AMERKS DISMANTLE COMETS TO WIN THIRD STRAIGHT
Kozak scores for fourth straight game, Amerks go 4-for-9 on power-play in 8-1 rout of Utica
Nov 1, 2024The Rochester Americans (4-3-0-0) erupted for a season-high eight goals, including six in the third period, in a dominating 8-1 win over of the struggling Utica Comets (0-8-0-0) Friday at Adirondack Bank Center.
With the win, Rochester has won three straight while outscoring and outshooting its opponents 19-6 and 120-87, respectively, and scored five power-play tallies dating back to Oct. 23. Overall on the season, the Amerks have found the back of the opposition’s net 29 times, which tops the North Division and are third-most in the AHL’s Eastern Conference.
Anton Wahlberg (2+0), Brett Murray (1+1), Jack Rathbone (1+1), Lukas Rousek (0+2), Mason Jobst (0+2), and Viktor Neuchev (0+2) all registered multi-point efforts in the victory. Konsta Helenius, Brendan Warren, Isak Rosén all scored in the third period before Tyson Kozak capped off the night with his fifth of the season and fourth in as many games. Graham Slaggert, Kale Clague and Vsevolod Komarov each chipped in an assist to conclude the scoring.
Goaltender Felix Sandström (1-2-0) made 18 saves in his third appearance of the season. The Swedish netminder earned his first career win with Rochester and his 101st of professional career.
FIRST PERIOD
In the first five minutes of the contest, Utica drew a pair of penalties in succession to gain a 5-on-3 two-man advantage for 69 seconds. The Amerks held off the Comets for the first half of the infraction, however, newcomer Seamus Casey held the puck at the top of the right point inside the offensive zone. The blueliner dished a pass to his left for Nolan Foote to quickly tap it to Brian Halonen to one-time inside the post.
Utica, which scored the game’s first goal for the first time of the campaign, had a pair of chances to add to its lead but Sandström denied both attempts to keep the score 1-0. The Comets also did not allow a Rochester shot for the opening 12 minutes of the contest.
The Amerks, despite trailing 9-1 on the shot clock, drew a boarding penalty and used the extra skater to even the score with 6:20 left in the frame. During the man-advantage, Clague retrieved the puck from behind his own net and then provided a feed for Rousek atop the Rochester crease. After Rousek weaved up the ice and reached the left wing, the forward dished a pass through the zone for Walhberg to tuck in-between the post and Daws’ glove.
The penalty-filled first period eventually ended as the two teams combined for total of seven infractions, two goals and 15 shots but the game was tied at 1-1.
SECOND PERIOD
While Rochester began the second period on the man-advantage, Utica’s captain Ryan Schmelzer seized control of a rolling puck before sprinting ahead on a breakaway. As the Buffalo native reached the hash marks in-front of Sandström, the Amerks netminder patiently waited before turning aside the attempt with his left pad.
The Amerks used the energy generated from their goaltender and grabbed a 2-1 lead moments later as Metsa began a play with the puck in the center of the ice. As Rochester was changing on the fly, the second-year defenseman skipped a pass to Neuchev as he approached the far blueline. Neuchev carried the pass to the right wall and left it for Murray to wire past the blocker of Daws on an odd man rush with Jobst and Helenius.
Murray’s second goal of the season just 1:20 into the frame was the lone tally of the frame as Rochester carried a 2-1 lead into the final period.
THIRD PERIOD
Following a tame middle period, Rochester erupted for six goals in the third, two of which came on the man-advantage and pair 25 seconds apart.
Rathbone ignited the six-goal run as he fired in his first as an Amerk at the right point from Rousek at the 4:25 mark before Helenius cushioned Rochester to a 4-1 lead on the ensuing shift.
On the face-off immediately after the Amerks were called for an icing violation, Jobst lobbed a pass for Warren to track down on a breakaway before Murray helped set up Rosén 2:07 later.
The Amerks, who finished the third period with four goals in a span of 4:08, concluded the night with power-play tallies from Wahlberg and Kozak.
UP NEXT
The Amerks look to sweep Comets as the back-to-back set closes on Saturday, Nov. 2 in a 7:00 p.m. rematch at Adirondack Bank Center. All the action will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
STARS AND STRIPES
Including tonight, Rochester has won 12 of the last 13 games on the road against the Comets, the only exception being a 6-0 loss back on Nov. 11, 2023 … Rochester’s six goals in the final 20 minutes of play marked the most goals in a period since the club scored six on Feb. 24, 2018, at Toronto … The Amerks’ four power-play tallies marked the first time the team has capitalized on four man-advantages since Mar. 10, 2023, versus Hartford ... Tyson Kozak has a goal in four straight games and already matched his previous career-high through seven games this season ... The Amerks have scored at least five or more goals in each of their last three wins.
Goal Scorers
ROC: A. Wahlberg (2, 3), B. Murray (2), J. Rathbone (1), K. Helenius (2), B. Warren (1), I. Rosén (3), T. Kozak (5)
UTI: B. Halonen (4)
Goaltenders
ROC: F. Sandström – 18/19 (W)
UTI: N. Daws – 18/26 (L)
Shots
ROC: 26
UTI: 19
Special Teams
ROC: PP (4/9) | PK (4/5)
UTI: PP (1/5) | PK (5/9)
Three Stars:
1. ROC – A. Wahlberg
2. ROC – M. Jobst
3. ROC – F. Sandström