Marlies Nip Amerks Late... Again
By: Thad Brown
Updated: April 22, 2012
Jerry D'Amigo did it to the Amerks again.
D'Amigo's second goal of the game with 1:50 remaining proved to be the game-winner, lifting the Toronto Marlies to a 4-3 win and a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-five Western Conference Quarterfinals.
For the second straight game, a late goal by D'Amigo broke a 3-3 tie in a game that had the makings of an overtime thriller. Marcus Foligno scored a goal and added an assist for Rochester, while T.J. Brennan and Phil Varone each scored a goal for the second time in as many games. David Leggio turned in a 21-save effort in what was his 25th consecutive start between the pipes for the Amerks.
D'Amigo netted a pair of goals for the hometown Marlies, placing him atop the AHL in goals and points for the 2012 postseason. Matt Frattin provided a pair of assists and Ben Scrivens turned away 23 shots to earn his second win of the playoffs.
D'Amigo's second goal of the game with 1:50 remaining proved to be the game-winner, lifting the Toronto Marlies to a 4-3 win and a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-five Western Conference Quarterfinals.
For the second straight game, a late goal by D'Amigo broke a 3-3 tie in a game that had the makings of an overtime thriller. Marcus Foligno scored a goal and added an assist for Rochester, while T.J. Brennan and Phil Varone each scored a goal for the second time in as many games. David Leggio turned in a 21-save effort in what was his 25th consecutive start between the pipes for the Amerks.
D'Amigo netted a pair of goals for the hometown Marlies, placing him atop the AHL in goals and points for the 2012 postseason. Matt Frattin provided a pair of assists and Ben Scrivens turned away 23 shots to earn his second win of the playoffs.
Toronto
got off to a quick start, scoring less than two minutes into the game.
Marlies forward Juraj Mikus dumped the puck into the Amerks zone,
forcing
Leggio to go behind the net to play the puck. Philippe Dupuis was there
to challenge Leggio, and Dupuis came up with the loose puck and quickly
threw it to the front, where D'Amigo took the pass and deposited it into
the vacated net for his third goal of the
series.
The Marlies went up by a pair late in the chippy first period as Mike Zigomanis picked the top left corner from the high slot for a power-play tally at 18:13. After Jake Gardiner's initial bid was blocked by Varone, the puck found an unmarked Zigomanis at the top of left circle and the 11-year pro capitalized on the opportunity with a slap-shot over the glove of Leggio to make it a 2-0 game.
The Marlies went up by a pair late in the chippy first period as Mike Zigomanis picked the top left corner from the high slot for a power-play tally at 18:13. After Jake Gardiner's initial bid was blocked by Varone, the puck found an unmarked Zigomanis at the top of left circle and the 11-year pro capitalized on the opportunity with a slap-shot over the glove of Leggio to make it a 2-0 game.
Rochester's
first chance to get on the board in the second period came when Paul
Szczechura stripped a Toronto defenseman at the blue line and came in
all alone on Scrivens, but the Marlies' netminder was able to get his
right pad out to make the save.
Minutes
later, the Amerks cut their deficit in half when Foligno scored his
second goal of the series. Alex Biega got the puck at the point and
passed
it down to Foligno in the left corner. The rookie forward then circled
around the net and got it to Maxime Legault, who had his shot attempt
stopped by Scrivens, but Foligno was there to stuff in the rebound.
The
Amerks tied the game at two apiece with 5:25 remaining in the second
period when Varone scored his second of the playoffs. Just after their
power play
expired, the Amerks were still working the puck around the Toronto zone.
Brayden McNabb's shot was tipped by Foligno, and the puck bounced right
to Varone, who quickly chipped the puck over Scrivens to knot the game.
Toronto
regained a one-goal advantage late in the second period. Matt Frattin
made a steal at the Rochester blue line and quickly fired a slap shot on
net. Leggio stopped the initial offering, but Deschamps was there to
knock in the rebound at 18:22 of the period.
The
lead did not hold up long, as the Amerks struck just 3:21 into the
third period. Brennan picked up the puck along the blue line and skated
toward the
net before firing a wrist shot that bounced off of Scrivens and into the
net to tie the game at three. Brennan's second goal of the series was
unassisted.
A
keep-in along the blue line by Simon Gysbers led to the game-winning
goal with just 1:50 remaining in the third period. Gysbers passed it
down to the
left corner to Frattin, who quickly centered it to D'Amigo for a quick
shot the beat Leggio to the short side.
The series shifts back to Rochester for Game 3 at 7:05 p.m. on Monday night at The Blue Cross Arena.
