By CRAIG POTTER
The Binghamton Devils thwart Rochester’s chance to clinch a playoff berth.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Americans are struggling to clinch a berth in the upcoming Calder Cup playoffs as they lost their fourth straight game, and sixth in their last 7 contests, following a 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Binghamton Devils on Friday night before 5,046 fans at the Blue Cross Arena.
With a victory, the Amerks could have clinched a spot in the North Division as the Laval Rochet lost in overtime to the Charlotte Checkers, 3-2.
“I’d rather lose four straight now than April 15,” said defenseman Stuart Percy, who opened the scoring with a power play tally in the first period.
Defenseman Zach Redmond, who assisted on the Amerks second goal, added “there’s no concern” within the dressing room about the current losing streak. It marked the second time all season that the team lost 4 consecutive games, but the first time all 4 losses happened in regulation.
Rochester still can secure a playoff berth Saturday night at the BCA with a victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Following Percy’s goal, the Devils responded with two power play goals of their own to take the lead for good.
“Our first period, to me, was our worst in a long time,” said Amerks coach Chris Taylor.
Percy’s goal came midway through the opening stanza.
“We have been working on the power-play lately,” Percy said. “Regs (Danny O’Regan) found me with a great pass and I tried to make a good shot. I am not exactly sure what happened after I shot the puck because I am not a big-time goal-scorer, but lucky it went in.”
The Devils responded with two power play goals of their own to take the lead for good.
“We took some bad penalties, myself included,” said Redmond. “Those are the types of things that can cost a team in a game, especially in the playoffs, so we have to correct that while we can. We have confidence in the group to make the playoffs, so we need to be more consistent for a whole 60-minute game going forward.”
Taylor added, “It was not good on our part. When you take that many penalties as we did during the first, you are going to give up that many goals. It is unacceptable for our guys to take penalties this late in the season.”
The visitors made it 3-1 in the second period before Sahir Gill broke in on Binghamton goalie Eddie Lack and beat him high with a back-handed shot.
However, the Devils took advantage of another power play in the third period, this time a 5-on-3 advantage, and scored for a 4-2 margin.
“It’s unacceptable for our team,” Taylor said of the penalties. “It’s too late in the year to be telling guys they can’t take that many (5) penalties.”
Amerks goalie Adam Wilcox finished with 28 saves.
*NOTES –The Buffalo Sabres on Friday announced the team assigned forward Seth Griffith to the Amerks…Zach Redmond reached the 40-point mark for the first time his in career last weekend and added to it with his team-leading 28th assist tonight for his 41st point…Rookie forward C.J. Smith returned to the lineup last weekend after missing 12 games with an injury, and recorded his first hat trick of the season Sunday in Hartford. He leads the Amerks in points with 43 on his 26th assist tonight.
Links
Rochester Americans – amerks.com
Videos
Stuart Percy pp goal – https://youtu.be/eH5ZmD52nfQ
Adam Wilcox pk saves – https://youtu.be/JK_miOHS48g