Just down from Sabres, Hinostroza powers Amerks to victory

By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA

Vinnie Hinostroza said he is just trying to make the most of a less-than-perfect situation.

Having spent the 4 ½ seasons in the NHL, the 28-year-old forward joined the Rochester Americans for practice on Monday after clearing waivers last week.

He made an immediate impact on Wednesday in what was his first AHL game since 2017-18.

Hinostroza’s laser snap shot past goalie Filip Lindberg 4:42 into the third period broke a 2-2 tie on a power play and gave the Amerks 3-2 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.

In erasing an early 2-0 deficit, the Amerks ended a four-game losing streak and improved to 20-14-2-1.

“That’s a huge win, being down 2-0 and coming back,” Hinostroza said.

It also was a nice debut for Hinostroza. He hadn’t scored a goal all season with the parent Buffalo Sabres (but did have eight assists in 19 games) and joined the Amerks after the rest of the NHL passed on a chance to claim him, and after the parent Buffalo Sabres weren’t able to find a trade partner.

The reassignment is not reason to pout, however.

“You’re still playing hockey,” he said. “Obviously you want to be in the NHL but I can still live at home with my wife and kids (in Buffalo and commute to Rochester).”

The Amerks started poorly, with the Penguins vaulting to a 2-0 lead in the first 14:28 on goals by Alex Nylander, the former Amerk, and Sam Houde.

But the Amerks rallied in the second period, tying the score on goals by Lawrence Pilut at 4:06 and Jeremy Davies at 10:41.

Pilut converted a drop pass from Lukas Rousek. Davies took a pass from Linus Weissbach and dangled his way through the slot before finally shooting from a bad angle and picking the top corner.

“I just felt like in that instance it was better to wait the goalie out,” Davis said of his fifth goal.

The Amerks went ahead in the fifth minute of the third period with Hinostroza’s power-play goal. After generating continual pressure in the deep slot for about 15 seconds, the Amerks finally worked the puck to Hinostroza in the right circle.

As Brett Murray bulled his way to the right edge of the crease, Hinostroza calmly surveyed the landscape before zipping the perfect shot far side.

“You can see he has no panic,” Davies said.

The credit, Hinostroza said, goes to Murray for creating the screen.

“I just saw his big body there and the goalie was trying to peek around him,” Hinostroza said.

Breaking the rules … by the referees

Filip Cederqvist, who was a dominant presence in the offensive zone all night, thought he had tied the score 1-1 with a tip-in goal 7:09 into the first period. Referee Adam Tobias even signaled goal.

But Tobias and partner Mason Riley then conversed in the referee’s circle before entering the penalty box to examine the video. In the NHL, that’s typical protocol for goals hit by a high stick.

The AHL, however, does not allow review on high sticks.

There are only eight situations where referees can use video review in the AHL:

1. To determine whether the puck crossed the goal line;
2. To determine whether the puck crossed the goal line before the net was dislodged;
3. Whether time expired before the puck entered the net;
4. If a player used a distinct kicking motion to direct the puck into the net;
5. If the puck was directed, batted or thrown into the net by anything other than the stick;
6. Whether the puck went through the webbing of the net;
7. Whether the puck entered the goal from underneath the net frame;
8. If the puck entered the net undetected by the referees.

None of those situations applied.

“I’m confused by the whole thing,” Amerks coach Seth Appert said. “That’s what I told the linesman, you’re not allowed to review this, but they did. Then later on they kind of said they were trying to see if it went in with a glove. I just think they flat out blew it.

“I’m not saying it’s the wrong call but if it’s not reviewable, I’m not sure why we’re in there.”

Breaking the rules, Part II

Penguins winger Drake Caggiula bowled over Amerks center Brandon Biro with a powerful, open-ice check at 18:56 of the second period.

Despite Caggiula clearly striking Biro under the eye shield and in the mouth or chin with his elbow and/or forearm, no penalty was called. Biro sat out the remainder of the game.

“I thought it was predatory, I thought it was dirty, I thought it was to the head,” Appert said. “Not only should it be a two (for charging or a check to the head), it probably should have been a five.”

Whether a suspension is warranted, Appert said he’d “let the league office handle those things.”

Appert did say that Biro was in the dressing room after the game. “That’s a good sign, but I didn’t speak to the doctors.”