Ex-Ranger vying for lacrosse title with Rochester

Brandon Robinson is enjoying the ride.

About two weeks ago, he was running the floor with the Cobourg Kodiaks on the Major Series Lacrosse circuit.

Now, he finds himself vying for a National Lacrosse League championship with the Rochester Knighthawks.

“It still hasn’t sunk in,” he said. “It has been crazy and all kind of gone by fast. I’m just focused on soaking up as much as I can. Once it’s all done, I’ll probably be able to look back at what happened.”

The call to join the professional lacrosse loop came out of the blue. The former Kitchener Rangers forward was playing with the Kodiaks and looking ahead to his junior year at Wilfrid Laurier University, where he plays hockey for the Golden Hawks and studies psychology.

But the Knighthawks, who trail the best-of-three NLL final against the Saskatchewan Rush 1-0, needed some insurance for their playoff run.

Robinson was drafted by the New England Black Wolves two years back but traded to the ’Hawks this past winter.

With two more years of university to go, he has been considered more of a long-term prospect. But Rochester couldn’t wait.

The club wanted some depth for their title run and inked Robinson to a deal and then made him one of four players on its practice roster.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” said Robinson, who spent parts of three seasons with the Rangers and three with the North Bay/ Brampton Battalion in the Ontario Hockey League. “It has been a lot of fun.”

Robinson, 22, has always lived a double life when it comes to sports. The Pickering native spent winters on the ice and summers with a lacrosse stick ever since he was about five years old. He continued the double duty while playing in the OHL, save for a couple of seasons with the Rangers.

“I was pretty fortunate to be able to play both,” he said. “Hockey has always been my goal and lacrosse was always there as a back up plan.”

It’s a lot different than pro hockey.

Most lacrosse players also work full-time outside of the arena. Few of Robinson’s teammates actually live in Rochester while practices are held in Six Nations since it’s a more central location.

When the weekend hits, players from across North America fly to their game-day destination, have a morning shoot around, play the tilt and then head home to clock in for work on Monday.

The Knighthawks are in mustwin mode after losing 16-9 to the Rush in the series opener in Saskatoon this past weekend. Game 2 goes Saturday in Rochester.

Robinson, who plays offence, will be ready to step in if needed.

Win or lose, he figures he’s already coming out ahead.

“It’s kind of cool to get a sense of what it would be like to be an NLL player,” he said. “I’ve loved lacrosse my whole life, sometimes more than hockey.”

It has been crazy and all kind of gone by fast. I’m just focused on soaking up as much as I can. BRANDON ROBINSON Rochester Knighthawks