Rookie Lawrence Pilut picks up 3 assists as Scott Wedgewood records his first shutout as an Amerk.
By CRAIG POTTER
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — If one were to have heard the song, “Smoke gets in your eyes” Friday night, it would have been appropriate as smoke DID seep into the Blue Cross Arena during the second period of the Rochester Americans 4-0 victory over the Utica Comets.
The Rochester Fire Department was called but the game went on uninterrupted for the 3,457 fans in attendance. By the start of the third period, however, the smoke had dissipated.
Meanwhile, the Amerks ‘smoked’ the Comets as goalie Scott Wedgewood posted his first shut out as an Amerk by turning aside all 20 shots by Utica.
“I felt very comfortable tonight,” Wedgewood said. “Over the last couple of seasons, I have not been able to play much hockey, but the more and more games I play, the better I feel.”
The Comets had a total of 53 seconds of two 5-on-3 advantages but were unable to score.
“The guys did a fantastic job during that sequence,” said Wedgewood. “Utica ran two guys down low, which is tough on me, but our ‘D’ were aggressive and (Kyle) Criscuolo played tough on top and even blocked a shot. Him blocking the shot was a big sacrifice and it showed the type of teammate he is that he cares more about the team than his own health.”
Veteran defenseman Zach Redmond added, “It was a big boost for us tonight. The past five or six games we have struggled on the penalty kill. To kill those two penalties and hear the crowd, it got us going at that point of the game.”
Rochester successfully killed all 5 of its penalties.
“Our penalty kill was big tonight,” said Amerks head coach Chris Taylor. “It was a big difference tonight as we got in penalty trouble but our guys did a great job on it.”
Swedish rookie defenseman Lawrence Pilut returned to the lineup, following an injury, and picked up offensively where he left off as he assisted on the first 3 Rochester goals. That gives him 11 assists and 13 points in 7 games.
“I had a lot of luck tonight,” said Pilut. “Sometimes the puck bounces a certain way and it certainly seemed that way tonight.”
At this rate, it’s probably just a matter of time before he gets a callup from the Buffalo Sabres. Taylor was asked, ‘How long do you thing you’ll keep him?’ He just smiled his answer.
“There’s no doubt in my mind this is a temporary thing,” Redmond said of Pilut’s time with the Amerks. “He’s kind of the new-age NHL package and sure he’ll be wearing a Sabres jersey before too long.”
Redmond notched his 5th power play goal of the season in the first period, which turned out to be the game-winner. Redmond first rang a shot from the right point off the pipe, then got another chance from the left circle and beat Utica netminder Richard Bachman. Fellow Swedish rookie Victor Olfsson and Pilut drew assists on the play.
Team captain Kevin Porter scored in the second period. Danny O’Regan made it 3-0 in the third, and Alex Nylander completed the scoring when Comets defenseman Jesse Graham attempted to clear a rebound off Nylander’s shot, but put the puck into his own net as Nylander got credit for the goal.
*NOTES — The Amerks return to action Saturday night at 7:05 pm against the Laval Rocket as Rochester will be going for its 7th win in the Amerks last 8 games…Rochester (6-2-1-0) leads the North Division with 13 points. Cleveland (5-3-1-0) is 2 points behind. The Amerks first game against the Monsters is Wednesday, Nov. 11 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
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Rochester Americans defenseman Zach Redmond (22) scores on the power play, after hitting the pipe, against the Utica Comets on Friday night at the Blue Cross Arena before 3,457 fans. The Amerks won the game 4-0.
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