By CRAIG POTTER
Rochester goalie John Muse notches his first shutout of the season with the 5-0 victory.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – .Rochester Americans goalie John Muse recorded his first shutout of the season on Saturday night with a 5-0 victory over the Utica Comets before 5,079 fans at the Blue Cross Arena.
Muse registered 33 saves in posting his third win against eight losses.
Rochester got on the scoreboard early with a power play goal by Cole Schneider, who scored his 23rd goal. He also has 36 assists to give him a team-high 59 points, 20 more than Nick Baptiste, who leads the team with 25 goals, and he has 14 assists.
Rookie Justin Danforth, who was released from his Amateur Tryout on April 3, then resigned on April 7, netted his first goal as a professional in the second period that gave the Amerks a 4-0 margin.
“We had to released Justin so he could go to school,” said Amerks coach Dan Lambert. He goes to school during the week and plays for us on the weekends.”
Justin Bailey intercepted a Comets passed just outside the Utica blue line, then broke in on goalie Michael Garteig and beat him for a 2-0 lead in the opening period.
Derek Grant scored a power play goal late in the stanza for a 3-0 advantage. He also added an assist in the game for his 16th point in the 19 games he has played for Rochester this season.
Rochester defenseman Brady Austin completed the scoring in the third period with a blast from the top of the left circle. It was his fourth goal of the season.
*NOTES – Tim Kennedy and Patrick Mullen each picked up 2 assists in the game for Rochester…Defenseman Casey Nelson’s goal 26 seconds into Friday’s game against the Hershey Bears was the fastest goal scored by an Amerk to start the game this season…Two other rookies made their AHL debuts, forward Troy Crema and defenseman Anthony Florentino…Goalie Linus Ullmark currently is with the Buffalo Sabres as they conclude their NHL season on Sunday with a game in Florida against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, the Toronto Maple Leafs clinched the final wild card berth in the Eastern Conference on Saturday with a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Toronto.
Links
Rochester Americans – amerks.com
Videos
Cole Schneider pp goal – https://youtu.be/EdBpem3D0PQ
Derek Grant pp goal – https://youtu.be/iyK-n1K6h_w
John Muse save – https://youtu.be/IudhwbqpfOM
Final minute of play – https://youtu.be/TTAdhBfkbIc
John Muse interview – https://youtu.be/dU6d2Ti_p3o
Cole Schneider interview – https://youtu.be/R73LWoCNYzg
Justin Danforth interview – https://youtu.be/-MMrRw5IrIU
Dan Lambert interview – https://youtu.be/H8Lb7GYm9s0