Nick Baptiste scores the hat trick to lead Rochester to a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Marlies.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Nick Baptiste took over the American Hockey League leadership in goals (14) with a hat trick in pacing the Rochester Americans to a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday night at the Blue Cross Arena. The victory ended a 4-game losing skid for the Amerks.
Rochester’s last victory also came against the Marlies on Dec. 2 at the BCA.
Cole Schneider opened the scoring for the Amerks when he forced a turnover at center ice. He passed the puck over to Baptiste, who brought it into the zone, then sent it back to Schneider to start a give-and-go. Baptiste received the return pass on the right side in the slot and shot the puck into the Toronto net for a 1-0 Rochester lead 4:36 into the first period.
Linus Ullmark was spectacular in goal for the Amerks in the opening period as he stopped a short-handed breakaway, and made two great toe saves on Marlies’ shots.
Dan Catenacci gave Rochester a 2-0 lead 8 minutes into the second stanza.
The Marlies got on the scoreboard with a power play tally less than 3 minutes later.
However, Kyle Bonis scored as the Amerks regained their 2-goal lead.
But once again Toronto cut the deficit to one goal as they netted their second power play goal late in the period.
Baptiste tallied his second goal of the contest midway through the final session for a 4-2 advantage. He completed the hat trick in the final second of the game on a second shot at the empty net.
*NOTES — The Rochester Americans released defenseman Eric Baier from his Professional Tryout contract on Tuesday. The Amerks also announced that the team recalled forward Vaclav Karabacek from the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL. In a corresponding move, the Amerks released forward Brady Vail from his Professional Tryout. Since being re-assigned to Elmira on Nov. 25, the 20-year-old Karabacek has posted 11 points on 5 goals and 6 assists in nine games with the Jackals. A native of Prague, Czech Republic, the 6-foot-0, 195-pound forward was recently named the Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week for period ending Dec. 4 after producing six points (3+3) and a plus-five rating over a three-game span, including four points (2+2) in a 7-4 win over Kalamazoo on Dec. 2. Prior to turning pro, Karabacek played four seasons in the QMJHL, racking up 117 points (56+61) in 171 contests for the Gatineau Olympiques, Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Moncton Wildcats. Karabacek was the Buffalo Sabres’ second-round selection (49th overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft…The game was televised on the MSG Network, which will televise 5 Amerks games total this season…The video reviews worked against the Amerks twice in the game, once that disallowed a goal and one that allowed a Toronto score. The team felt the score should have been 4-1 Amerks after 2 periods, instead of the 3-2 count…Amerks starting goalie Linus Ullmark made 15 saves through two periods, following a collision with a teammate while making a save late in the session. John Muse took over in net for the third stanza for Rochester and stopped all 8 shots…In a rare case this season, the Amerks outshot the opposition, 34-25. Rochester had been outshot in 12 of the Amerks last 13 games…The Amerks went 0-for-4 on the power play as the Marlies were 2-for-4.