AMERKS OUTLAST HARTFORD IN HIGH SCORING AFFAIR
Kulich records three points, Tokarski celebrates 500th pro game with 25-save effort in 6-5 win over Wolf Pack
Mar 20, 2024The Rochester Americans (29-21-6-2) erased three different deficits before ultimately outlasting the Hartford Wolf Pack (29-20-7-2) for a wild 6-5 win in a back-and-forth affair Wednesday at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
The victory gives the Amerks, who opened a three-game homestand, at least one point in 18 of their last 26 games dating back to Jan. 17, which includes four straight home wins. Rochester, who completed the season sweep over Hartford, has earned wins in nine of the last 13 contests against the Wolf Pack.
Forward Jiri Kulich logged his second three-point outing of the season and ninth multi-point effort overall as he scored a goal and two assists. Calle Själin notched a pair of assists for his first two-point effort with Rochester while Ethan Prow, Isak Rosén, Michael Mersch, and Brett Murray all scored one goal apiece. Jeremy Davies, Brandon Biro, Ryan Johnson, Mason Jobst, Nikita Novikov, and Viktor Neuchev all registered an assist.
Goaltender Dustin Tokarski (8-9-3) made his 21st appearance of the season for the Amerks, who improved to a perfect 5-0-0-0 in the last five games against Hartford on home ice. The veteran netminder, who appeared in his 500th professional game and 420th in the AHL, made 25 saves to earn his first win since Jan. 19.
Brennan Othmann (2+0) and Mac Hollowell (0+2) both produced a pair of points for Hartford, which suffered its sixth consecutive loss dating back to Mar. 9. Riley Nash, Karl Henriksson, and Ryder Korczak all netted one goal each while netminder Dylan Garand (16-11-5) took the defeat as he stopped 18 of the 24 shots he faced in his 33rd appearance of the slate.
Just over five minutes after seeing Hartford flip a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 lead, the Amerks scored a pair of tallies in a span of 2:05 to regain their cushion at the 14:17 mark of the third period.
Rochester tied the game as Kulich gathered a loose puck inside the left circle of the Wolf Pack zone. As the Amerks’ leading goal-scorer skated his way to the front of the crease, he deked to open the pads of Garand before slipping the puck between them to even the score at 5-5 with 7:45 to play in regulation.
Shortly after Kulich’s team-leading 19th goal of the season, Mersch swept in a loose rebound from Novikov to make it 6-5 score with his 12th in 2023-24.
Despite clinging onto a one-goal lead, the Amerks had to hold off Hartford’s final push for the final four minutes of the contest before they could claim the one-goal victory.
The Wolf Pack scored twice in the opening 2:26 as Nash and Korczak both converted their own rebounds past Tokarski for their 10th and eighth goals of the season, respectively.
Prior to the end of the first period, Neuchev pressured a Hartford skater into a turnover just inside the visitors’ blueline. As the puck was out of reach of the players, Kozak scooped it up, took a few strides into the circle and roofed his fifth goal of the season with 40 seconds left in the frame.
In the middle stanza, Hartford reclaimed its two-goal lead as Othmann steered in a shot at the 4:21 mark, however, Rosen countered immediately.
Less than a minute after Othmann’s redirection, the Amerks drew their second power-play of the night and Rosen hammered home a one-time feed from Biro and Kulich.
Rochester added two more goals on Prow and Murray’s markers to take a 4-3 lead into the final 20 minutes of play.
Following the intermission break, the Wolf Pack took a one-goal cushion on Othmann and Henriksson’s markers 1:23 apart.
While trailing by a goal for the fourth time in the contest, the Amerks answered the task as both Kulich and Mersch found the back of the net to give the home club a lead with just under five minutes left in regulation.
Hartford pulled Garland for the final two minutes of play, but Tokarski and company held off the attempt and earned the 6-5 come-from-behind win.
The Amerks continue their three-game homestand on Friday, March 22 when they welcome back the Toronto Marlies at 7:05 p.m. All the action from The Blue Cross Arena will be carried on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
Stars and Stripes:
Leading point-getter Mason Jobst extended his point streak to six games and has 28 points (11+17) over his last 28 games, the most by an Amerk since the turn of the new year ... Isak Rosen’s second-period goal was his 15th of the season, setting a new career-high in 10 fewer games from his rookie campaign … The Amerks have reached the 30-win mark for the third consecutive season under head coach Seth Appert and eighth straight year since 2015-16 (excluding the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign).
Goal Scorers
HFD: R. Nash (10), R. Korczak (8), B. Othmann (15, 16), K. Henriksson (11)
ROC: T. Kozak (5), I. Rosén (15), E. Prow (3), B. Murray (16), J. Kulich (19), M. Mersch (12)
Goaltenders
HFD: D. Garand – 18/24 (L)
ROC: D. Tokarski – 25/30 (W)
Shots
HFD: 30
ROC: 24
Special Teams
HFD: PP (1/3) | PK (2/3)
ROC: PP (1/3) | PK (2/3)
Three Stars:
1. ROC - J. Kulich
2. ROC - M. Mersch
3. HFD - B. Othmann