AMERKS GET BACK IN WIN COLUMN WITH 7-4 ROUT OF LAVAL
Murray among six Amerks to record multi-point nights, Novikov scores first AHL goal
Jan 27, 2024The Rochester Americans (20-14-3-1) erupted for a season-high four goals in the first period and never looked back on their way to a decisive 7-4 win over the Laval Rocket (18-16-4-2) Saturday at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
With the win, Rochester has posted a near-perfect 14-3-0-0 mark at The Blue Cross Arena versus Laval all-time, including all four meetings this season. Additionally, the victory was the Amerks 20th of the season, 19 of which have come by scoring three or more goals.
Forwards Tyson Jost (0+3), Brett Murray (2+2) and Viktor Neuchev (1+2) combined for 10 points Rochester, which has won four of its last five games and collected points in eight of its last 10, going 7-2-1-0 over that span.
Along with Jost, Murray and Neuchev all tally multi-point games, Linus Weissbach (1+1), Mason Jobst (0+2) and Nikita Novikov (1+1) also turned in multi-point efforts for the Amerks, who have scored seven goals in each of their last two home wins. Forwards Justin Richards and Michael Mersch both scored their fifth and sixth goals of the season, respectively, while defensemen Zach Metsa and Kale Clague chipped in an assist.
Goaltender Eric Comrie (3-1-0) made his fourth appearance with Rochester, turning aside 31 of the 35 shots he faced. The Edmonton, Alberta, native has made 30 or more saves in each of his four starts this season and five of his seven games with Rochester dating back to the 2022-23 campaign.
Emil Heineman (2+0), Tobie Bisson (0+2) and Brandon Gignac (0+2) all registered two points for Laval, which entered the contest 8-1-1-0 in its last 10 contests. Former Amerk Filip Cederqvist and Jan Myšák both found the back of the net for the Rocket.
Kasimir Kaskisuo (4-0-0) and Strauss Mann (2-9-2) split the goaltending duties with Kaskisuo earning the start in his fifth appearance. Kaskisuo made six saves in 15 minutes before being replaced by Mann, who stopped 21 of the 24 shots he faced over the final 45 minutes of regulation.
After the Rocket evened the score at one, Rochester took a 4-1 lead into the locker room as they erupted for three goals in a span of 7:07.
To kick-off the scoring frenzy, Neuchev dumped the puck down the right wall in the offensive zone. Murray moved it to Jost before the latter spotted Novikov at the back door for the tap-in past Kaskisuo.
Less than two minutes later, Richards won a face-off to right of the Laval net before he darted in-front of the crease. After retrieving Brendan Warren’s pass, Metsa gave the puck to Novikov at the left point. The Russian blueliner fired a shot towards the cage, and despite his stick being tied up, Richards tucked the puck into the net for his fifth of the year.
The Amerks concluded the first period much like they started it as Neuchev intercepted a pass from below the goal-line. Immediately after gaining possession of the puck, the first-year forward centered it for Murray to wire into the back of the net to pad Rochester’s lead to 4-1.
The teams traded goals from Heineman and Neuchev to begin the second period before Cederqvist, who made his return to Rochester since being traded to Montreal earlier this month, trimmed the deficit to 5-3 going into the final 20 minutes of regulation.
Carrying a two-goal lead to start the third period, Rochester added a pair of tallies to build a four-goal lead at the 8:19 mark on Weissbach and Murray’s goals.
On the ensuing shift following Murray’s second marker of the night, the Amerks drew a slashing infraction, however, the Rocket capitalized despite being a man down, their league-leading shorthanded goal this season.
Laval continued its push to mount a comeback following Myšák’s ninth of the season from Gignac, but the Amerks clamped down to earn the 7-4 victory.
Rochester kicked off the scoring early in the contest as Weissbach sent Jobst and Mersch on an odd-man rush less than 3:30 into the opening frame before the Amerks’ captain blasted a one-time feed.
While Heineman countered the Mersch goal with his own marker, the home squad erupted to take a 4-1 cushion into the intermission break.
The teams combined for six goals during the final 40 minutes of play as well as 47 shots, but Rochester recorded the 7-4 win.
The Amerks conclude their four-game homestand as well as the month of January on Wednesday, Jan. 31 when they host the Syracuse Crunch at 7:05 p.m. All the action from The Blue Cross Arena will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
Stars and Stripes:
Of the Amerks 10 rookies this season, six have scored at least one goal while eight have notched their first point in the American Hockey League … Mason Jobst (4+5) and Kale Clague (1+6) have recorded nine and seven points in six and five games against Laval this season, respectively … Rochester’s four goals in the opening 20 minutes marked a season-high for goals in a period this season.
Goal Scorers
LAV: E. Heineman (6, 7), F. Cederqvist (2), J. Myšák (9)
ROC: M. Mersch (6), N. Novikov (1), J. Richards (5), B. Murray (6, 7), V. Neuchev (6 – GWG), L. Weissbach (9)
Goaltenders
LAV: K. Kaskisuo – 6/10 (ND) | S. Mann – 21/24 (L)
ROC: E. Comrie – 31/35 (L)
Shots
LAV: 35
ROC: 34
Special Teams
LAV: PP (0/2) | PK (2/2)
ROC: PP (0/2) | PK (2/2)
Three Stars:
1. ROC - B. Murray
2. ROC - V. Neuchev
3. ROC - N. Novikov