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AHL Rochester Americans

Amerks Fall in Overtime to Crunch

April 7, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


(Rochester, NY) ... The Rochester Americans (7-5-2-1) erased a one-goal deficit to force overtime, but it was the Syracuse Crunch (9-6-1-0) who scored 1:37 into the extra frame to win the third straight meeting between the North Division rivals Wednesday at The Blue Cross Arena.

Despite the overtime loss, Rochester has recorded points in six of the first eight games this season against the Crunch by going 4-2-2-0, including a 1-1-2-0 at home. The Amerks are 16-9-3-1 in their last 29 contests against Syracuse.

Forwards Dalton Smith and Remi Elie each tallied their first and fourth goals of the season, respectively, while rookie defenseman Mattias Samuelsson netted his second to send the game into the extra stanza. Dominic Franco found the scoresheet for the second time in as many games as he, Brandon Biro, Casey Fitzgerald and Patrick Polino all recorded an assist.

Rookie goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (6-4-2) made his fourth consecutive start in the crease for Rochester and ninth in the last 10 games, but was dealt with the overtime loss despite making 17 saves. The Finland native is tied for eighth in the AHL in wins and has made 25 or more saves in seven of his last 11 appearances dating back to a career-best 43-save performance at Cleveland on Feb. 12.

The Crunch offense was paced by Mitchell Stephens as he matched a career-best with three points on one goal and two assists. Boris Katchouk (0+2) registered his third straight multi-point night while Alex Green (1+1) and Sean Day (0+2) also picked up two points. Alex Barre-Boulet (1+0) sealed the victory as he scored for the fourth consecutive game while also extending his point streak to nine games. Netminder Samuel Montembeault improved to 3-0-1 in four appearances this season versus Rochester as he stopped 25 of 28 shots he faced.

With the win, the Crunch have won six straight on the road dating back to March 3, outscoring the opposition 27-14, including 12-3 in the first period over that span.

Late in the first period, it seemed the Amerks were heading into the intermission ahead by a pair of goals but Syracuse chipped into the deficit as Stephens scored his first goal of the season in the final minute of play.

Then in the second period, Rochester again led for much of the middle frame before the Crunch capitalized on the man-advantage to even the score as Raddysh tallied his third of the season at the 19:05 mark.

Syracuse carried the late-goal momentum into the third period as Green gathered his own rebound between the face-off dots and sniped in his first AHL goal just 44 seconds in. Stephens and Katchouk each were credited with the helpers on the tally.

The Amerks pushed to tie the game, and thanks to Biro's wall play inside the Crunch zone, he handed a pass to Samuelsson atop the left point. With bodies screening Montembeault, Samulesson flipped in his second of the campaign to make it a 3-3 game.

In overtime, neither team generated much offense until Barre-Boulet finished off an odd-man rush 1:37 in to give the Crunch their sixth straight road win dating back to March 3.

The Amerks opened the scoring for the fifth time of the season as Smith and Elie both scored 1:40 apart.

After gathering a pass inside the Rochester blueline, Polino one-touched a pass to Franco, who sprinted through the neutral zone. After beating and getting behind the Crunch defense, the first-year forward dished a backhanded pass across the goal crease to Smith for his first tally of the slate.

Later in the period, despite the Crunch winning a face-off outside the blueline, Elie dove to break up a pass between the Syracuse defensemen. While on his knees, Elie managed to poke the puck free and fire a shot past an unsuspecting Montembeault to give the Amerks a 2-0 lead at the 7:32 mark.

The Amerks face-off against the Utica Comets for the first time in nearly a month on Friday, April 9 in a North Division showdown at the Adirondack Bank Center. Game time is slated for a 7:00 p.m. start and will be carried live on The Sports Leaders 95.7 FM/950 AM ESPN Rochester as well as AHLTV.

Post-Game Interviews

Amerks forward Dalton Smith - https://youtu.be/V23IAkZY93A

Amerks forward Dominic Franco - https://youtu.be/5oljxqiDnvw

Amerks defenseman Mattias Samuelsson - https://youtu.be/uhSVz0I6Jss

Amerks head coach Seth Appert - https://youtu.be/ngEOBfsx73A

Goal Scorers

ROC: D. Smith (1), R. Elie (4), M. Samuelsson (2)

SYR: M. Stephens (1), T. Raddysh (3), A. Green (1), A. Barre-Boulet (7 - OT GWG)

Goaltenders

ROC: U. Luukkonen - 17/21 (OTL)

SYR: S. Montembeault - 25/28 (W)

Shots

ROC: 28

SYR: 21

Special Teams

ROC: PP (0/3) | PK (3/4)

SYR: PP (1/4) | PK (3/3)

Three Stars

1. A. Barre-Boulet (SYR)

2. M. Stephens (SYR)

3. D. Smith (ROC)

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