AHL Rochester Americans

Amerks Third Period Power-Play Crunches Syracuse

Published on November 21, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


(Rochester, November 21)... The Rochester Americans used the power-play to their advantage tonight as they secured their second home win of the season against the Syracuse Crunch at The Blue Cross Arena. Rochester rallied from a 4-2 deficit midway through the final frame with three unanswered power-play goals in 52 seconds to upset the Crunch with a 5-4 win, thus snapping a four-game losing streak in the process. The Amerks, who entered the game with a 1-7-0-0 record at home, now hold a 9-10-1-0 overall mark for the season. With the loss, the Crunch fall to 6-8-1-3.

Chris Taylor (1+3) led the Amerks tonight, earning a total of four points, as well as adding to his career milestones as an Amerk. Mike Kostka (1+3) also collected four points, while Evgeny Dadonov (2+0) added a pair of goals, including the game winner, in tonight's contest. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves on 28 shots to garner his seventh win of the season.

Former Amerk Nathan Paetsch (2+1) returned to Rochester tonight with a bang, scoring two of Syracuse's four goals, while also adding an assist. Maxime Macenauer (1+1) and Kyle Palmieri (1+0) also added a goal each. Netminder Jean-Philippe Levasseur stopped 33 of the 38 shots he faced in the losing effort.

The Amerks were first to add a tally to the board at 14:47 of the first period to take a 1-0 lead. Newcomer Michael Dubuc took a shot from the faceoff, but Levasseur came up with the save. Kostka then drilled another shot from the point, but again, Levasseur blocked the shot. PJ Fenton then grabbed the rebound and finally capitalized on the play, scoring his first goal of the season with a diving effort. Dubuc and Kostka were credited with the assists, marking Dubuc's first point as an Amerk.

Seconds later, Syracuse crunched Rochester's lead and tied things up at one point apiece. Macenauer quickly stopped the Amerks' momentum by sliding one past Markstrom at 15:01 of the first, scoring his second goal this year. Paetsch and Jake Newton both received helpers on the play.

Syracuse earned the lone goal in the second period when Paetsch netted the shorthanded goal at 19:16. Macenauer also received his second point of the night by providing Paetsch with the cross-ice pass.

Less than two minutes into the third period, the Crunch added to their lead when winger Kyle Palmieri sent a wrist shot home to make the score 3-1. Nicolas Deschamps brought the puck up the ice and made a nifty drop-pass to Palmieri from the point, who then sent it sailing past Markstrom, scoring his team-leading eighth goal of the season. Trevor Smith also picked up an assist on the goal.

Rochester's offense answered back in the third period after almost 30 minutes of play to make the score 3-2. Paul Baier took a shot, which trickled across the crease, leaving Levasseur to attempt to grab a hold of it. Taylor then snagged the puck and sent it past Levasseur's left shoulder into the net. The goal marks Taylor's 135th as an Amerk, which slides him into the No. 11 spot ahead of Barry Merrell and Jim Pappin on the franchise's all-time goals list.

But the Crunch wouldn't let the Amerks get ahead, as Paetsch scored his second of the night against his former team at 7:41 to give Syracuse a two-goal advantage. Deschamps and Levasseur picked up the helpers off the two-on-one tally.

Rochester used the power-play to their advantage after penalties were given to the visiting Crunch for hooking, slashing and delay of game, respectively. The offense jumped on the advantage, scoring three goals within 52 seconds on the power-play to regain the lead. The first came from Dadonov at 12:40 of the period, with help from Taylor, who earned his 300thassist as an Amerk on the play, and Clay Wilson, which made the score 4-3. Wilson and Taylor contributed two more assists as their line helped Kostka send another power-play goal past Levasseur at 12:58 to even things out 4-4. Dadonov then scored the game winner at 13:32 to give the Amerks a 5-4 final victory and complete one of the most impressive come-from-behind rallies in team history.

Rochester remains at home on Friday, November 26th as it closes out its four-game homestand against the Toronto Marlies at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:35 p.m. North Division contest will be the second of eight scheduled meetings this season between the two teams and will be carried live on SportsRadio 1280 WHTK and FM 107.3, Rochester's Sports Talk. The game will be also televised live on Time Warner Cable SportsNet Channel 26.

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