The San Diego Seals opened their home schedule at Pechanga Arena San Diego on Sunday afternoon but ultimately fell 15–7 to the Rochester Knighthawks in a fast-paced and physical matchup.
Rochester wasted no time making an impact, winning the opening faceoff and scoring within the first minute to take an early lead. The Seals were given multiple power-play opportunities early, including a brief 5-on-3 advantage, but the Knighthawks’ penalty kill held strong and prevented San Diego from gaining momentum. Pat Kavanagh energized the crowd with his first goal at Pechanga Arena, tying the game and giving the Seals a spark, but Rochester responded quickly and continued to apply pressure to build a lead.
As the game progressed, the Knighthawks capitalized on their chances, using transition offense and special teams to their advantage. San Diego continued to battle and showed offensive flashes, with goals from Wes Berg, Connor Robinson, and another from Kavanagh helping the Seals claw back and keep the game within reach heading into halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Seals came out aggressive. Tre Leclaire scored early to bring San Diego closer, followed shortly by Dylan Watson, cutting the deficit and reigniting the home crowd. Despite the push, Rochester consistently answered back, preventing the Seals from stringing together sustained runs.
The Knighthawks pulled away in the latter stages of the game, converting key opportunities and extending their lead. San Diego continued to compete until the final horn, adding a late goal to cap the scoring, but Rochester closed out the contest to secure the 15–7 victory.
San Diego now turns its focus ahead as they regroup and prepare for their next matchup, back home January 3rd for Country Night! BUY TICKETS HERE
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