Amerks Unable to Hold Lead in 4-2 Loss to Monsters
April 23, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
(Rochester, NY) - The Rochester Americans (36-28-7-3) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first half of the opening period Saturday night against the Cleveland Monsters (26-34-8-5), but the visitors countered with four straight unanswered goals to come away way a 4-2 win at The Blue Cross Arena.
With the loss, Rochester has earned points in 14 of its last 19 games overall, but now sit in sixth place in the North Division with two games left in the regular season. In nine of the 10 meetings this season with the Monsters, the Amerks have tallied at least once in the first 20 minutes of play, which includes two goals in each of three previous first periods.
Rookie forward Lukas Rousek scored his first career AHL goal before fellow first-year skater Brandon Biro netted his 11th of the campaign. With his 40th point on the season, Biro became the third different Amerks rookie this season to reach the mark, joining JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn, and sixth overall.
Ethan Prow, Arttu Ruotsalainen, Oksari Laaksonen and Ben Holmstrom all recorded assists in the first game of the home-and-home series with Cleveland. Prow extended his point-streak to a season-long six games as he has tallied seven points (1+6) over that span. Additionally, the veteran, who has logged 129 points (37+92) over his last 183 AHL games, has collected 30 points (6+24) over his previous 38 outings.
Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (14-14-6) made his sixth straight start and second in as many nights for Rochester. The Finnish netminder made 22 saves but suffered just his second regulation loss since the start of the month.
Roman Ahcan and Trey Fix-Wolansky both recorded a multi-point effort as the duo each tallied a goal and assist while Tyler Sikura and Justin Scott rounded out the scoring on the night. Goaltender Cam Johnson improved to 6-9-3 as he stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced.
Facing a two-goal deficit near the end of the opening period, Cleveland drew its first penalty of the contest with 47 seconds left in regulation.
On the man-advantage, Fix-Wolansky gathered a pass from Cole Fonstad in the right circle. The forward patiently outwaited a diving Rochester defender and fired a shot past a screened Luukkonen.
In the middle frame, the Monsters flipped a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead as Sikura and Ahcan both found the back of the net just 16 seconds apart two minutes into the period.
The two clubs traded chances for the remainder of the stanza, but Cleveland took the one-goal lead into the intermission.
During the final 20 minutes of regulation, Rochester drew its fourth penalty of the contest but could not find the equalizer as Johnson turned aside each shot he faced.
The Amerks pulled Luukkonen in effort to force overtime for the second straight night, but Scott dug out the puck along the wall inside the Monsters zone and fired a shot into the vacant-net to seal the 4-2 win.
Rochester opened the scoring in the first stanza for the fourth straight game - and the eighth time in the last 10 games - as Rousek and Biro both lit the lamp, but Cleveland scored a pair of tallies in the second and third periods, respectively.
The Amerks close out their final three-in-three of the 2021-22 regular season on Sunday, April 24 as the home-and-home series shifts to Cleveland for a rematch at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The 3:00 p.m. matinee will be the 10th and final meeting between the two teams this season and will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
CLEVELAND GAMECENTER ROCHESTER
Fix-Wolansky (14), Sikura (14), Ahcan (3), Scott (16) GOAL-SCORERS Rousek (1), Biro (11)
Johnson - 32/34 (W) GOALTENDERS Luukkonen - 22/25 (L)
1-2 POWER-PLAY 1-4
3-4 PENALTY KILL 1-2
26 SHOTS ON GOAL 34
VIDEO CENTER
GAME HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYVH-iG2ZvY
SETH APPERT POST-GAME: https://www.youtube.com/watch?vòutRktAvSc
JIMMY SCHULDT POST-GAME: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTWvR5kdbtY
BRANDON BIRO POST-GAME: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvGvy9LYVic
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