AMERKS COMPLETE SERIES COMEBACK WITH OVERTIME WIN IN GAME 5
May 7, 2023Lawrence Pilut’s second goal of the game 11:35 into overtime put the finishing touches on the North Division semifinal as the Rochester Americans (3-2) completed a series comeback with a thrilling 5-4 win over the Syracuse Crunch (2-3) in winner-take-all Game 5 Saturday at Upstate Medical University Arena.
The Amerks become just the 12th team in AHL history to win a best-of-five playoff series after dropping the first two games and first since 2015 (Grand Rapids). Prior to tonight, Rochester had only reverse swept two opponents when trailing 3-0 or 2-0 (1960 & 1967).
By advancing to the North Division Finals for the second straight year, the Amerks are moving onto the third round of the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup Playoffs, where they will meet the Toronto Marlies.
In addition to Pilut posting a multi-point effort, Michael Mersch (1+1) and rookie Isak Rosen (0+2) also tallied a pair of points in the win. Tyson Kozak and Jiri Kulich each scored in the first and second periods, respectively, with Kulich now showing goals in three straight games since making his postseason debut in Game 3 of the series. Joseph Cecconi, Ethan Prow, Lukas Rousek and Sean Malone all registered an assist.
Goaltender Malcolm Subban (3-2) made 44 saves in his fifth straight appearance of the series. The Toronto, Ontario, native’s 44-save effort was his second in 2022-23 in which he stopped 44 or more shots while earning the win.
Gabriel Dumont (1+1), Simon Ryfors (1+1), Trevor Carrick (1+1), and Alex Barre-Boulet (0+2) all totaled two points each while Declan Carlile (1+0) scored in the second period for Syracuse.
Max Lagace (2-2) and Hugo Alnefelt (0+1) spilt the goaltending duties with Lagace earning his fifth start of the series. Lagace stopped 11 of the 15 shots he faced in 35 minutes of action while Alnefelt made nine saves in 35 minutes of relief.
After the Crunch erased 3-0 and 4-1 deficits to send the game into overtime for the second time of the series, Rochester earned its second power-play of the contest midway through the extra-frame.
During the man-advantage, Linus Weissbach and Mersch dug the puck out from behind the Crunch net before leaving it for Rosen. The rookie then moved it to Pilut atop the left point, where the blueliner patiently waited before firing a shot inside the left post to seal the 5-4 victory.
With the win, Rochester improved to 47-22 record all-time in series clinching-scenarios and a 31-41 mark when on the brink of elimination. The Amerks are also 12-6 in winner-take-all contests, including 6-2 on the road.
Rochester opened the scoring 11:08 into the first period on Kozak’s second of the series from Rosen and Malone.
Following the intermission, the Amerks built a 3-0 lead as Pilut and Kulich each scored four minutes apart.
Syracuse answered Kulich’s marker 15 seconds later, however,r Mersch restored the three-goal advantage with just over five minutes to play in the frame.
As the period was near its completion, the Amerks were whistled for back-to-back infractions, giving the Crunch a two man-advantage for 23 seconds.
The home team wasted little time as Ryfors banged in a back-door feed in the final minute of the frame.
Facing a 4-2 deficit with their season on the line, the Crunch came out in the final 20 minutes of regulation testing Subban and the Amerks, outshooting Rochester 20-2 in the process.
Midway through the frame, Dumont, who returned from a two-game suspension, scored his first of the series to bring Syracuse within one as the clock had 10:24 left.
Syracuse pulled Alnefelt for the final two minutes of play and as bodies were in-front of Subban, Carrick converted a shot to even the score at four with 30 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.
In the extra frame, the two teams traded several scoring chances before Pilut called the game from the right point while on the power play.
The Amerks open the third round of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs on Thursday, May 11 in Game 1 of the North Division Finals against the Marlies at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Opening puck-drop in the best-of-five series is set for 7:00 p.m. and will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHL TV.
Storyline Stripes:
With a pair of points tonight, Amerks captain Michael Mersch is tied for second in the AHL with four goals and seventh in points (7) … With his two-goal outing, Lawrence Pilut has five points (3+2) in five playoff contests, tying him for sixth amongst all AHL defensemen … Jiri Kulich (3+1) and Isak Rosen (1+3) are tied for fifth in postseason scoring amongst all AHL rookies.
Goal Scorers
SYR: D. Carlile (2), S. Ryfors (4), G. Dumont (1), T. Carrick (1)
ROC: T. Kozak (2) J. Kulich (3), L. Pilut (2, 3 – OT GWG), M. Mersch (4)
Goaltenders
SYR: M. Lagace – 11/15 (ND) | A. Alnefelt – 9/10 (L)
ROC: M. Subban – 44/48 (W)
Shots
SYR: 25
ROC: 48
Special Teams
SYR: PP (1/2) | PK (3/4)
ROC: PP (1/4) | PK (1/2)
Three Stars
1. ROC - M. Subban
2. ROC - L. Pilut
3. SYR - S. Element