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AHL Rochester Americans

Amerks Point Streak Snapped in 4-2 Loss to Utica

February 18, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


(Utica, NY) - The Rochester Americans (24-16-3-2) fell behind 3-0 midway through the second period and pulled within one goal in the third, but ultimately were unable to complete the comeback in dropping a 4-2 decision to the first-place Utica Comets (29-9-5-0) Friday at the Adirondack Bank Center.

SCORING SUMMARY 1 2 3 OT SO FINAL

Rochester 0 1 1 -- -- 2

Utica 0 3 1 -- -- 4

Despite the loss to open their first three-in-three of the season, the Amerks, who appeared in their fourth game of a season-long five-game road-swing, saw their four-game point streak halted. Dating back to Nov. 19, the club had earned at least one point in 22 of its last 33 games.

Forwards Brett Murray, who has already established a career-high in goals, and Patrick Polino both scored for Rochester in the second and third periods, respectively. Since the start of February, Murray has recorded seven points (5+2) over his last eight games while Polino ended a 10-game goal-less drought. Arttu Ruotsalainen, Ethan Prow, Dominic Franco and Peter Tischke all chipped in an assist in the defeat.

Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (7-7-1) stopped 26 of the 29 shots he faced but suffered the loss. In 10 of his 15 appearances this season, he has allowed three or few goals-against while averaging nearly 26 saves per game.

A.J. Greer provided all the offense for the Comets, producing his first-career four-goal game to lead Utica, which entered the matchup with a 4-2-1-0 record in the 12-game season series against the Amerks. Frederik Gauthier notched a pair of assists for his fifth multi-point game of the slate while rookie netminder Nico Daws improved to 12-3-2 as he made 26 saves.

Following a scoreless opening 20 minutes of play, Utica broke the stalemate as Greer tallied a pair of goals, including one shorthanded and one on the power-play, before the five-minute mark.

On his first tally, Greer intercepted an Amerks pass just outside Rochester's blueline and skated in all alone towards Luukkonen. With the defenders behind him, Greer glided slightly to the right half of the cage before backhanding a shot off the crossbar and in just 2:45 into the frame while shorthanded.

Less than two minutes later after netting his 11th of the season, the forward picked the upper corner of Luukkonen as he tucked another backhanded shot just under the crossbar from De Leo and Walsh for the lone power-play tally of the night.

Later in the stanza as Rochester was looking to cut the deficit in half on the power-play, Greer completed his natural hat trick with 10:34 left in the period. Gauthier scooped up a loose puck after blocking a point shot and sprinted through the center of the ice before being cut off by an Amerks defender near the top of the left circle. Gauthier dropped a pass back toward Greer, who handcuffed Luukkonen with a booming slap-shot that sailed over the netminder's catching glove to give his team a 3-0 cushion.

Rochester got on the board before the intermission break as Murray converted off a rebound off the right leg of Daws from Prow and Ruotsalainen.

Midway through the final frame, after a Tischke shot went wide of Daws, Franco attempted to center a pass to Ben Holmstrom but the pass went through the skates and onto the stick of Polino out in-front of the goaltender. Polino wired a shot past the blocker to pull the Amerks within one with 6:44 left in regulation.

Rochester continued to push in the final minutes hoping to send the contest beyond regulation for the fourth straight game and pulled Luukkonen for the final 90 seconds.

Despite JJ Peterka, Michael Mersch and Ruotsalainen all being denied by Daws while the Amerks had the extra-attacker, Gauthier cleared the puck out of the zone where Greer sealed the 4-2 win with his fourth goal of the night at 19:57.

The Amerks conclude their season-long five-game road swing on Saturday, Feb. 19 when they visit the Syracuse Crunch for an intrastate showdown at Upstate Medical University Arena. The 7:00 p.m. matchup will be the seventh of 12 scheduled meetings between the cross-town rivals this season and will be the carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.

UTICA GAMECENTER ROCHESTER

A. Greer (11, 12, 13 - GWG, 14) GOAL-SCORERS B. Murray (11), P. Polino (2)

N. Daws - 26/28 (W) GOALTENDERS

Luukkonen - 26/29 (L)

1-5 POWER-PLAY 0-6

6-6 PENALTY KILL 4-5

30 SHOTS ON GOAL 28

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