By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
Nick Baptiste knew he may very well have been able to jump-start the slumping Rochester Americans to a much-needed victory on Wednesday night had he scored on a penalty shot late in the second period.
Instead, his wrist shot hit the outside of the right post. No tie game, no momentum swing. From that point the Belleville Senators maintained their 1-0 lead until the final minute of the game, when Max Reinhart scored into an empty net to send the Amerks to a 2-0 loss on home ice.
“It’s tough … I score there, maybe the outcome’s different,” Baptiste said.
The failed penalty shot wasn’t all that was on his mind, however. A seemingly harmless check that he delivered 2:16 earlier sent Belleville defenseman Willie Corrin to Strong Memorial Hospital. Corrin left the ice immobilized in a neck brace on a stretcher.
There was no official medical report immediately after the game. Initial word was that Corrin was moving his extremities as he was transported to the ambulance.
“Obviously best wishes to him, I definitely hope he’s OK,” Baptiste said. “Life’s bigger than hockey.”
The check was by no means vicious, and referees Furman South and Alex Garon assessed only a minor penalty for boarding. An officials’ supervisor in attendance agreed that a minor penalty was the appropriate call.
Baptiste gave Corrin a shove from behind near the end boards and the International Falls, Minn., native fell toward the boards. His head appeared to hit the glass, perhaps at an awkward angle, and he then fell to the ice.
Corrin initially got to his knees but then slumped back onto his stomach, his gloved hands holding his head. Senators athletic trainer Craig Belfer immediately came onto the ice to provide aid, and soon the Amerks medical staff, as well as the doctors in attendance, came onto the ice.
“I thought I just pushed him,” Baptiste said. “Even the referee, he thought it was a little awkward, that’s why he only gave me a minor. I was just trying to get the puck and I might have leaned on him.”
The game resumed after about 10 to 15 minute medical delay and Senators goalie Marcus Hogberg completed a 33-save shutout.
The Amerks fired 17 shots at him in the third period but couldn’t score. Not that failing to score was a surprise. They’ve found the net just 20 times in the past 10 games, have been shut out three times in that stretch and won just twice.
It’s actually pretty obvious why for coach Chris Taylor: the sense of urgency and willingness to compete has waned. Or disappeared.
“It was a terrible game right from the start, right to the end,” Taylor said. “I didn’t like anything about our game. I take that back, I liked (goalie Adam) Wilcox.”
The American Hockey League doesn’t track the same in-game stats as the NHL provides. There are no totals for hits. Not that counting to three would have been too difficult, because that’s about all there were by the Amerks.
“You have to hit guys, you have to win battles,” Taylor said. “I don’t ask for a lot. You don’t have to run guys through the wall. But compete for the puck.”
Their zero on the scoreboard was about the same as the compete level.
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