AMERKS BOUNCE BACK WITH DOMINATING WIN OVER MONSTERS
Apr 2, 2022The Rochester Americans (32-25-5-3) flipped the script in Saturday’s rematch against the Cleveland Monsters (24-28-8-4), exploding for six straight unanswered goals and cruising to a dominating 6-2 win in the weekend finale between the two teams at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
With the win, the Amerks split the two-game series with the Monsters and have earned points in eight of their last 10 games. Rochester, who boasts a 36-14-4-4 record over the last 10 years dating back to the start of the 2011-12 campaign versus Cleveland, has earned at least one point in 14 of the last 21 meetings.
Coming off his first-career AHL hat trick Friday against the Monsters, JJ Peterka (2+1) turned in another three-point effort, scoring twice and adding an assist as did Sean Malone (2+1). Peterka, who finished the weekend with five goals and six points, leads all rookies with 58 points on the season while Malone scored his 13 and 14th goals of the campaign, which establishes a new career-high. Mitch Eliot, who appeared in his 100th professional contest, recorded two assists for his second multi-point effort of the season.
WATCH: GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Mark Jankowski and Arttu Ruotsalainen, who was named the AHL’s Player of the Month for March on Friday, completed the scoring while Jack Quinn, Michael Mersch, Ryan MacInnis and Oskari Laaksonen all booked an assist.
Goaltender Aaron Dell (11-5-1) equaled his season-high 36 saves while earning his 11th win of the slate. In 15 of his 18 appearances this season, Dell has stopped 30 or more shots, including each of his last six games.
Cole Cassels and Roman Ahcan scored their fourth and second markers of the season, respectively, for the Monsters. Rookie netminder Jet Greaves (11-11-2) stopped 23 shots but suffered his third straight defeat and fourth of his last five outings.
PETERKA SCORES HIS FIRST OF THE GAME
Less than three minutes into the contest and a face-off to the right of Greaves, Malone won the draw back to Peterka. The rookie forward circled around the dot before snapping in a shot to give the Amerks a 1-0 lead as he was in the center of the zone.
Later in the frame, Cleveland was attempting to exit its own zone, however, MacInnis stripped the skater of the puck just inside the blueline. After the former Monster turned around and drifted to the left side of the ice, he fired a shot towards the net for Malone to tuck into the cage.
Just 2:21 after redirecting in his 13th of the slate, Malone parked himself at the back post for Peterka as he circled around the back of the net to make it a 3-0 advantage.
JANKOWSKI MAKES IT 5-0
Despite only appearing in 28 games so far this season, Malone established a new personal-best 14 goals while also matching his career-high in points (30).
While holding a three-goal cushion after the opening 20 minutes, Ruotsalainen and Jankowski both scored in the middle frame to make it a 5-0 advantage going into the third period.
Rochester completed its scoring on the night 5:39 into the third as Peterka and Quinn teamed up on an odd-man rush before Cassels and Ahcan each scored for Cleveland.
QUINN SETS UP PETERKA FOR HIS SECOND OF THE NIGHT AND FIFTH OF THE WEEKEND
With the primary assist on Peterka’s 22nd goal of the season and fifth in the last two nights, Quinn became the second Amerk this season to reach the 50-point mark and just the fourth rookie in the league.
The Amerks continue their five-game road-swing as they head north of the border for a pair of matchups against the Laval Rocket beginning on Wednesday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. All the action from Place Bell will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
|
CLEVELAND |
GAMECENTER |
ROCHESTER |
|
Cassels (4), Ahcan (2) |
GOAL-SCORERS |
Peterka (21, 22), Malone (13, 14), Ruotsalainen (17), Jankowski (8) |
|
Greaves – 23/29 (L) |
GOALTENDERS |
Dell – 36/38 (W) |
|
1-6 |
POWER-PLAY |
0-4 |
|
4-4 |
PENALTY KILL |
5-6 |
|
38 |
SHOTS ON GOAL |
29 |