Unfortunately for the Wolves, things didn't go as planned.The Raging Rhinos exploded for three goals in the final 32 minutes of the match, and finished with their second largest goal output of the season in the win over the Wolves. It was the third win in the past five games for Rochester, which reclaimed the lead in the Northern Conference.

The Wolves were coming off a 2-1 loss to the Hershey Wildcats, last Saturday in New Britain, while the Rochester most recently dismantled the Long Island Rough Riders 3-1 this past Friday in Long Island.

The rout was keyed by midfielder Lenin Steenkamp, who scored his team-high ninth goal and assisted on two others. Connecticut actually opened the scoring, taking a 1-0 lead 16 minutes in on a strike by Mark Manganello. It was the third goal in five A-League games for Manganello, who won the D3 Pro League scoring total with 44 points for D3's Rhode Island.Rochester didn't waste much time responding, however, as Martin Nash knocked home his second goal in as many games on a nice

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feed from Steenkamp at the 25-minute mark.Steenkamp then gave the Rhinos a 2-0 lead at the 35 minute mark, gathering a deflection and shooting through the legs of Connecticut keeper Adam Throop, who struggled mightily in defeat.

The second half seemed to begin where the first half left off.Steenkamp once again got the Rochester offense going in the first half, setting up forward Kirk Wilson in the 58th minute. The Wolves cut the lead to 3-2 on a beautiful one-time rocket from Temoc Suarez (73rd min), but an own goal off a failed Throop clearance in the 87th minute and a strike by forward Jamel Mitchel in the game's closing minute ended any Connecticut hopes.

Rochester (15-6-4, 69 points) moved back into first in their conference with the win, passing idle Hershey (66 points). The two teams have swapped the top spot three times over the past three days. The defending A-League champions close out their season at home against lowly Long Island next Saturday.

Connecticut (9-9-6, 43 points) now must come up with at least one win in it's remaining two games in order to achieve their goal of a post season appearance. Since taking control of the Northern Conference with a 2-0 win over Pittsburgh July 14, the Wolves have won only once in nine games, and currently trail third-place Montreal by two points.

The Wolves face the Hershey Wildcats at home in their last regular season home game September 8at 7:05 pm.