AMERKS TAKE DOWN COMETS IN HOMESTAND FINALE
Davies scores twice, Amerks extend home point streak in 4-1 win over Utica
Mar 24, 2024Defenseman Jeremy Davies (2+0) opened the scoring in the second period and then sealed the 4-1 win for the Rochester Americans (31-22-6-2) with his second of the contest on Sunday afternoon in the weekend finale against the Utica Comets (27-25-4-5) at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
With the victory, the Amerks have earned at least one point in 20 of their last 28 games dating back to Jan. 17, which includes a 5-0-0-1 over their last six contests at home. Rochester improved to 7-3-1-0 through the first 11 games of the season-series with the win.
In addition to Davies (2+0) scoring twice, Isak Rosén (1+1), Brett Murray (1+1), and Jiri Kulich all totaled two points each for the Amerks. Joseph Cecconi (0+1), Mason Jobst (0+1), and Michael Mersch (0+1) all registered an assist.
Goaltender Michael Houser (3-1-1) made his sixth appearance of the season for the Amerks and second straight. The Youngstown, Ohio, native stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced for the second consecutive game while also earning the victory, his first in the AHL since Oct. 28 which also came against Utica.
Brian Halonen scored in the second period from Joseph Gambardella and Justin Dowling for Utica, which played its third game in as many days. Goaltender Nico Daws (1-3-1) made 20 saves in his fifth game of the campaign.
After a scoreless opening period and registering just three shots, the Amerks emerged from the dressing room and drew a pair of power-plays in addition to scoring twice in the first seven minutes of the middle frame.
Minutes after being unable to capitalize on the first man-advantage, Damien Giroux played the puck down the right wall to Mersch. The Amerks team captain centered a pass for Cecconi, but the puck caromed around the boards to the left point. Davies corralled it and quickly snapped a shot that took a fortuitous bounce off the skate of Comets defenseman Michael Vukojevic and past an unsuspecting Daws for his ninth of the season to put Rochester ahead 1-0.
Nearly two minutes later, the Amerks forced the Comets into a tripping penalty at the 6:29 mark.
In the opening moments of the ensuing man-advantage, Kulich just missed on a redirection to Murray, but the latter returned a feed for his Czech teammate at the right circle. Kulich wired a shot from the dot, but it glanced off the end boards and Rosen’s skate before Murray tucked it inside the far post with 13:05 left in the frame.
To close out the period, Utica drew its own power-play and Halonen blasted a one-timer for his 16th of the slate to trim the deficit to 2-1.
In the final stanza, neither team could generate much offensively before Murray backhanded a pass through the center of the Amerks zone.
As Kulich carried the puck up the ice and reached the left face-off dot, he delivered a perfect pass for Rosén to hammer past Daws to double Rochester’s cushion to 3-1.
Following the goal, the Comets took a pair of penalties and pulled their netminder on the second infraction.
As the game was winding down, Jobst dug the puck out of the corner inside the Rochester zone and hit Davies with an outlet pass to seal the victory.
The Amerks hit the road for a pair of matchups beginning on Wednesday, Mar. 27 when they close out their season series against the Syracuse Crunch at Upstate Medical University Arena. The North Division showdown will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
Stars and Stripes:
The Amerks improved to 2-0-1-0 in their annual Bills Day game … The club has outscored its opponents (Bridgeport, Cleveland, and Utica) 15-9 during those three games while averaging 7,652 fans per game … Rochester, which has won each of the last four contests when they have scored on the man-advantage against the Comets, has gone 5-for-13 (38.5) in the last four games versus Utica overall ... The Amerks have points in six straight home contests, going 5-0-0-1 over that span.
Goal Scorers
UTC: B. Halonen (16)
ROC: J. Davies (9, 10), B. Murray (17 – GWG), I. Rosén (16)
Goaltenders
UTC: N. Daws – 20/23 (L)
ROC: M. Houser – 19/20 (W)
Shots
UTC: 20
ROC: 24
Special Teams
UTC: PP (1/3) | PK (2/4)
ROC: PP (2/4) | PK (2/3)
Three Stars:
1. ROC - M. Houser
2. ROC - B. Murray
3. ROC - I. Rosén