BOSTON - The Boston Blazers held off a fourth-quarter charge by the Rochester Knighthawks to win their third straight game on Saturday at the TD Garden. Dan Dawson scored four times and the Blazers (3-3) converted four of their five power plays to top Rochester 14-8.

The Blazers led 6-3 at the half, paced by an early hat trick by Dawson and a power-play tally from Daryl Veltman. Rookie defenseman Matt Abbott scored his first Blazers goal in the third minute. Boston added three more in the third quarter as Veltman scored on a power play and assisted Dawson on his fourth goal of the night, and Nick Cotter scored his first of two in the game.

Rochester tried to mount a fourth-quarter comeback as John Grant netted three quick scores, and Gary Gait added one to bring the Knighthawks within two goals with eight minutes remaining. But Boston pulled away behind the efforts of Jamie Rooney, and scored his first two goals in a Blazers uniform against his former teammates after being traded to Boston this week.

Anthony Cosmo made 34 saves for Boston, holding his opponents to a single-digit score for the third straight week. Aaron Bold (30 saves) and Pat O'Toole (2) split time in net for the Knighthawks.

The Blazers and Knighthawks will face off again next Saturday in Rochester.

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Boston, February 6)... The Rochester Knighthawks' comeback bid was denied by a late four-goal outburst, as the Boston Blazers earned a 14-8 win tonight at TD Garden. The loss drops the teams into a third-place tie with identical 3-3 records.

The same two teams will be back in action on Saturday, February 13th for a 2:05 p.m. contest at The Blue Cross Arena. The Blazers go to Rochester red hot, riding a three-game winning streak. The Knighthawks have now lost three of their last four games.

Dan Dawson led the way for the Blazers with four goals and four assists. Daryl Veltman chipped in two goals and four assists. Anthony Cosmo earned the win in goal in a 34-save effort. Rochester got six points from John Grant (4+2), and four from Gary Gait (3+1) and Shawn Williams (0+4). Aaron Bold started the game and made 30 saves on 39 shots. Pat O'Toole turned away two shots in a relief appearance.

Rochester opened the scoring at 2:15 on a goal by Point. Boston wasted little time tying the game up as Matt Abbott netted his first pro goal just seven seconds later. The Blazers took a 2-1 lead at 11:12 of the first on a power-play goal by Veltman. Rochester nearly tied the game in dramatic fashion as Shawn Evans swatted in a rebound before time expired. However, he was ruled in the crease and the goal was waved off.

In the second, Boston pulled ahead 4-1 on goals by Paul and Dan Dawson. Dan Dawson added his second of the quarter at 6:06 and completed the natural hat trick at 10:47 for a 6-1 lead. Rochester cut the lead to three with two goals in 18 seconds late in the second as Gait and Grant notched goals. Chris Driscoll assisted on the Grant goal in his 2010 Rochester debut. The goals broke a 25:02 shutout streak by Cosmo.

Nick Cotter opened the third quarter with a goal just 56 seconds in to give the Blazers a 7-3 advantage, Gait responded with his second of the night at 4:02 to knock the lead down to three. The Blazers' Dan Dawson got a little help as he netted his fourth of the game at 5:53 for an 8-4 Boston edge. The Blazers used their second power-play marker to equal their largest lead of the game at five. The goal by Veltman was his second of the night and put Boston in front 9-4.

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2010-02-07