By CRAIG POTTER
Justin Danforth and Daniel Muzito-Bagenda each score a goal and assist in the 4-2 win over the Rocket.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Justin Danforth scored his first AHL goal of the season on Sunday afternoon in helping the Rochester Amerians to a 4-2 victory over the Laval Rocket in a North Division matchup before 4,262 fans at the Blue Cross Arena.
Danforth was recalled from Cincinnati of the ECHL on Feb. 12, where he scored 22 goals and added 22 assists for 44 points in 38 games with the Cyclones.
“It feels great to get the first out of the way,” Danforth said. “It took me a little while, but it feels nice.
“It’s a different game up here so I have to learn from the veteran guys and my linemates…I’m starting to get comfortable and starting to play my game now.”
The rookie recorded his first-career AHL multi-point effort with a goal and assist, as Muzito-Bagenda registered his first two-point outing of the campaign as well.
Danforth, Muzito-Bagenda, and Dalton Smith accounted for half the goals.
“They played well today,” said Amerks coach Chris Taylor. “They’ve been playing well the last few games. They’ve been creating a lot of scoring chances and it’s good to see that they got rewarded with some goals.”
“Tonight was a fun night,” said Muzito-Bagenda. “Our line worked hard, got pucks deep and that’s when we have our most success.
Zach Redmond and Kevin Porter rounded out scoring for Rochester, as the Amerks have earned 5 of their last 6 points.
Goaltender Adam Wilcox made 21 saves to record back-to-back wins in his last two outings while improving to 10-4-6 in 22 appearances on the season.
The Amerks (29-15-9-6) earned back-to-back wins since the first weekend in January. Rochester also has won 3 of its last 4 games.
*NOTES – The Buffalo Sabres recalled Amerks forward Kyle Criscuolo and defenseman Brendan Guhle on Sunday less than an hour before the Amerks and Laval squared off. Criscuolo (25, 5-9, 172 lbs.) joins the Sabres for his second career recall after appearing in eight games with the team earlier this season. He currently leads all Rochester skaters with 15 goals and is tied for second on the team with 34 points, including 10 points (3+7) in his last 10 games. Also making his second recall of the season is Guhle (20, 6-2, 196 lbs.), who recorded his first NHL point with an assist during a two-game stint with Buffalo in January. In his first full professional season, the Edmonton, Alberta native has 24 points (8+16) in 47 games with the Amerks. Buffalo’s second-round pick (51st overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft, Guhle now has 30 points (10+20) in 59 career AHL games and one assist in five NHL contests…With the victory, the Amerks, who have earned at least one point in 18 of their last 24 games since Jan. 1, have a 21-point lead on the fifth-place Rocket in the AHL’s North Division standings…The next two weekends the Amerks will play 3-in-3, starting Friday, Mar. 9 when they play host to the Providence Bruins.
Links
Rochester Americans – amerks.com
Videos
Justin Danforth breakaway – https://youtu.be/ivLi0P3jiOs
Zach Redmond pp goal – https://youtu.be/fEzVLsPM5-o
Kevin Porter empty net goal – https://youtu.be/IRGAKq3VB-8
Adam Wilcox save – https://youtu.be/1QC8JgpLj5A