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AHL Rochester Americans

Canada Rallies Late To Win 2010 AHL All-Star Game

January 20, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


PORTLAND, Maine... After an 18-12 win in Monday's Skills Competition, Rochester Americans defenseman Keaton Ellerby and the Canadian AHL All-Stars completed a sweep of the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classictonight with a come-from-behind 10-9 shootout win over PlanetUSA in the 2010 AHL All-Star Game at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

All three Rochester players participating in the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic found the scoresheet with assists throughout the night; the first All-Star points of their careers.

The Canadians didn't waste any time in getting on the board first as Abbotsford's Jason Jaffray beat Amerks goaltender Alexander Salak just 47 seconds into the contest. Norfolks' Blair Jones notched the lone assist on the goal.

PlanetUSA quickly responded with a goal from Sergei Shirokov just 25 seconds later to even score at 1-1. PlanetUSA captain and Amerks forward Graham Mink earned his only point of the night as he attempted to send a pass through the crease to Syracuse's Dan Fritsche. The puck caromed off a Canadian defenseman and onto the stick of Shirokov, thus giving Fritsche the second assist on the play.

Salak made AHL history on Brett Sterling's second goal of the game to give the PlanetUSA All-Stars a 3-2 lead midway through the opening period. With his assist as 9:32 of the period, Salak became only the second goaltender in as many years in AHL All-Star history to record a point in the AHL All-Star Game. Houston netminder Barry Brust became the first to accomplish the feat at last season's 2009 AHL All-Star Classic in Worcester.

The Canadians were down by four goals when the Worcester Sharks' Logan Couture began the comeback at 7:48 of the third period. The Binghamton Senators' Ryan Keller collected his second goal of the night at 12:30 and Ellerby captured his only point of the night with an assist on Dustin Jeffrey's goal at 14:41 of the final frame to help put the Canadians within one goal and cut the deficit to 9-8. Then, with their goaltender pulled for an extra attacker, the Canadian squad evened the score when reigning league MVP Alexandre Giroux of the Hershey Bears banged home a shot with 18.0 seconds remaining.

Couture and Hamilton Bulldogs rookie P.K. Subbanscored in the shootout while Hamilton's Cedrick Desjardins stopped four of five PlanetUSA attempts to seal the win, establishing the largest third-period comeback in AHL All-Star Game history.

Rookie Tyler Ennisof the hometown Portland Pirates, one of 10 former NHL first-round draft picks in the game, was named most valuable player after notching a goal and two assists for the Canadians. PlanetUSA's offense was led by Brett Sterlingof the Chicago Wolves, Mikko Lehtonen of the Providence Bruins and Sergei Shirokovof the Manitoba Moose with two goals apiece.

Corey Locke of the Hartford Wolf Pack picked up an assist for the Canadian side to set a league record with his ninth career All-Star point.

The road to the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs continues when the American Hockey League's 74th season resumes on Friday.

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