Taylor Leier scores his first 2 goals of the season since his return to the lineup.
By CRAIG POTTER / C&C Worldwide Sports Director
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The special teams units performed well for the Rochester Americans, but a late goal by Utica propelled the Comets to a 4-3 as the teams head into their Christmas break Saturday night before a crowd of 4,134 at the Blue Cross Arena.
“It was a hard-fought game that easily could have gone either way,” said veteran Nathan Paetsch. “Utica has a real fast team and the few chances they had were when they were on the rush. Overall, it was a close game. Sometimes the late goal can make all the difference as it did tonight.”
Rochester forward Taylor Leier, who was playing in just his 6th game of the season due to an injury, scored his first 2 goals of the campaign. Leier’s first tally came on a power play 3:34 into the game.
Leier’s second was a shorthanded tally that knotted the game 3-3 6:44 into the third stanza.
Leier and Casey Mittelstadt raced down the length of the ice on a 2-on-1 odd-man rush while killing an interference penalty. As Leier approached the net, and after looking off Mittelstadt, he snapped a shot inside the top right corner.
“I was so tired,” he said. “I saw the “D” man gave me a sliver of room. I saw the goalie cheating a little bit so I went short-side.”
When asked as to what to attributed his personal success tonight, Leier added, “Just shooting the puck more. I also had good linemates in ‘Mittsy’ (Casey Mittelstadt) and C.J. (Smith), but I thought the whole team really stuck together tonight. Utica is a good team and whenever it is back-and-forth, whenever I had a chance to shoot, I wanted to make sure I took advantage of that.”
However, the Comets fired a shot that deflected into the net off Rochester goalie Andrew Hammond with 1:27 left in regulation for the game-winner.
“Utica is a team that if you give them the smallest of an inch, they take full advantage of it,” said Amerks head coach Chris Taylor. “It is disappointing not getting a point tonight because of the effort the team gave.”
Defenseman John Gilmour also netted a power play goal for Rochester in the second period to even the count at 2-2.
*NOTES — The Buffalo Sabres recalled forward Curtis Lazar from the Rochester Americans. In a corresponding move, Amerks General Manager Randy Sexton announced on Friday that the team recalled forward Pascal Aquin from the Cincinnati Cyclones. Lazar, 24, earned his third trip of the season to Buffalo having recorded 1 goal in 6 appearances with the Sabres while also notching 14 points (6+8) in 18 appearances with Rochester. Aquin, 22, earned his second recall of the season to Rochester as he 5 points with 1 goal and 4 assists with the Cyclones in addition to posting 3 points (1+2), including his first career AHL goal, in 10 games this season with the Amerks.