AMERKS FALL IN OVERTIME TO CRUNCH IN PLAYOFF OPENER
Weissbach, Passolt provide the scoring in 3-2 Game 1 loss to Syracuse
Apr 21, 2023After nearly half of the meetings during the regular season required overtime to determine a winner, it was only fitting that the playoff series opener between the Rochester Americans (0-1) and Syracuse Crunch (1-0) followed suit.
Despite the Amerks overcoming a pair of one-goal deficits in the second period, Philippe Myers’ goal 2:20 into overtime proved to be the difference as Rochester came up short in Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals Friday at Upstate Medical University Arena.
The contest was the 13th overall between the two teams after they met a dozen times in the regular season. Five of the last six matchups have been decided beyond regulation and all five have resulted in a 3-2 decision.
Forwards Linus Weissbach and Josh Passolt, who made his Amerks debut in last Sunday’s regular season finale, both scored during the second period for their first professional postseason goals. Rookie Tyson Kozak, Michael Mersch and Jeremy Davies all recorded an assist in the defeat.
Goaltender Malcolm Subban, who finished the regular season with a career-high 20 wins, made 37 saves in his first postseason appearance since May 27, 2017 and 12th overall.
Cole Koepke notched a pair of assists for Syracuse while Declan Carlile and Felix Robert each scored in regulation. Myers capped the scoring 2:20 in overtime while netminder Max Lagace made 21 of the 23 shots he faced to earn his first win of the postseason.
With the score tied at two at the end of regulation, the contest required a sudden-death overtime period.
Early in the extra frame, Myers kept the puck inside the offensive zone. After stepping around an Amerks forward, the blueliner shifted toward the slot and unleashed a shot through a crowd and past Subban to give the Crunch a 3-2 win.
Following a scoreless opening period of play, they each scored a pair of goals in the middle frame with both Crunch goals coming on the power-play.
The Crunch opened the scoring 19 seconds into a Rochester tripping infraction on Carlile’s one-time feed from Koepke at the 4:12 mark.
Rochester responded less than four minutes later as Isak Rosen pressured a Crunch defenseman into a turnover in the Syracuse zone.
Weissbach followed Rosen and chipped the puck to Kozak, who swatted it around a Syracuse player before giving chase. The young rookie, who missed the final six games of the regular season, won the race to the puck and in one swift motion, spun a no-look back-door feed for Weissbach to tap-in at the 8:54 mark.
Six minutes later, Rochester was whistled for a high-sticking infraction, and again, the Crunch capitalized on the ensuing man-advantage.
During the power-play, Robert gathered Balcers’ pass at the bottom of the right circle before making a play towards the net. As he turned facing the net, he wired a shot over Subban’s shoulder with 3:30 to play in the frame.
To close out the scoring, Mersch had the puck along the near boards before dishing a pass through the neutral zone to Davies. The defenseman carried the puck across the blueline and fired a low shot from the right of Lagace before Passolt buried the rebound to even the score.
Following a scoreless final 20 minutes of regulation, Syracuse controlled the play in the overtime period as Myers sealed the 3-2 win.
The Amerks look to even up the best-of-five series in Game 2 on Saturday, April 22 at Upstate Medical University Arena. Game time is slated for a 7:00 p.m. start and will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
Storyline Stripes
Tyson Kozak, Josh Passolt, Isak Rosen, and Kohen Olischefski all made their AHL postseason debuts during tonight’s contest … Passolt led all Amerks with four shots on goal … With his secondary assist on Kozak’s second-period goal, it marked Michael Mersch’s first point in the postseason in nearly five years to the day (Apr. 22, 2018).
Goal Scorers
ROC: L. Weissbach (1), J. Passolt (1)
SYR: D. Carlile (1), F. Robert (1), P. Myers (1)
Goaltenders
ROC: M. Subban – 37/40 (L)
SYR: M. Lagace – 21/23 (W)
Shots
ROC: 23
SYR: 40
Special Teams
ROC: PP (0/3) | PK (2/4)
SYR: PP (2/4) | PK (3/3)
Three Stars
1. SYR - P. Myers
2. SYR - D. Carlile
3. SYR - F. Robert