By CRAIG POTTER
Rochester squanders a 2-0 advantage and drops its second straight game to the Checkers.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The first period started out so well for the Rochester Americans, despite taking just 5 shots, they held a 2-0 lead over the Charlotte Checkers on Friday night before 3,021 fans at the Blue Cross Arena in the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.
However, things took a turn for the worst in the second stanza as the visitors from North Carolina chased starting goalie Linus Ullmark with 4 consecutive goals. Adam Wilcox came on in relief with 5:10 to play in the second period.
Amerks coach Chris Taylor was uncertain as to which goalie would start Saturday night against the Utica Comets at 7:05 pm at the BCA.
“We just didn’t play with confidence, we didn’t finish hits, we didn’t do anything very well tonight,” said Taylor. “It was just evident. We were lucky to be up 2-0 after the first. We just weren’t good enough.”
The Checkers added a tally off Wilcox in the third period though the Amerks showed some life, taking 12 shots in the period, but they were unable to beat goalie Alex Nedeljkovic again.
Sahir Gill forced a turnover in center ice and passed to Rochester forward Adam Krause, who raced down the right wing and beat the Checker netminder for a 1-0 lead nearly 8 minutes into the game.
“The goalie was down a little bit so I looked for the top corner and it worked out,” said Krause, who netted his first goal as an Amerk after spending three years in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. “It felt good…It’s important to get that first one out of the way.”
Gill also played with Krause in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the past three seasons so the pair are familiar with one another.
Defenseman Zach Redmond added a power play tally in the final two minutes of the stanza. That proved to be the last goal the hosts would score on the night.
Charlotte (4-1) outshot Rochester, 12-5, in the second period while outscoring the Amerks, 4-0.
“We were not good enough tonight,” Taylor said. “I understand it is a process but a loss like tonight is unacceptable. We have to put this one behind us.”
The Amerks (2-2) will face Utica (2-2) for the second time this season on Saturday at 7:05 pm.
“You don’t want to sit around for a long time after a tough loss,” Redmond said. “It helps having another game tomorrow and at home. We’re going to put it behind us as best we can and come out with a better effort tomorrow.”
*NOTES – Rochester Americans General Manager Randy Sexton announced on Thursday that the team has signed defenseman Stuart Percy to a Professional Tryout. Percy, 24, appeared in 37 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season, scoring one goal and adding seven assists for eight points. A former first-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2011, the Oakville, Ontario, native has also amassed 64 points (10+54) over parts of five seasons with the Toronto Marlies and has notched three assists in 12 career NHL appearances for the Maple Leafs. Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot-1, 193-pound blueliner played four seasons with Mississauga of the Ontario Hockey League, where he totaled 121 points (25+96) in 218 games…Friday’s game against the Checkers was the first-ever In Rochester…The Amerks close out the weekend homestand on Saturday at 7:05 pm against the Utica Comets…Justin Bailey score Buffalo’s first goal on his recall last weekend in the Sabres victory over the Ducks in Anaheim. It marked Buffalo’s first win of the young season. The Sabres also were home Friday night.
Links
Rochester Americans – amerks.com
Videos
Zach Redmond power play goal – https://youtu.be/VqNaSnGZakI