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AHL Rochester Americans

Rochester Americans Game Preview: Sunday, October 27 at Springfield Thunderbirds

October 27, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


TONIGHT'S GAME OVERVIEW

- The Rochester Americans (5-2-0-1) return to MassMutual Center for the second time in three weeks to take on the Springfield Thunderbirds (5-4-0-0) this evening. The 5:05 p.m. matchup will be the second of four scheduled meetings between the two teams this season and will be carried live on live on The Sports Leader AM 950/95.7 FM ESPN Rochester as well as AHLTV.

LAST TIME OUT

- After scoring twice in the final 6:35 of regulation to erase a two-goal third-period deficit, the Amerks completed the 7-6 come-from-behind win in the final minute of overtime to stun the Syracuse Crunch Saturday at the War Memorial Arena.

- Forwards J.S.Dea and Curtis Lazar both posted a pair of goals and two assists in the comeback, with Dea's second of the night coming with only 13 seconds remaining to force overtime. Casey Fitzgerald (1+1), Lawrence Pilut (1+2) and C.J. Smith (0+2) all recorded multi- point efforts on the night as well. Sean Malone netted his second marker of the campaign in the second period to close out the scoring.

- Goaltender Andrew Hammond (3-1-1), who made his sixth appearance of the year in the crease, notched 15 saves before Jonas Johansson (2-1-0) came in and finished the final 12:38 of regulation and the overtime period with three saves on all three shots he faced to earn his second straight win.

ROAD AHEAD FOR ROCHESTER

- The Amerks close out the first month of the season on Wednesday, Oct. 30 when they welcome the Providence Bruins to The Blue Cross Arena at 7:05 p.m. for the only time this season. Rochester fell in the first matchup between the two teams earlier this month by a 3-2 score during the team's annual trek through New England. Wednesday's contest can be heard live on The Sports Leader AM 950/95.7 FM ESPN Rochester.

EARNING POINTS EARLY ON

- Rochester has earned 11 out of a possible 16 points overall through the first eight games of the season and go into Springfield with points in four of its last five games. All but two have been one-goal games, including three wins beyond regulation. The Amerks are one of only four AHL teams this year to appear in at least four games that have been decided in overtime and are one of just two teams (Colorado) to have won one game in overtime as well as a shootout.

WILL BORGEN BACK TO BUFFALO

- Defenseman Will Borgen has earned his second recall in three days to the Buffalo Sabres. The parent club brought him up on Friday for their game in Detroit but was reassigned back to Rochester prior to last night's game in Syracuse. Borgen appeared in four games with Buffalo last season, making his NHL debut against Ottawa on Mar. 26.

"JUST SCORING" DEA

- Coming off his first four-point effort since Apr. 6, 2019 last night, forward Jean-Sebastien Dea has emerged as Rochester's leader in goals (4) and points (7) through the first eight games. Dea, who scored the tying goal to start the third period as well as the game-tying tally with 13 seconds left in regulation last night, also earned the secondary assist on Lawrence Pilut's overtime winner. Dea returns to Springfield, where he had a brief but productive stint with the Thunderbirds last season that saw him produce 22 points (11+11) in 20 games, including five power-play goals. Dating back to last season, Dea has amassed 14 points (7+7) over his last 13 AHL appearances.

THOMPSON TORMENTING THE OPPOSITION

- Despite being held off the scoresheet three times through the first eight games of the season, Tage Thompson has totaled 18 points (11+7) over his last 19 games with the Amerks dating back to last season, including the two goals he scored in the first round of the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Marlies.

- More impressively, Thompson has scored nine goals in just 16 career regular-season games with Rochester, surpassing the total he set over a 30-game stint with the San Antonio Rampage during his rookie season in 2017-18. The third-year pro is second on the Amerks in goals (3) and tied for the team-lead in points (7) through his first eight games of the season. He enters Sunday's contest fourth in the AHL with 33 shots, eight of which came last week against Utica.

RED-HOT REDMOND: THE SEQUEL

- The start of the 2019-20 season is just a different chapter in the same story for veteran defenseman Zach Redmond, who's currently tied for fourth in scoring amongst all AHL blueliners after averaging a point-per-game through his first seven games of the season, including the game-tying goal with 13 seconds remaining in Rochester's shootout win at Hartford back on Oct. 13. The reigning Eddie Shore Award winner and two-time AHL All-Star has collected eight points (1+7) in his last 12 games dating back to last season. His six assists rank third in the league among blueliners coming into todays' matchup.

SCOUTING THE THUNDERBIRDS

- Winners in four of its last five games and three straight, Springfield enters today's matchup with a 5-4-0-0 record through its first nine games of the 2019-20 campaign. The Thunderbirds have scored the most goals (30) in the AHL's Atlantic Division while also having allowed the third-fewest (23).

- The Thunderbirds offense is led by fifth-year defenseman Ethan Prow, who paces all AHL blueliners in scoring with nine points (1+8) in as many games this season. Additionally, Prow, who had a career-high 18 goals, 32 assists and 50 points in 74 games last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, ranks third in the AHL with eight assists while his nine points are tied for 10th in overall scoring.

- Prow, a 2018-19 Second Team AHL All-Star selection, is currently the only defenseman this season to lead his team in scoring.

SERIES NOTABLES

- Tonight's game is just the 10th all-time meeting between the two teams. Rochester swept the season series during the 2017-18 season by a combined score of 6-3 and have won six of the last seven get-togethers.

- In the nine previous meetings between the Amerks and Thunderbirds, Rochester's shorthanded until has killed off 34 of the last 38 man-down situations, good for a 89.5 % success rate.

- Springfield assistant coach Doug Janik has ties to Rochester having spent time in the Flower City as a player and was inducted into the Amerks Hall of Fame in 2019. Janik, a Springfield native, appeared in 376 career games in Rochester, the third-most among any blueliner in franchise history, and his 91 points (18+73) still rank 30th among all-time defensemen in franchise history.

- Thunderbirds forward Daniel Audette is the son of former Amerk Donald Audette.

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