Amerks Come up Short in 3-1 Loss to Marlies
November 1, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
(Toronto, ON)... The Toronto Marlies scored three straight second-period goals and used a 24-save effort from goaltender Christopher Gibson to defeat the Rochester Americans by a 3-1 score in a North Division showdown Saturday afternoon at Ricoh Coliseum. The loss was the first time all season the Amerks failed to reach the three-goal mark in a game and drops their record to 6-3-0-0 heading into the second month of the 2014-15 regular season.
Phil Varone scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season with assists from Luke Adam and Mark Pysyk, while Nathan Lieuwen stopped 21 of 24 shots he faced.
Connor Brown paced the Marlies with a two-point night (1+1) while Spencer Abbott and Greg McKegg each tallied their seconds goals of the year in the win.
After a scoreless opening period, the second would match the intensity of the first, but would feature all the scoring as the teams combined for all four goals, including a three-goal run by the Marlies to begin the frame.
The game's first few scoring chances belonged to the Marlies and Lieuwen was forced to come up with some timely saves early on to keep Toronto at bay. Just minutes after the opening face-off, an attempted centering pass from the right wing boards was knocked down with a swat from Lieuwen's blocker after the puck took an awkward bounce in the air.
Lieuwen again had to be at his best for the Amerks as Toronto's Greg McKegg had the best opportunities of the frame, both coming from close range. McKegg's first chance came off a 2-on-1 shorthanded rush for the Marlies when Brown sent a cross-ice pass to the far post, but Lieuwen kicked out his right leg at the last second to deny McKegg.
Lieuwen saved his best stop for later in the period. With Toronto on the power-play following a Chad Ruhwedel tripping penalty, McKegg set up to the right of Lieuwen and sent a one-timer on net that seemingly had the Rochester netminder beat. Lieuwen, however, was equal to the task and flashed his glove from his stomach to bring a fast-paced first period to a close.
The Marlies would eventually solve Lieuwen, though, scoring twice in the first 3:16 of the middle stanza to take a 2-0 lead. Abbott recorded his second goal of the season when his wrist shot from the left circle zipped over the right shoulder of Lieuwen just 1:30 in.
Brown spotted Toronto to a two-goal advantage 1:46 later, redirecting a Brett Findlay centering feed past the outstretched arms of Lieuwen for his second of the season. Toronto widened the gap at the 11:00 mark as McKegg was finally rewarded with a goal of his own, finishing off a 2-on-1 fastbreak with Brown similar to the one he failed to convert on earlier in the game.
Varone brought the Amerks to within a pair after a goal-mouth scramble led to his team-leading fifth goal of the season at 14:03. Pysyk's initial shot from just inside the blueline missed high and wide of the net, but Adam was there to retrieve it behind the Toronto cage. Adam's wrap-around attempt was met by Gibson, but the rebound pinballed out to the top of the crease to Varone, who jammed it through a host of defenders to make it a 3-1 game. The goal is Varone's second in as many games and closes out the weekend tied for sixth in the AHL in goals.
Rochester had a big 6-on-4 opportunity in the closing minutes after the Amerks pulled Lieuwen and the Marlies were caught with too many men on the ice. The Amerks were able to generate some quality chances while on the two-man advantage, but some big saves by Gibson, along with an aggressive Toronto defense, prevented Rochester from getting any closer.
The Amerks will be back in Ontario on Tuesday, Nov. 4 for a special 10:15 a.m. start time against the Hamilton Bulldogs at FirstOntario Centre. It will mark the third meeting of the season between the North Division rivals, who have split the first two games. Tuesday's game can be heard live on 90.5 FM WBER.
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