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AHL Rochester Americans

Crunch Get by Amerks in Overtime, 4-3

March 26, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


(Rochester, NY) ... The Rochester Americans (6-3-1-1) erased a two-goal deficit to force overtime before suffering a 4-3 setback to the Syracuse Crunch (7-5-1-0) Friday at The Blue Cross Arena.

The contest was Rochester's first in 16 days and the fifth of 12 scheduled meetings with Syracuse this season. The Amerks show a 3-0-1-0 record in their last four games inside the Flower City and a 15-8-2-1 mark in the last 25 contests with the Crunch.

Rookie froward Brandon Biro factored in on all three Amerks goals, scoring twice, including the game-tying marker in the third period, while also adding an assist in the middle frame on Oskari Laaksonen's first American Hockey League goal. Remi Elie notched his second multi-point effort of the season as he collected a pair of helpers. Mattias Samuelsson, Casey Fitzgerald and Jack Quinn all notched an assist. Quinn extended his point streak to three games (1+2) dating back to Mar. 6.

Goaltender Stefanos Lekkas, who signed a professional tryout (PTO) on Mar. 15, made his Amerks/AHL debut. The 25-year-old netminder made 25 saves but took the defeat.

The Crunch offense was led by former Amerk Scott Wilson (1+1) and Ben Thomas (0+2) as the duo each picked up a two points in the win for Syracuse. Forwards Alex Barre-Boulet and Boris Katchouk both scored their fourth goals of the season before Grigori Denisenko sealed the game with the game-winning marker for Syracuse, who have won five of its last six games, including four straight.

Samuel Montembeault (3-3-1) earned his second consecutive victory as he stopped 22 of 25 shots he faced.

Facing a 3-1 deficit late in the second period, Rochester drew a hooking infraction with 3:11 left in the frame.

Biro won the face-off to the right of the Crunch net, and after receiving a drop-pass from Elie, Laaksonen fired in a shot through traffic and in-behind Montembeault to bring the Amerks within one going into third.

With the power-play goal, the Amerks have scored a power-play goal in nine of their last 13 games against Syracuse dating back to last season, going 14-for-51 (27.5%) with the man-advantage over that span.

The Amerks kept pressing to tie the game and send it beyond regulation as they outshot Syracuse 10-4 during the third period.

On a delayed penalty midway through frame, Fitzgerald gathered the puck and quickly snapped a pass through the neutral zone to Samuelsson. The first-year blueliner maneuvered into the offensive zone and blistered a shot towards the cage that Biro was able to redirect past Montembeault for his second of the contest.

In overtime, neither team generated much offense before Denisenko fired a shot from the right circle, beating Lekkas for his third goal in as many games.

Following a scoreless first period, the two clubs traded goals nearly five minutes into the second stanza.

With the puck inside the Syracuse zone, Rochester had a shot blocked by Noah Juulsen out in front of Montembeault. The blueliner sent an outlet pass onto the stick of Wilson and the former Amerk raced in behind the defense and tucked a shot between the pads of Lekkas.

A few minutes after Wilson's first goal of the season, Biro netted his first pro tally at the 5:07 mark. The rookie forward skated into the offensive zone after taking a pass from Elie atop the Crunch zone and tucked a backhand shot pass Montembeault.

The Crunch reclaimed their lead as they added two quick goals less than 30 seconds apart before Biro trimmed the advantage to 3-2 going into the break.

The Amerks remain at home on Wednesday, March 31 when they host the Cleveland Monsters at The Blue Cross Arena. Game time is slated for a 6:05 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 Brandon Biro - https://youtu.be/_JE3ZrlgvQU

Amerks forward Jack Quinn - https://youtu.be/9gcDGe8FCgc

Amerks goaltender Stefanos Lekkas - https://youtu.be/ZRy3Mqfs9rE

Amerks assistant coach Adam Mair - https://youtu.be/D_jF8an7LOw

Goal Scorers

ROC: B. Biro (1,2), O. Laaksonen (1)

SYR: S. Wilson (1), A. Barre-Boulet (4), B. Katchouk (4), G. Denisenko (3 - OT GWG)

Goaltenders

ROC: S. Lekkas - 25/29 (OTL)

SYR: S. Montembeault - 22/25 (W)

Shots

ROC: 25

SYR: 29

Special Teams

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

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

Three Stars

1. B. Biro (ROC)

2. G. Denisenko (SYR)

3. R. Elie (ROC)

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