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AHL Rochester Americans

Amerks Close out Eight-Game Road Swing with 2-1 Win over First-Place Utica

February 11, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


(Utica, NY)... The Rochester Americans scored twice late in the first period to overcome an early one-goal deficit and held on for a hard-fought 2-1 win over the first-place Utica Comets Wednesday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. With the win, the Amerks wrap up their season-long eight-game road swing with a 3-3-2-0 record and have now collected points in five straight games while improving to 21-26-3-0 on the season.

The teams, who are slated to meet again on Saturday for a rematch in Rochester, combined for all three goals in the first period, which ended with a second to spare as rookie defenseman Brady Austin's first professional goal also proved to be the game-winner. Jerome Leduc also scored for the Amerks while William Carrier assisted on both Rochester tallies and Zac Dalpe earned the primary assist on Austin's game-winner to push his point streak to a season-high six games. Matt Hackett was solid in net for Rochester, stopping 22 of the 23 shots he faced, including several key saves during a 10-save the third period.

Carter Bancks potted the lone goal for the Comets, who saw their four-game win streak halted, and former Amerk Jacob Markstrom finished with 18 saves on 20 shots in the loss.

The Comets jumped out to an early lead just 4:27 into the first period when Bancks flipped a rebound over Hackett for his sixth of the season. Andrey Pedan's shot from long range was kicked away by the left leg of Hackett, but a swooping Bancks gathered the rebound at the top of the crease and put a back-hander over the outstretched netminder's arm for a 1-0 Utica advantage.

Despite trailing for most of the opening frame, the Amerks would soon find themselves on top after two quick strikes over the final 2:32 thanks to back-to-back goals from their defensemen. Leduc tied things up at 17:28 when his wrist shot from the high slot made its way through traffic and found the upper left corner of the net for his career-high fourth goal of the season. Carrier earned his first of two assists on the night with the primary helper, giving then rookie forward points in three of his last five games.

The North Division rivals looked as if to enter the intermission tied at one until Austin's first professional goal, a shorthanded tally, broke the deadlock with just a second remaining in the period. After Dalpe gained control of the puck in the neutral zone, he sped up the left wing boards and made a centering feed to Austin, who beat Markstrom, and more importantly the clock, with a second to spare. The play would go to official review, and while most of the Comets players headed for the dressing room, the few that remained would see the goal stand as Rochester took a 2-1 lead into the break. With the assist, Dalpe, who dressed in five games for Utica last season, has recorded at least one point in each of his three games back from injury and has totaled nine points (4+5) over his last six appearances.

Utica appeared to knot the game midway through the second period on a goal from Alex Grenier after he poked home a loose puck following a goal-mouth scramble. The goal, however, was immediately waved off by referee Geno Binda, who cited enough incidental contact was made on Hackett to keep it a 2-1 game in favor of Rochester.

Rochester went into shutdown mode for most of the period, playing a more defensive style while relying heavily on the goaltending of Hackett. After two failed power-play opportunities earlier in the frame and still down a goal, Utica pulled Markstrom with 1:18 remaining for its third try with the extra attacker, but Hackett turned everything aside as the Amerks held on for the 2-1 win.

The Amerks return home to Rochester on Friday, Feb. 13 when the Adirondack Flames make their final visit of the season for an intrastate showdown at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:05 p.m. contest will be the 11th of 12 meetings between the North Division rivals this season and will be carried live on FOX Sports 1280 Rochester. The game will also be televised live locally on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel 26 and on 323 for viewers in the Buffalo market.

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