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AHL Rochester Americans

Amerks Drop 3-1 Decision to Comets

December 26, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


(Rochester, NY)... The Utica Comets scored once in each period and received 32 saves from goaltender Richard Bachman to claim a 3-1 win over the Rochester Americans Saturday night at The Blue Cross Arena. The loss halts Rochester's win streak at two games and drops the Amerks to 14-13-1-1 on the season.

Matt Donovan scored the lone goal for the Amerks with help from Chad Ruhwedel and Cal O'Reilly, while Andrey Makarov posted 28 saves in his third straight start.

Cole Cassels, Blair Jones and Jordan Subban all provided the scoring for the Comets, who extended their road winning streak to a franchise-best eight games.

Rochester opened the scoring for the third straight game of the homestand as Donovan found himself at the right place and right time to sweep in a rebound off the end boards for his third of the season. After Ruhwedel missed high and wide from the left point, Donovan snared the rebound off the end boards and flipped a backhander off Bachman and in to give the Amerks the early lead at 5:55. O'Reilly also assisted on the power-play goal, giving the Rochester captain a team-leading 15 assists on the season and four in his last three games. O'Reilly has now recorded 12 points (1+11) over his last eight games dating back to Nov. 20, a stretch that also produced a season-long five-game point streak and four different multi-point outings.

Utica responded a short time later on a net-front scramble that resulted in Cassels somehow managing to poke home his first career goal and even the score at one apiece.

Minutes after Makarov shut the door on an Alex Friesen breakaway, the Comets appeared to take the lead midway through the middle frame, but an errant high stick courtesy of Alexandre Grenier would be enough for referee Peter MacDougall to overturn the call.

Jones, however, would put Utica ahead for good with 4:02 remaining in the second. Following another spectacular point-blank save by Makarov on Brendan Gaunce, Jones took a seemingly harmless shot from the left circle that made its way through traffic and over the shoulder of the Amerks netminder.

Subban gave the visitors a two-goal cushion and ultimately put the game away at 8:22 of the third period, beating Makarov on a shot from just inside the blueline to seal the win for Utica.

The Amerks bring the holiday weekend to a close on Sunday, Dec. 27 when the Hartford Wolf Pack arrive back in Rochester for another showdown at The Blue Cross Arena. Sunday's contest will be the third of just four meetings between the two teams this season as Rochester looks to remain unbeaten against the Wolf Pack, who the Amerks have outscored 10-3 through the previous two get-togethers. Game time is slated for a 5:05 p.m. start and will be carried live on FOX Sports 1280 Rochester.

Goal Scorers

RCH: Donovan (3)

UTI: Cassels (1), Jones (8), Subban (5)

Shots

RCH: 33

UTI: 31

Goaltenders

RCH: Makarov - L (28/31)

UTI: Bachman - W (32/33)

Special Teams

Amerks Power Play: 1-3

Amerks Penalty Kill: 5-5

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American Hockey League Stories from December 26, 2015


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