A slow start cost the Saskatchewan Rush on Saturday night as they dropped a 13-10 game to the Rochester Knighthawks at SaskTel Centre.

The Knighthawks scored four goals in the first quarter to jump out to a 4-2 lead on the Rush and Saskatchewan was never able to close the gap.

Jeff Shattler and Chris Corbeil found the back of the net for the Rush in the first quarter.

The two teams traded goals during the second quarter with Ben McIntosh, Robert Church and Mark Matthews scoring for Saskatchewan in the frame as Rochester took a 7-5 lead into halftime.

Eric Fannell and Austin Shanks scored back-to-back goals to in the opening three minutes of the third quarter. Church potted his second of the game with 1:33 to go to make it a 9-6 game heading into the fourth.

The Knighthawks again opened the fourth quarter with two goals in the opening three minutes to make it an 11-6 game, but the Rush fired back with four straight goals starting with one from Ryan Keenan just past the five-minute mark.

McIntosh scored his second of the game with 7:52 to go and then Church picked up two more goals to make it a one-goal game with 4:46 remaining in the game.

Cory Vitarelli and Shanks finished off the win for Rochester with goals in the final 2:51 of the fourth.

Rush goalie Evan Kirk allowed 13 goals on 53 shots, while Saskatchewan also fired 53 shots on Rochester goalie Matt Vinc.

The Rush remaining in first place in the Western Division with a 11-3 record. They drop to 4-2 on the year on their home turf at SaskTel Centre.

Next action for Saskatchewan is coming up on Apr. 7 when they battle the Colorado Mammoth in Saskatoon.