By CRAIG POTTER
Mark Zengerle scores 2 goals for the Phantoms in the 4-2 win over Rochester.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It marked an exciting homecoming for former Gates Chili athlete Mark Zengerle as he was named the No. 1 Star of the Game as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms beat the Rochester Americans 4-2, on Wednesday night before 5,005 fans at the Blue Cross Arena.
Zengerle scored the Phantoms’ second and third goals as Lehigh Valley (21-8-1-0) tied Atlantic Division leader Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (21-5-3-0) in wins with 21. However, the Penguins lead the Phantoms by 2 points (45 to 43) in the standings, and have a game-in-hand.
Zengerle is in his first season with the Phantoms after he signed an AHL contract on July 5, 2016 with Lehigh Valley. He played the previous two seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins. He currently is fourth on LV in scoring with 20 points (8g + 12a).
“Very similar to what we had in Grand Rapids with a lot of depth,” Zengerle said of the Phantoms. “We’re doing really well as far as our record goes.
“It’s different than Grand Rapids, for sure, but we get treated really, really well.”
Zengerle did not come to Rochester for Christmas as his parents and brothers moved to Charleston, S.C., but he still has his grandfather and aunts and uncles in the area.
“I still have lots of people that I know here,” he said.
Fairport native Cole Bardreau is a Phantom teammate of Zengerle.
“We really did not know each other beforehand,” Zengerle said. “I knew of him.
“We’ve been looking forward to this trip for a while with both of us being from Rochester.”
The Amerks limited the Phantoms to eight shots in the opening period, but managed only three themselves.
“We played a strong defensive period as we held them to just eight shots in the first,” said Amerks head coach Dan Lambert. “They are an experienced hockey club and they showed it tonight as the game went on.”
Zengerle’s first tally came a second after a Phantoms’ power play ended in the second period.
Down 2-0 in the third, Justin Bailey continued on his hot streak as he netted his 13th goal of the season for the Amerks.
However, Zengerle netted his second goal of the night, which proved to be the game-winner, less than a minute later.
“That is what good teams do,” Lambert said, when asked about the Phantoms’ quick response. “We have to be at our best when we play a team like them and tonight we certainly did not do so.”
Cal O’Reilly took over the team lead in points with 29, one ahead of Cole Schneider, following his 6th goal of the campaign.
Amerks forward Jean Dupuy made his season debut after missing the first 30 games with an injury. Dupuy centered a line with Evan Rodrigues and rookie forward Eric Cornel.
“I was pleasantly surprised at how hard Jean played and how he competed after missing the first 30 games, but unfortunately he was one of the few that played hard, ” said Lambert.
The two team will face another again on Friday night at 7:05 pm at the BCA in the final home game of 2016. The Amerks close out the calendar year on Saturday evening in Utica against the Comets.
*NOTES — The Amerks signed defensemen Bobby Shea to a Professional Tryout contract. Shea, 26, began the season with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL, ranking third among team defensemen in scoring with 14 points (3+11) in 18 games. A native of Harrison Township, Mich., Shea posted career-highs in every offensive category last season, including goals (5), assists (24) and points (29), in 64 regular-season appearances with the South Carolina Stingrays. He also added eight points (1+7) in the postseason while helping the Stingrays to the Eastern Conference Finals. Shea makes his fourth stop in the American Hockey League, having compiled 13 points (4+9) in 56 games, including three last season with the Hershey Bears. Prior to turning pro, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound blueliner completed a four-year collegiate career at Bowling Green State University (CCHA), where he amassed 36 points (9+27) in 139 career games for the Falcons. During his senior campaign, he led all Falcons defensemen with 16 assists and 20 points and was named to the CCHA All-Conference Second All-Star Team…The Amerks released forward Mike Aviani from his Professional Tryout on Tuesday…Two local men play for the Phantoms this season – Mark Zengerle, 27, (Gates Chili) and Cole Bardreau, 23, (Fairport)…Former Amerks defenseman T.J. Brennan picked up 2 assists for Lehigh Valley.
Links
Rochester Americans – amerks.com
Videos
Mark Zengerle 1st goal – https://youtu.be/8GJ-m2BuAKA
Justin Bailey goal – https://youtu.be/hmm-4JL0Yes
Mark Zengerle interview – https://youtu.be/8opXKOqLrdA
Cal O’Reilly interview – https://youtu.be/_sewTk_OSzE
Coach Dan Lambert interview – https://youtu.be/Fy9P7f6MEGo