AMERKS CLOSE OUT FEBRUARY WITH 5-2 LOSS TO CRUNCH
Rosen scores for the second straight game, Kulich records an assist in return to lineup
Feb 28, 2024The Rochester Americans (24-19-6-2) built a 2-0 lead early in the second period but allowed five straight goals in a 5-2 loss to the Syracuse Crunch (29-17-3-2) Wednesday night at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
Despite the loss to bring the month of February to a close, the Amerks have recorded at least one point in 12 of their last 17 games dating back to Jan. 17. Rochester finished the month with a 4-4-3-1 mark, which included a pair of overtime defeats to the Crunch as well as a regulation setback.
Forwards Isak Rosen and Michael Mersch scored their 13th and ninth goals of the season in the first and second periods, respectively, for Rochester. Jiri Kulich, who missed the previous five games, Brett Murray and Ethan Prow all tallied one assist each.
Goaltender Devon Levi (6-4-3) made his 11th start in the last 14th games since being reassigned to Rochester on Jan. 20, eight of which came in the month of February. The rookie netminder stopped 27 of the 31 shots he faced but suffered his fourth defeat of the campaign. Levi has faced 20 or more shots in each of his last nine appearances and 11 of his 13 appearances overall.
Alex Barré-Boulet (1+1) and Declan Carlile (0+2) both tallied a pair of points for Syracuse, which improved to 5-0-0-0 on the road against the Amerks this season and have points in all eight games opposite Rochester, going 6-0-1-1 in that span. Shawn Element, Gabriel Dumont, and Jack Finley capped off the scoring.
Netminder Matt Tomkins (10-9-1) made 19 saves to earn the win in his 21st appearance of the season. Tomkins has allowed two or fewer goals in six of his last eight contests dating back to Jan. 20.
Despite facing a 2-0 deficit, the Crunch did not panic as newcomer Barré-Boulet, who was reassigned to Syracuse late last week, gathered Goncalves’ pass from in-between the circles in the offensive zone. The franchise’s points and goals leader uncorked a shot to make it a one-score game at the 7:59 mark of the second period.
Syracuse continued its second period push as they drew a tripping penalty to gain its first power-play of the contest.
On the man-advantage, Carlile held the puck just inside the blueline after a face-off win in the offensive zone. The blueliner moved the puck to his right for Barré-Boulet inside the right circle. The latter patiently waited for Finley to screen Levi and fired a shot that eventually glanced off Finley and in-behind the netminder to tie the score at 2-2 with 4:53 left in the stanza.
During the final period, the Crunch, who had the first seven shots in the period, took their first lead of the night as Dumont steered in Chris Harpur’s centering feed from the left corner.
While Rochester gained its fifth power-play of the contest, the visitors made it a 4-2 score as Element sniped a shorthanded goal off an Amerks offensive zone turnover with 8:45 left in the third period.
The Crunch closed out the victory as Fortier scored into the empty net with just over 60 seconds remaining.
Midway through the first period as the Crunch attempted to exit their zone, Kulich stripped a skater of the puck. The Czech forward pushed the puck forward to Rosen, who raced in towards Tomkins all alone and faked on his forehand before tucking in a backhanded shot past the left pad to break the scoreless game at the 9:05 mark.
After the intermission break, Prow gathered a bank-pass from behind Levi and quickly provided an outlet feed for Mersch and Murray as the duo raced through the neutral zone. While Mersch carried the puck across the blueline, he steered in Murray’s return pass to double Rochester’s lead just 2:16 into the period.
Syracuse erupted for five unanswered goals in the final 32 minutes of regulation to earn the win.
The Amerks usher in the month of March north of the border on Friday, March 1 when they face the Belleville Senators in the first leg of a two-game set at CAA 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:
Thanks to Isak Rosen’s first-period goal, the Amerks have opened the scoring in nine of their last 11 games, which includes three games versus Syracuse … The goal was Rosen’s 13th of the season and first goal on home ice since Jan. 20 and just his second at Blue Cross Arena since being recalled to the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 25 … Including tonight’s second-period marker, Michael Mersch’s last four goals have come on home ice.
Goal Scorers
SYR: I. Rosen (13), M. Mersch (9)
ROC: A. Barré-Boulet (1), J. Finley (8), G. Dumont (11), S. Element (8), G. Fortier (6)
Goaltenders
SYR: M. Tomkins – 17/19 (W)
ROC: D. Levi – 27/31 (L)
Shots
SYR: 32
ROC: 19
Special Teams
SYR: PP (1/1) | PK (5/5)
ROC: PP (0/5) | PK (0/1)
Three Stars:
1. SYR - A. Barré-Boulet
2. SYR - G. Dumont
3. SYR - G. Fortier