home of the Knighthawks Krew. The “Stock” has hosted numerous team functions, including the Knighthawks official Draft Party and Champion’s Celebration.

After hosting Minnesota on December 8th, Rochester will conclude its preseason with a showdown against the Toronto Rock at the Bell Centre in downtown Montreal. The defending World Champion Rochester Knighthawks will battle the rival Toronto Rock on Saturday, December 15th at 7:30 p.m. at the home of the Montreal Canadiens.

Rochester will begin its title defense on the road to open the 2013 season. The World Champions will open their 19th season against the Washington Stealth at 10:00 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, January 5th. The Knighthawks will play their home opener on Saturday, January 19th against the rival Buffalo Bandits at 7:30 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena. Season tickets are currently on sale at the Knighthawks Office and can be purchased by calling (585) 454-HAWK (4295).