AMERKS DOUBLED UP IN REMATCH WITH CRUNCH
Mersch scores 10th goal, Metsa extends point streak to four games in 4-2 loss to Syracuse
Mar 9, 2024Forwards Michael Mersch and Brandon Biro helped the Rochester Americans (26-21-6-2) establish a 2-1 lead, but the Syracuse Crunch (33-17-4-2) countered with three unanswered goals to claim a 4-2 win in Saturday’s rematch between the intrastate rivals at Upstate Medical University Arena.
Despite the defeat, the Amerks have recorded at least one point in 14 of their last 21 games dating back to Jan. 17. The cross-town foes split the home-and-home series after Rochester’s 4-3 overtime win on Friday night.
Viktor Neuchev (0+2) recorded two assists for the Amerks, who show a 2-28-5-2 record when being held to two or fewer goals against Syracuse dating back to the start of 2016-17 season. While Mersch scored his 10th goal of the season, Biro notched his 30th point via his 13th tally in the second period. Rookie defenseman Zach Metsa pushed his point streak to a career-high four games as he tallied an assist while Mason Jobst was credited with a helper to complete the scoring.
Goaltender Dustin Tokarski (7-8-3) made his 19th appearance of the season and first start since Feb. 23. The veteran netminder, who is 16th in AHL history with 418 games played, stopped 30 of the 33 shots he faced but took the defeat.
Cole Koepke (1+2), Gage Goncalves (0+2) and Jack Finley (1+1) all registered a multi-point effort for the Crunch, who have points in their last six games (5-0-1-0). Alex Barré-Boulet opened the scoring with his second goal of the campaign while Waltteri Merelä sealed the win with his 11th.
Goaltender Hugo Alnefelt (13-6-4) made his 24th appearance of the campaign and fourth versus Amerks. The netminder, who boasts a 3-0-1 record this season against Rochester, finished with 17 saves.
Less than two minutes after Rochester took its first lead of the night during the second period, the Crunch earned their first power-play with 75 seconds left in the frame.
On the ensuing man-advantage, Syracuse moved the puck around the perimeter of the offensive zone before Finley connected on a back-door feed from Goncalves and Koepke.
The two clubs entered the intermission deadlocked at 2-2, but the home team drew another infraction to gain the power-play.
Much like their first opportunity on the man-advantage, the Crunch capitalized again, giving them a 3-2 lead with 12:48 left in regulation.
After regaining its second lead of the night, Syracuse clamped down defensively as they held Rochester without a shot for the final 13-plus minutes of the game before adding an empty-netter to complete the 4-2 win.
The Crunch tested the Amerks early, registering seven of the game’s first eight shots.
After gathering a pass along boards near center ice, Finley was the recipient of Barré-Boulet feed as he skated into the offensive zone. As the latter reached the circles, he left it for Day to hammer on goal. Tokarski stopped the initial shot as well as follow-up, however, Barré-Boulet converted on the third opportunity to break the scoreless game at the 6:32 mark of the first period.
Later in the frame, the Amerks found their road legs and began to gain the momentum on an extended shift by Graham Slaggert, Brandon Biro, and Linus Weissbach.
After the trio changed, Rochester evened the score with nearly five minutes left in the period.
After Metsa fired the puck from the right point, Neuchev dove from in-between the dots as he swept it into the near corner. Jobst quickly grabbed it and moved it behind the net for Mersch to tuck in-behind Alnefelt from a near-impossible angle.
In the middle frame where the teams combined for 23 shots, Syracuse took a pair of penalties in succession.
With the puck in the offensive zone, Weissbach played it back to the right point. Metsa patiently waited before sliding it to Neuchev to his left with an attempted shot. Despite the puck not fully reaching the netminder, Biro retrieved it from the low slot and snapped in his 13th goal of the season to give the Amerks their first lead of the night.
The Crunch scored three unanswered goals for the 4-2 win, two of which came in the final third period.
The Amerks conclude their only three-in-three weekend of the season on Sunday, March 10 with an afternoon matinee against the Utica Comets at The Blue Cross Arena. The 4:05 p.m. contest will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
Stars and Stripes:
By scoring his 10th goal of the season, it marks the ninth time Michael Mersch has recorded double figures in his career where he has skated in at least 30 games … With his second-period goal, Brandon Biro became the fourth different Amerk this season to reach the 30-point mark while Mason Jobst notched his 20th assist … All five of Viktor Neuchev ‘s multi-point games this season have come since the start of 2024.
Goal Scorers
ROC: M. Mersch (10), B. Biro (13),
SYR: A. Barré-Boulet (2), J. Finley (9), C. Koepke (15), W. Merelä (11)
Goaltenders
ROC: D. Tokarski – 30/33 (L)
SYR: H. Alnefelt– 17/19 (W)
Shots
ROC: 19
SYR: 34
Special Teams
ROC: PP (0/2) | PK (0/2)
SYR: PP (2/2) | PK (2/2)
Three Stars:
1. SYR - G. Goncalves
2. SYR - C. Koepke
3. ROC - D. Tokarski