LATE RALLY SENDS BEARS PAST AMERKS IN OVERTIME
Clague scores twice, Helenius records two assists in heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Hershey
Nov 22, 2024The Rochester Americans (8-5-3-0) took a one-goal lead into the final minute of regulation only to see the back-to-back defending champion Hershey Bears (12-4-2-0) score with eight seconds remaining before prevailing in overtime in a heartbreaking 4-3 loss Friday at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
Friday’s matchup, the first of a four-game homestand for the Amerks, was the 467th all-time regular-season meeting between the American Hockey League’s two oldest teams.
Despite the overtime defeat, Rochester has earned at least one point in 10 of its last 12 games dating back to Oct. 23. Additionally, the Amerks have collected at least one point in eight of their last 16 games against Hershey overall, going 5-8-3-0 over that span dating back to the start of the 2016-17 campaign.
Defenseman Kale Clague (2+0), who appeared in his 200th AHL game, notched his first-two goal outing since Feb. 19, 2019, while rookie forward Konsta Helenius (0+2) recorded the first multi-point effort of his AHL career. Brett Murray (1+0), Mason Jobst (0+1), Viktor Neuchev (0+1) and Vsevolod Komarov (0+1) all chipped in one point each.
Goaltender Devon Levi (1-0-1) stopped 24 of the 28 shots he faced but suffered the overtime defeat. The second-year netminder has held the opposition to three or fewer goals in all but five of his 28 appearances with Rochester dating back to the 2023-24 season while boasting a 17-2-5 record in those games.
FIRST PERIOD
As the Amerks had a few chances to begin the scoring in the opening minutes of play, Hershey forced a turnover near center ice before taking a 1-0 lead 4:40 into the frame. After Alex Limoges gained possession and skated across the blueline, he gave a pass to Pierrick Dubé in the left circle. Dubé fired a shot on Levi and the rebound was buried by Limoges for his fourth of the season.
Later in the fast-paced period, Levi stopped a Hershey dump-in behind his net and left the puck for Clague. The defenseman sped out from the trapezoid and provided a feed for Helenius before continuing his path into the Bears zone. As Helenius carried the puck down the right wall, he flung a shot off the pads of Stevenson and Clague tucked in the rebound inside the near post to even the score at 1-1.
The game remained tied until the final minute of the opening frame as Rochester was whistled for a hooking infraction. With the man-advantage, former Amerk Chase Priskie and Spencer Smallman exchanged passes just inside the offensive zone before Priskie beat Levi on a long-range shot from the right point for his third of the campaign.
SECOND PERIOD
The second period saw the two teams trade several chances but both Levi and Stevenson stopped all 11 shots they faced over the 20 minutes.
The Amerks had the only power-play of the frame, which came with 1:47 left in the stanza.
THIRD PERIOD
Early in the final period of regulation, Rochester drew a pair of penalties in succession to gain a two-man advantage for 34 seconds. While the first of the two infractions expired, Neuchev played the puck from Murray to Helenius as he was in-between the face-off dots. The latter waited in the left circle before firing a shot that glanced off Murray’s skate and behind Stevenson to tie the score.
After the goal, the stalemate continued as neither team could solve each other’s goaltender for the go-ahead tally until Rochester snagged its first lead of the night 12 minutes after Murray’s fifth of the season.
Seconds after Murray tried to bang in his second of the frame, Komarov flung a shot towards the net from inside the right side of the zone. Jobst quickly redirected the attempt off the end boards for Clague to steer into the left post with 3:40 left in the contest.
The Amerks, who outshot the reigning champs 14-9 in the period, tried to close out the victory, but were called for interference with 27 seconds remaining. Hershey, which pulled Stevenson for an additional skater, tied the contest as Mike Sgarbossa centered a pass for Mike Vecchione with just eight seconds left to go.
OVERTIME
During the extra frame, both teams had multiple turnovers but were unable to generate a scoring chance until Sgarbossa banked an outlet pass to Vecchione off the boards in the neutral zone. Vecchione caught the feed in stride as he fought off a backcheck and flipped a shot over the glove of Levi to seal the 4-3 win for Hershey.
UP NEXT
The Amerks continue their four-game homestand as they welcome the intrastate rival Utica Comets to The Blue Cross Arena at 5:05 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23. The North Division showdown 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
Of Brett Murray’s 78 career goals with the Amerks, 32 have come on the man-advantage … Devon Levi notched the secondary assist on Kale Clague’s first-period goal, his second of his AHL career and first since Mar. 1, 2024. … Viktor Neuchev became the fourth Rochester skater to reach double digits in points this season (Isak Rosén, Zachary Metsa, Murray).
Goal Scorers
HER: A. Limoges (4), C. Priskie (3), M. Vecchione (3, 4 – OT GWG)
ROC: K. Clague (2, 3), B. Murray (5)
Goaltenders
HER: C. Stevenson – 23/26 (W)
ROC: D. Levi – 24/28 (OTL)
Shots
HER: 28
ROC: 26
Special Teams
HER: PP (2/3) | PK (3/4)
ROC: PP (1/4) | PK (1/3)
Three Stars:
1. HER - M. Vecchione
2. ROC - K. Clague
3. HER - C. Priskie