By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
The scoresheet says the winning play just 12 seconds into overtime on Friday night was a pass by Zach Redmond that sent Colin Blackwell away on a breakaway.
It could quite easily have said Matt Ryan to Julio Jones, because this was a drop back, curl out of the pocket, and then fire over the defenders and down the middle to hit the receiver in stride.
Blackwell’s second goal of the game — to match his two assists — came just 12 seconds into overtime and gave the Rochester Americans a 4-3 comeback victory over the Charlotte Checkers in downtown Rochester.
“Once I saw Redmond had the puck (inside the Amerks zone), he’s one of the most reliable ‘D’ in the league and he can make any kind of play,” Blackwell said.
In this case the play Redmond made was an airborne, up-the-middle pass, although the Checkers were adamant that the playoff was offside because Blackwell didn’t take possession until after his right skate was into the Checkers zone.
A water bottle found its way flying across the ice toward the linesmen and coach Mike Vellucci kept his team on the bench for at least a minute as the Amerks celebrated.
The American Hockey League does not have review for offside so the play stood and the Amerks celebrated their first OT win since Jan. 27 (2-6-1).
“To be honest, we’ve been trying to figure out where we’ve been going wrong in overtime,” said Redmond, whose goal seconds after a Blackwell faceoff win tied the score 3-3 with 5:23 remaining in regulation.
“I saw he had a huge head of speed going and I just tried to put that guy (Blackwell) in a foot race and he did the rest. (Because both teams are playing man-to-man coverage) you need one guy to beat another guy and you have an odd-man rush.”
Blackwell gained separation after winning the opening faceoff. The puck came back to Redmond near the Amerks blue line, and he swirled back and gave time for Blackwell to sprint clear, several yards behind defenseman Roland McKeown and center Lucas Wallmark.
The win kept the Amerks (32-20-11-6) in third place in the North Division, one point ahead of the Utica Comets. The Amerks and Comets will decide third (and in all likelihood a first-round date with Syracuse) and fourth (to play Toronto).
The Amerks, who played one of their most physical games of the season, know they probably didn’t deserve to win Friday night, at least not after the way they played in the first period. They were sluggish, turned the puck over and showed little passion.
But their goalie, Jonas Johansson, played what surely was his best game as an Amerk. He made at least three terrific first-period saves, including what might have been his best of the night just 26 seconds in.
“JJ played out of his mind,” Blackwell said. “The first period, it could have been five-nothing. We said, ‘We have to rally for this guy because he’s playing out of his mind.’ ”
And so they did, using a second-period goal by Alex Nylander and third-period goals by Blackwell and Redmond to erase a series of one-goal deficits.
Johansson, who has far from flattering statistics, was forced into the start because Adam Wilcox was recalled by the Buffalo Sabres on Friday morning. Linus Ullmark reportedly has a concussion and Robin Lehner reportedly has a lower body injury.
Jason Kasdorf was recalled from ECHL Cincinnati to back up Johansson, who was 0-2 with a .842 save percentage and 4.87 goals-against average in his 74 minutes of play with the Amerks this season.
The concerted effort to play the body was very obvious. Coach Chris Taylor said it was out of necessity, since they “didn’t have our legs.”
But there was a purpose. Blackwell said wearing down the Checkers defense was important, because of their skill level. And it’s also how teams win in the playoffs.
“Come April 15, it’s a completely different beast,” Blackwell said.
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