Komarov scores first pro goal, Metsa records two points in 5-4 loss to Hershey
Jan 19, 2025
The Rochester Americans (23-11-3-1) nearly erased a two-goal deficit in the final period, but ultimately came up short in a 5-4 defeat to the two-time defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears (25-11-3-0) in the weekend finale Sunday at Giant Center.
Despite suffering just their fifth regulation loss on the road this season, the Amerks have won 15 of their last 20 contests while earning at least one point in 26 of their last 34 games dating back to Oct. 23. The contest was the 468th all-time meeting between the two league’s two cornerstone franchises.
Zachary Metsa added his third tally of the campaign in the middle frame while producing an assist for a multi-point performance while rookie defenseman Vsevolod Komarov scored his first pro goal in the first period. Aleksandr Kisakov scored his third before Noah Östlund capped the goal-scoring late in the contest.
Lukas Rousek, Isak Rosén, Kale Clague, and Brett Murray each turned in assist for Rochester, which earned three out of a possible six points over its first three-game weekend of the season.
Goaltender Michael Houser (4-3-1) made his first AHL appearance since Nov. 23 and 11th of the season. The veteran netminder, who began the week in the ECHL, stopped 25 of the 30 shots he faced, which included 14 in the middle period.
Four minutes after Murray nearly redirected a shot past Stevenson 23 seconds into the contest, Komarov joined the rush before steering in his first goal of the season to put the Amerks up 1-0 at the 4:31 mark.
After Rosén gained the Hershey blueline in transition, he left it for a trailing Clague at the top of the zone. Clague continued the rush along the left-wing boards, and as he reached the bottom of the near circle, he centered a pass for Komarov to redirect past Stevenson as he was stationed atop the goal crease.
The Amerks continued to search for a second goal as they were outshooting the Bears by a staggering 8-2 margin, but moments after a Rochester fanned on a one-timer atop the offensive zone, Hershey tied the score at one as Strome fired a shot past Houser.
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