Amerks Extend Point Streak in 3-2 Shootout Loss to Marlies
March 25, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
(Rochester, NY) - Forward Sean Malone returned to the lineup and scored twice during regulation for the Rochester Americans (30-23-4-3), but it was the Toronto Marlies (30-22-3-1) who earned the 3-2 shootout win in the season series finale between the two teams Friday night at the Blue Cross Arena.
SCORING SUMMARY 1 2 3 OT SO FINAL
Toronto 0 1 1 0 1 3
Rochester 1 1 0 0 0 2
Despite the shootout loss, just the second of the year for Rochester, the club extended its point streak five games. The Amerks have earned nine out of a possible 10 dating back to March 12 and produced a 2-3-0-1 record in the six games this season versus Toronto.
With a two-goal outing, Malone has recorded 17 points on 10 goals and seven assists over his last 14 games, which includes five points (4+1) over his current four-game point streak. Oskari Laaksonen, Ethan Prow, Arttu Ruotsalainen and Ryan MacInnis, who also returned to the lineup after missing the previous 22 games, all picked up an assist in the contest.
Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (10-11-3) stopped 27 of 29 shots he faced in his second straight start but suffered the loss.
Alex Steeves and Bobby McMann both scored in regulation for Toronto before Joey Anderson was the lone shooter to find the back of the net in the shootout. Veteran goaltender Michael Hutchinson evened his record to 6-6-3 on the season as he made 29 saves, which included three in the skills competition.
Early in the final period of play, rookie Jack Quinn provided a one-time feed for Mark Jankowski just below the right face-off dot. In a diving-effort, Hutchinson dove across his crease and used his blocker to redirect the puck into the protective netting to force a face-off.
On the ensuing draw, McMann scooped up the puck and raced into the offensive zone towards Luukkonen. As the forward approached the netminder, he flipped a shot under the crossbar and over the Finnish's shoulder to even the game at two at the 16:09 mark.
Both teams had a power-play in the final 16 minutes of regulation but neither goaltender flinched, and the overtime was required to determine a winner.
In the extra frame, the Amerks outshot Toronto 5-0, but still were unable to find a way to beat Hutchinson and the shootout was needed.
In the skills competition, Rochester elected to shoot first but Quinn, Ruotsalainen and JJ Peterka all were denied while Anderson was the lone Marlie to score.
Three minutes after successfully killing off its first penalty of the night early in the first period, Rochester drew its initial power-play of the contest with 11:25 left in the opening frame.
On the man-advantage, the Amerks used the extra skater as Malone was on the receiving end of a fortuitous bounce as his shot caromed off a Marlies defender in-front of the cage from Laaksonen and Ruotsalainen.
With the assist, Ruotsalainen has tallied 36 points on 14 goals and 22 assists over his last 35 games while Laaksonen boasts 15 points (3+12) in his last 32 games since the turn of the New Year. Laaksonen's 20 assists on the man-advantage this season rank second-most among all AHL defensemen, trailing only Ontario's Jordan Spence.
The Marlies evened the score 30 seconds into the middle stanza before Malone added his second of the contest with 10:36 remaining in the period from Prow and MacInnis.
Prow has four assists in his last five games to remain fifth in scoring amongst all blueliners, and with 37 points on the season, he remains on pace to reach the 40-point mark for the second time in three AHL seasons.
Toronto knotted the score at two four minutes into the third period before Anderson sealed the win as he scored the lone tally in the shootout.
The Amerks continue their three-in-three weekend as they face-off against the Syracuse Crunch for the final time this season on Saturday, March 26 at Upstate Medical University Arena. The intrastate showdown gets underway at 7:00 p.m. and will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
TORONTO GAMECENTER ROCHESTER
Steeves (18), McMann (18) GOAL-SCORERS Malone (11, 12)
Hutchinson - 26/28 (W) GOALTENDERS Luukkonen - 27/29 (SOL)
0-4 POWER-PLAY 1-4
3-4 PENALTY KILL 4-4
30 SHOTS ON GOAL 28
VIDEO CENTER
GAME HIGHLIGHTS: https://youtu.be/ruEgw1GsBAY
SETH APPERT POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/My6_D8kxEoQ
SEAN MALONE POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/TTEx8usC-5Y
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