The Amerks had trouble sustaining offense throughout despite firing 29 shots on Ben Scrivens, including 15 in the middle frame. Former RPI and Team USA junior star Jerry D'Amigo emerged as an Amerks killer, finding the net five times in the three-game sweep. For the last time this season, we'll turn it over to Kevin Oklobzija's Rochester D&C game story for the rest:
“They had a group of guys who bought into the team goals.”
The Amerks were all about team, too. Their team just wasn’t as deep, quick or talented from first line to fourth line.
“Every guy that put on the Americans sweater gave it their all,” captain Colin Stuart said. “We weren’t happy just making the playoffs so it’s still a tough pill to swallow.
The American Hockey League record book will forever show the Amerks lost all three games of the only playoff series they played this spring. Yet in reality, they had already won at least one round just by getting into the Calder Cup playoffs.
With 12 days to go in the regular season, they sat 12th in the Western Conference. Only the top eight teams get invited to the post-season party. The Amerks finished seventh.
Mike Ryan returned to the Amerks lineup for the first time in over two months, while Alex Biega did not play after being suspended for boarding Greg Scott at the end of game 2 on Saturday. David Leggio made 23 saves in his 26th consecutive start.
The Rundown:
Foligno: -2
McNabb: -1, 2 SOG
Brennan: -1, 4 SOG
Adam: 2 SOG
Tropp: -1, 3 SOG
Varone: 1 SOG
Crawford: 1 SOG
***
In the OHL, Steven Shipley finished +2 as Niagara downed Ottawa 5-2 in game #3 of the OHL Eastern Conference Final. Shipley's line with David Pacan (#2 star) and Mitchell Theoret (#1 star) provided a spark all evening for the Dogs, who take a 2-1 series lead into Wednesday's game #4. Niagara goalie Mark Visentin scored the game's final goal into the empty net with a accurate shot form the other end of the rink.
With the Amerks bounced, Shipley, Mark Pysyk, and Jerome Gauthier-Leduc remain as the only Sabres prospects left in action in the 2011-12 season.
