Compiled by Craig Potter
Today’s SportsROC Report includes stories on the Rochester Rattlers winning streak stopped, the Rochester Red Wings win in Syracuse, the Rochester Rhinos played to a scoreless tie on the road, and the Buffalo Sabres sign 2 players.
The Rochester Rattlers had their 5-game winning streak snapped by the Boston Cannons, 13-7, on Saturday evening at the Wegmans Sports Complex at Aquinas Institute.
The game was close for the first 6-and-a-half minutes, tied 3-3 before the Cannons scored 4 goals in a minute-10, while holding the Rattlers off the scoreboard for the next 42 minutes.
Jeremy Boltus finally broke the scoring drought with 12:19 to play in the fourth quarter. Rochester entered the game averaging 14.6 goals per game.
Rochester was led by Jordan Wolf, who finished with three goals. The Rattlers also got points from Boltus, who also registered an assist. Others who scored for Rochester included John Ranagan, Michael Lazore, and Ty Thompson, who scored one goal each. Other Rattlers who recorded 1 assist apiece were Joel White, Jesse King, and Kip Orban, who each chipped in one.
Rochester goalie John Galloway recorded 18 saves. Boston keeper Tyler Fiorito finished with 12 saves, many of the spectacular variety, in gaining the win.
Rochester (5-4) lost a chance to move into a first-place tie with the New York Lizards (6-3), who lost to the Chesepeake Bayhawks, 17-14, on Saturday night. Irondequoit native Joe Walters scored 2 goals and had 3 assists for Chesepeake (6-4).
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The Rochester Red Wings kept pace with first-place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a 6-3 victory over the Syracuse Chiefs on Saturday night in the Salt City.
Kennys Vargas smashed a solo homer in the second inning that tied the game 1-1.
Jorge Polanco belted a 2-out, 2-run homer in the top of the third to give the Red Wings a 3-1 advantage. However, the Chiefs answered right back in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs off starter Pat Dean to knot the count at 3-3.
Chili native and Aquinas graduate Chris Bostick scored the tying run for Syracuse as he drew a walk to get on base. Matt den Dekker ripped a 2-run single for the Chiefs that evened the count at 3-3.
The Wings retook the lead in the sixth when Polanco led off with a walk, advanced to second on Byung Ho Park’s single, and scampered home when Adam Brett Walker singled up the middle.
Rochester increased its advantage to 6-3 with a pair of runs in the eighth. John Ryan Murphy stroked a bases-loaded single to plate Vargas and Park, who both reached via singles.
INF Byung-ho Park was optioned to Rochester by the Minnesota Twins, and to make room for him on the roster INF Stephen Wickens was released
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Goals continue to be difficult to come by when the New York Red Bulls 2 and Rochester Rhinos square off as the two teams battled to a scoreless tie on Saturday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
The two teams also played to a 0-0 draw on April 17 at Red Bull Arena.
The Rhinos thought they had the game’s first score in the 56th minute off of a set piece chance. Kenardo Forbes, who had provided several strong free kicks and corners in the opening half, had another chance early in the second half to get his side on the score sheet. His free kick from the far left went untouched and into the back of the net, but officials ruled that an offside run affected the play in front of NYRB2 goalkeeper Ryan Meara, and thus the match remained scoreless.
The Red Bulls 2 continue to struggle offensively against the Rhinos. For the fourth time in five regular-season games over the past two seasons, New York’s offense was shut out.
The Rhinos return home to face FC Cincinnati on Wednesday, July 6, at 7:05 p.m.
New York, which is second in the Eastern Conference, moved to 9-1-5 (32 points) overall and extended its unbeaten streak to 9 games (6-0-3). Rochester is now 6-4-4 (22 points) and is 2-3-2 on the road.
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The Buffalo Sabres acquired goaltender Anders Nilsson on Saturday from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.
Nilsson (26, 6-foot-5, 229 lbs.) combined to play in 29 games during the 2015-16 season between the Blues and Edmonton Oilers, posting a 10-13-3 record with a .901 save percentage and a 3.12 goals-against average. In 52 career NHL games, Nilsson has posted a 19-22-4 record with a .900 save percentage and a 3.09 goals-against average.
The Lulea, Sweden native was selected by the New York Islanders in the third round (62nd overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft and has represented Sweden twice in international competitions, winning a bronze medal at both the 2014 IIHF World Championship and the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The Sabres also signed forward Derek Grant to a 1-year, 2-way contract.
Grant (26, 6-3, 202 lbs.) spent the 2015-16 season in the Calgary Flames’ organization, where he split his time between Calgary and the Stockton Heat (AHL) and was selected to play in the AHL All-Star Challenge. The Abbotsford, British Columbia native ranked third among Heat players with 45 points (27+18) in 36 games and paced the club with 1.25 points per game.
In 40 career NHL games between the Flames and Ottawa Senators, Grant has recorded three assists and six penalty minutes. Drafted by the Senators in the fourth round (119th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Grant also posted 162 points (88+74) and 174 penalty minutes in 292 career AHL games.