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AHL Rochester Americans

Amerks Take Down T-Birds for Third Straight Win

January 20, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


(Rochester, NY) -The Rochester Americans (19-13-3-1) erupted for a season-high seven goals, including a pair from Linus Weissbach, as they cruised to a dominating 7-3 win over the Springfield Thunderbirds (18-15-3-2) Saturday night at The Blue Cross Arena.

With the win, Rochester completed its three-game week with three straight victories in regulation, including a pair over Atlantic Division opponents by a combined score of 14-3 at home. The Amerks, who recorded at least one point in seven of their last eight games, improved 6-1-0-0 at home dating back to the 2016-17 season versus Springfield.

Weissbach (2+0), Graham Slaggert (1+1) and Jacob Bryson (0+2) all tallied a multi-point effort for Rochester, which has won six of its last eight dating back to Dec. 30 and won three consecutive games in regulation for the second time this season. Isak Rosen, Kale Clague, Viktor Neuchev, and Brett Murray all scored one goal each. Joseph Cecconi, Brandon Biro, Lukas Rousek, Tyson Jost, Mason Jobst, and Brendan Warren each logged an assist.

By way of Rousek's assist, the third year Amerk pushed his point streak to 13 straight games, which is a career-best and longest active streak in the AHL, while Neuchev has a point six consecutive outings. Clague, too, has points in four straight contests while Weissbach, who recorded his 100th professional point on his third-period tally, has logged four goals over his last four appearances.

Goaltender Devon Levi (2-1-0), who was loaned by the Buffalo Sabres earlier Saturday morning, made his third appearance of the campaign and first on home ice with Rochester. The rookie netminder made 14 saves to earn his second AHL career win.

Mikhail Abramov and Tanner Dickinson both scored one goal for Springfield, which fell to 2-6-1-1 mark in its previous 10 games, while Calle Rosen (1+1) finished with two points. Vadim Zherenko (10-7-1) and former Amerk Malcolm Subban (8-8-4) handled the goaltending duties with Zherenko drawing the starting nod. Subban made 20 saves over the final 40 minutes of regulation after taking over for Zherenko but suffered the defeat.

Following the intermission break and carrying a 16-8 shot-advantage, Rochester scored three times in the first 12 minutes of the frame, which included two in a span of 3:30, to grab a 5-2 advantage.

The Amerks wasted little time testing Subban as they registered the first five shots on their former teammate, but on an extended shift, Clague finished off a back-door feed from Biro and Rousek at the 5:25 mark.

After Clague reclaimed Rochester's lead with his third of the season, Murray forced a turnover in the offensive zone before wiring his fifth of the year with 11:05 left in the frame to double the Amerks' lead.

Nearly two minutes after Murray's marker, the Thunderbirds drew their second penalty of the contest. Despite being a down skater, Rosen and Jost teamed up to extend the advantage as Rosen roofed his first-career shorthanded tally over Subban's shoulder.

Springfield managed to chip into the deficit as Abramov scored before the completion of frame, however, Rochester held a 5-3 lead going into the final period.

In the third period, the Amerks added two more tallies as Neuchev and Weissbach sealed the 7-3 win with Slaggert, Bryson and Cecconi all producing their third helpers on the goals.

Early in the contest, Rochester jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Weissbach and Slaggert each scored less than three minutes apart.

Weissbach opened the scoring as he fired a shot from in-between the face-off dots following a forced turnover by Jobst at the 3:24 mark before Slaggert redirected Warren's shot nearly three minutes later.

It marked the third straight game in which the Amerks opened the scoring inside the first five minutes.

Springfield seemed to find its road legs before the end of the frame as they scored twice on Rosen and Dickinson's markers.

Rochester outscored the visitors 5-1 over the final two periods while also outshooting them 25-9 to secure the victory.

The Amerks continue their four-game homestand as they host the intrastate rival Utica Comets on Friday, Jan. 26 at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:05 p.m. North Division showdown will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.

Stars and Stripes:

By assisting on the eventual game-winning goal, his second of the slate, Lukas Rousek extended his point streak to a career-high 13 games, over which he has recorded 14 points (4+10) ... The point streak is the longest active in the American Hockey League and second-longest behind only Toronto's Alex Steeves ... Of Rochester's 36 games this season, the club has scored three or more goals in 26 contests while 18 of its 19 wins have come with three or more tallies ... The Amerks have had seven different players record a game-winning goal and four separate goaltenders in their last eight wins dating back to Nov. 24.

Goal Scorers

SPR: C. Rosen (2), T. Dickinson (1), M. Abramov (7)

ROC: L. Weissbach (7, 8), G. Slaggert (2), K. Clague (3), B. Murray (5 - GWG), I. Rosen (10), V. Neuchev (5)

Goaltenders

SPR: V. Zherenko - 14/16 (ND) | M. Subban - 20/25 (L)

ROC: D. Levi - 14/17 (W)

Shots

SPR: 17

ROC: 41

Special Teams

SPR: PP (1/3) | PK (2/2)

ROC: PP (0/2) | PK (2/3)

Three Stars:

1. ROC - L. Weissbach

2. ROC - G. Slaggert

3. ROC - B. Murray

Check out the Rochester Americans Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from January 20, 2024


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