Showing posts with label amerks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label amerks. Show all posts

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Amerks win in front of record crowd

The Rochester Americans invaded First Niagara Center for the second time in the 2012-13 season Friday, riding a pair of Cody Hodgson goals to a 4-1 victory over the Lake Erie Monsters. The five-goal affair was a drastic change from the previous two tilts between the two clubs that each ended with identical 7-6 come-from-behind victories for the Americans.  

A record number of fans also invaded First Niagara Center -- 19,070 of them -- to set a new attendance record for the storied Rochester Americans franchise. The crowd was the eighth-largest in American Hockey League history.

Hodgson scored the game's first goal at 14:48 of the opening period while on the five-on-three advantage. The skilled centerman took a Mark Mancari pass down low and slid a forehand along the ice past Sami Aittokallio to give the Amerks a 1-0 lead at the first intermission.

Just over two minutes into the second period, Mark Mancari weaved into the zone and unloaded a high-rising wrist shot over Aittokallio's left shoulder to make it a 2-0 game. Hodgson skipped in again five minutes later and slipped a backhand into the net for his second of the game and fifth of the season to put the Amerks ahead 3-0.

Rochester took a 3-1 lead into the third period, but there was no comeback to be had as David Leggio shut the door 13 of his 36 saves in the final frame. Tough guy Nick Tarnasky added some late insurance with a tally at 11:54 to complete the game's scoring.

Rundown:
McNabb: 2A, +2, 2 SOG
Foligno: A, SOG
Brennan: A, 4 SOG
Sundher: +1, SOG
Adam: +1, SOG
Flynn: 2 SOG
Varone: 2 SOG
Crawford: even
Girgensons: SOG
Gauthier-Leduc: 2 SOG

Please visit Amerks.com for their game recap and video highlights.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

4/23 Recap: Amerks swept

The Rochester Americans saw their season come to an end Monday as the Toronto Marlies swept them from the first round of the AHL playoffs with a 3-0 shutout. The Marlies were able to get a goal in the first five minutes of each period, disappointing the over 7,000 fans who packed it in to the Blue Cross Arena.

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.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Amerks head home in hole

The Rochester Americans began the AHL playoffs this week, but have quickly found themselves in a 2-0 series hole after a pair of losses at division rival Toronto.

On Thursday, Phil Varone scored the game's first goal and added an assist but Jerry D'Amigo's second goal of the game with less than five minutes to play gave the Marlies a 4-3 victory in the opener. Marcus Foligno and T.J. Brennan added the Amerks other tallies, while David Leggio made 34 saves in his 24th straight start in the Rochester crease.



The Rundown:
Varone: G, A, 2 SOG
Foligno: G
Brennan: G, -1, 3 SOG
McNabb: even
Biega: A, -1
Crawford: A
Tropp: -1, 2 SOG
Adam: A, 2 SOG

It was deja vu on Saturday, as Foligno, Varone, and Brennan would again get the Rochester goals, but D'Amigo would again score his second of the game in the final minutes, this time with just under two to play, as Toronto skated to their second consecutive 4-3 victory.



The Rundown:
Foligno: G, A, +1, 2 SOG
Brennan: G, +2, 4 SOG
Varone: G, 3 SOG
Biega: A, +2, 2 SOG, 6 PIM
McNabb: A
Crawford: -1
Tropp: -1, 2 SOG
Adam: 2 SOG

The Amerks are now in the tough spot of needing to defeat the Marlies in three straight games to escape the best-of-five. Their first kick at staving off elimination comes with Monday's game #3 at the BCA.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Adam's mark puts Amerks in position

With his confidence plummeting to perhaps the lowest point of his pro career in recent weeks, and his club desperate for a victory, Luke Adam scored a very big goal Saturday to break a tie and give the Rochester Americans a 2-1 regulation win over the Lake Erie Monsters in their final game of the AHL regular season.


Adam's mark at 4:14 of the third period, his fourth of the year and second in his last three games, would hold up as Amerks' MVP David Leggio made 16 of his 35 saves in the final frame. Paul Szczechura scored the first Rochester goal, while rookies Brayden McNabb and Marcus Foligno (three-game point streak) chipped in with assists.

The victory gives Rochester 86 points, good for 5th place in the AHL Western Conference entering the final day of the season. While not officially in, their playoff hopes are looking pretty good per the explanation provided by Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

The Rundown:
Adam: G, +1, 6 SOG
McNabb: A, +2
Foligno: A, +1
Crawford: +2
Tropp: +1, 3 SOG
Brennan: 3 SOG
Varone: SOG
Biega: even

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Foligno fuels Amerks with season on line

With their playoff hopes hinging on a positive outcome, Marcus Foligno (#1 star) bagged two goals and an assist Friday to lead Rochester to an important 5-1 victory over Syracuse. The win bumps the Amerks into 7th place in the AHL's Western Conference standings with just one game left to play. A Saturday win over the Lake Erie Monsters, who are tied with Rochester with 84 points but sit in 6th place with two more victories, should give the Amerks a spot in the playoffs.

Nick Crawford, Evan Rankin, and Colin Stuart supplied the other Amerks goals, while Corey Tropp and Derek Whitmore each chipped in two assists. David Leggio made 30 saves for his 27th win of the year and the game's #2 star.

The Rundown:
Foligno: 2G, A
Crawford: G, A
Tropp: 2A
Brennan: +3
McNabb: 2 SOG
Adam: +1
Varone: even

A Saturday win gives the Amerks a legitimate playoff shot. Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester D&C goes over the scenarios here.

In Friday QMJHL play, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc notched an assist as Rimouski lost game #5 of their playoff quarterfinal 3-2 to Blainville-Boisbriand. The helper was Leduc's 11th point through nine playoff games. Tommy Giroux scored the game winning goal for the Armada with under two minutes left in regulation. Trailing the series by a 3-2 margin, the Nics will head home looking to force a game #7 with a win on Sunday.

In the OHL, Alex Lepkowski (+1) and Gregg Sutch (even) did not factor into the scoring as Barrie missed a chance to close their Eastern Conference semifinal by dropping a 2-1 decision to Ottawa. Cody Ceci ('12) scored a power play goal for the 67's. The Colts, who previously had earned a 3-2 win on Thursday, will take a 3-2 series lead back to Barrie for Sunday's game #6.

On Thursday, Steven Shipley went without a point for the sixth straight game as Niagara bounced Brampton from the OHL playoffs with a 3-1 win. Fresh off a sweep of the Troops, the IceDogs will get the winner of the Barrie/Ottawa battle in the OHL Eastern Conference final beginning next week.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

4/7 Recap: Varone winner gets Amerks on track

In Saturday playoff action, Mark Pysyk logged a -2 as Edmonton held on for a 4-3 win over Brandon. The Oil Kings now hold a 2-0 series lead in the WHL Eastern Conference semifinal with game #3 taking place Tuesday in Brandon. Kevin Sundher did not factor into any of the three Wheat Kings goals. The six-foot center has a goal and two assists in seven postseason tilts. 

In the QMJHL, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc landed four shots on goal but could not register as Rimouski was shut out by Blainville-Boisbriand, 2-0. With no points in his last two games, Leduc slips to 4th in QMJHL playoff scoring for defensemen (4+4). The series is now tied at a game apiece with the teams heading back to Rimouski for Tuesday's game #3.

In the AHL, Phil Varone scored the game winner just 1:34 into the third period to give Rochester a 3-1 win over Hamilton. Even Rankin and Derek Whitmore also scored for the Amerks, who snapped a a five-game winless skid with four games remaining and the final Western Conference playoff spot still within range. David Leggio made 25 saves in his 19th consecutive start in the Amerks crease.

The Rundown:
Varone: GWG, +2, 3 SOG
Crawford: A, +1
Foligno: 2 SOG
Adam: SOG
Szydlowski: SOG
Tropp: even
Biega: even
Fienhage: even

The Amerks visit Adirondack on Sunday.