Andrew Hammond makes 30 saves in Rochester’s 4-0 win over Toronto.
By CRAIG POTTER / C&C Worldwide Sports Director
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Andrew Hammond posted his third shutout in his last 7 starts and Pascal Aquin notched his first AHL goal in leading the Rochester Americans to a 4-0 victory over the North Division leading Toronto Marlies on Wednesday night before a paid crowd of 2,872 fans at the Blue Cross Arena.
Hammond, playing in his 200th professional game, also recorded an assist as he made 20 saves in blanking the Marlies.
“I don’t want to sound cliché, but I think it’s the way we have played lately,” said Hammond. “My approach lately is just making the key saves over the course of the game and my other routines have not changed.
“Tonight was a total team shutout. The guys played great in front of me. “They did not give up much, but even when they did, I wanted to be there for them.”
The victory enabled the Amerks (14-3-2-2, 32 points) to pull within 1 point of Toronto (15-4-3-2, 33 points) for the North Division lead. Rochester also has 1 game in hand on the Marlies.
“Everyone played really well tonight,” said Amerks head coach Chris Taylor. “It’s obviously a team win, but I thought Hammond made some big saves whenever he needed to. We were a little sloppy in the second and third period as we allowed some chances that we normally do not give up, but Hammond came up big for us.”
The Amerks jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage they scored scored on a power play just 61 seconds into the contest. Defenseman Zack Redmond fired home the shot with assists going to Lawrence Pilut and Hammond.
Rookie Pascal Aquin tallied his first AHL goal 2:14 later off assists from Casey Fitzgerald and John Gilmour.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Aquin when talking about his goal. “It was great to get it (the goal) early in the game on the first shift. We were having a good shift in the offensive zone and I saw the puck and I just tried to bury it into the net.”
Midway through the second period, Brett Murray thought he had a goal on a shot towards the vacated Toronto net, but goalie Joseph Woll dove to his left and made the incredible save.
Rochester did go up 3-0 about 3 mintues later when Curtis Lazar scored with an assist going to Jean-Sebastien Dea.
The Amerks concluded the scoring in the third period off a turnover in the Marlies end. Casey Fitzgerald scored as Brady Vail and Lazar received assists. Normally a defenseman, Fitzgerald has been playing forward for a fourth consecutive game due to a shortage of forwards.
“I just try to do whatever I can do to help the team win,” said Fitzgerald. “I’m new to the position and I just try to give it everything I have whenever I get on the ice.
“Tonight I got rewarded with a goal and an assist, but much of the credit goes to my linemates (Aquin and Vail) as they were working hard to set me up, but it does feel good to contribute offensively.”
The Amerks continue their four-game homestand on Friday, Dec. 6 when they play host to the defending Calder Cup champion Charlotte Checkers at 7:05 pm at the Blue Cross Arena in the first of back-to-back meetings. The two teams will square off again Saturday night in Rochester to conclude the 2-game set.
*NOTES — In his last 7 starts, Andrew Hammond has posted 5 wins, 3 shutouts, a 1.32 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage…The Marlies suddered their first shutout since Feb. 22 of last season..Amerks General Manager Randy Sexton announced on Tuesday that the team reassigned forward Shaw Boomhower to the Cincinnati Cyclones…The Cincinnati Cyclones, in conjunction with the ECHL, announced that goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been named the recipient of the Warrior Hockey / ECHL Goaltender of the Month for November. The rookie sensation posted a record of 6-2-1-0 along with a 1.88 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.