AHL News

SLOW START DOOMS AMERKS IN 5-2 LOSS TO ROCKET

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Bjork factors in on both Rochester goals, Mersch extends point streak

Jan 18, 2023

 The Rochester Americans (19-13-1-1) fell behind early on the scoreboard and were never able to recover in what became a 5-2 loss to the Laval Rocket (15-18-4-1) on Wednesday at The Blue Cross Arena.

                                                   GAME SUMMARY    PHOTO GALLERY    POST-GAME REPORT

Despite the loss, however, the Amerks show a 9-3-0-0 record in the Flower City dating back to the start of the 2017-18 campaign versus the Rocket. Overall, Rochester remains in third place of the North Division with 40 points, four points behind Utica, whom the Amerks have two games in hand on.

 

Forward Anders Bjork (1+1) notched his second consecutive multi-point game as scored his sixth of the campaign to go with an assist. Rookie forward Tyson Kozak finished off the scoring as he added his third while Mason Jobst, Michael Mersch, and Mitch Eliot, who returned to the lineup after missing the last seven games, all had an assist.

 

Goaltender Malcolm Subban (9-4-0) made his fourth straight start and ninth in the last 12 games. The netminder, who shows a 9-3-0 mark over that span, made 18 saves.

 

 

Laval’s Alex Belzile (2+1), Anthony Richard (1+1) and Peter Abbandonato (0+2) all logged multi-point performances while Gabriel Bourque and Lucas Condotta both scored in the second and third periods, respectively.

 

Netminder Kevin Poulin earned his second straight win and ninth of the campaign as he turned aside 32 of 34 in his fifth consecutive appearance.

 

After being denied in the first period on an odd-man rush following a turnover inside the Rochester zone, Laval capitalized on its second grade-A chance of the contest two minutes later to take a 1-0 lead.

 

 

The Amerks had a chance to even the score following Belzile’s first tally of the game as they drew a tripping infraction. The opportunity failed as Laval successfully killed off the penalty and maintained its advantage.

 

The Rocket used the momentum and forced another turnover in the left corner of Subban. After collecting an attempted centering pass, Santino Centorame connected with Bourque to double the lead eight minutes into the contest.

 

 

In the middle period, the Amerks were whistled for back-to-back penalties, thus giving the Rocket two man-advantage for 26 seconds.

 

The Rochester penalty…

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