Courtesy of Amerks.com
Belleville, ON – More than a dozen different skaters recorded at least one point and six produced a multi-point outing as the Rochester Americans (14-8-3-0) rolled to a 7-4 victory in the first of back-to-back meetings with the Belleville Senators (12-5-0-4) Friday at CAA Arena.
With the win, Rochester has earned at least one point in 16 of its last 21 games dating back to Oct. 23, which also includes a pair of three-game win streaks in the last 14 days. Additionally, the Amerks, whose 10 road wins are the second-most in the AHL this season, have a 4-1-1-0 mark outside the Flower City in their last six contests.
Brett Murray (2+0), Lukas Rousek (1+1), Tyson Kozak (1+1), Kale Clague (1+1), Isak Rosén (1+) and Konsta Helenius (0+2)all registered multi-point efforts in the win while Brendan Warren also netted a goal. Jack Rathbone, Ethan Prow, Riley Fiddler-Schultz, Zachary Metsa, Mason Jobst, and Viktor Neuchev each recorded an assist.
Goaltender Devon Levi improved to 6-0-0 in his last six appearances as he made 27 saves in his ninth game with Rochester this season. The second-year goaltender has a .938 save percentage, 1.48 save percentage and two shutouts since Nov. 29.
FIRST PERIOD
Four minutes into the contest, Rochester broke the puck out of its zone before Neuchev grabbed control of it near the benches. The second-year forward moved it ahead to Jobst at the blueline before Murray skated down the left wing. As the Bolton, Ontario, native reached the dot, he wired a shot over the far shoulder of Belleville starting goaltender Mads Sogaard to give the Amerks a 1-0 lead at the 4:59 mark.
After Belleville tied the contest with 9:13 left in the frame on Crookshank’s power-play marker, the Amerks reclaimed their lead shortly thereafter on their own man-advantage goal.
Starting the play from the left of the Senators cage, Murray positioned himself atop the goal crease. Along with Jobst, Prow and Helenius got a touch of the puck before Rosén attempted a shot from the right dot. The puck, however, glanced off a Belleville skater before pinballing its way across the goal-line at the 12:30 mark.
Belleville tied the score again before the completion of the first period as Zach MacEwen blasted his fourth of the season with just under three minutes to play.
SECOND PERIOD
The North Division rivals emerged from the intermission break and quickly traded goals nearly one minute apart on Rousek and Keean Washkurak’s third of the season, respectively.
Clague and Helenius both set up Rousek’s slapshot from the right circle in Belleville’s zone before the trio combined yet again for Rochester’s fourth tally of the contest with 8:19 left in the middle period. While Clague was credited with his fifth as he batted it from just outside the blue paint, Rousek had the initial shot while Helenius provided the secondary assist.
To close out Rochester’s three-goal run, Rathbone retrieved the puck inside his own blueline before providing an outlet pass to Fiddler-Schultz near center ice. Fiddler-Schultz, who had three points (2+1) over his last four games, carried the puck into the offensive zone and sent it ahead for Kozak to pick the top shelf for his sixth of the season with 6:29.
The Amerks, who also scored three goals in the middle period on Wednesday, carried a two-goal lead into the third period.
THIRD PERIOD
Moments after Levi turned aside Maxence Guenette’s breakaway opportunity to keep the score 5-3, Kozak also blocked a shot inside blueline while the club was shorthanded. After knocking the puck down, the third-year pro, who recently returned from his first NHL stint earlier this week, carried it down the left wing inside. As Kozak had the attention of the lone Senators defenseman, he centered a pass for Warren to deposit to double the lead.
Belleville did not go away quietly, though, as Crookshank trimmed the deficit to 6-4 on the strength of his second power-play goal of the night.
The Senators continued to try and chip into the score by pulling Leevi Merilainen, but Rosén put an end to any hopes of a potential comeback as he sealed the 7-4 victory during the final minute of regulation.
STARS AND STRIPES
Ethan Prow, who has points (1+2) in three straight games, was the 33rd Rochester blueliner to appear in his 200th game as an Amerk while captain Mason Jobst appeared in his 250th contest in the AHL … Brett Murray netted a pair of goals for his seventh multi-goal of his career … Brendan Warren scored his first shorthanded tally since April 23, 2021 and second of his AHL career.
UP NEXT
The Amerks close out their season-long five-game road swing with a rematch against the Senators on Saturday, Dec. 14 a 7:00 p.m. All the action will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
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