Amerks Can't Stand Heat
By: Thad Brown
Updated: November 16, 2012
he
Rochester Americans' two-game win
streak came to an end Friday night as the Amerks dropped a 3-2 decision
to the Abbottsford Heat in front of 7,579 fans at The Blue Cross Arena.
The first-place Heat, who came into tonight's matchup with a league-leading 21 points, spoiled the home debut of rookie goaltender Connor Knapp as former Buffalo Sabres draft pick Paul Byron broke a 2-2 standstill with the eventual game-winner midway through the final frame. Knapp, who made just his second start of the season, turned aside 18 of Abbotsford's 21 shots.
The first-place Heat, who came into tonight's matchup with a league-leading 21 points, spoiled the home debut of rookie goaltender Connor Knapp as former Buffalo Sabres draft pick Paul Byron broke a 2-2 standstill with the eventual game-winner midway through the final frame. Knapp, who made just his second start of the season, turned aside 18 of Abbotsford's 21 shots.
The
power-play duo of Brayden McNabb and T.J. Brennan continued to pour in
points for the Amerks. McNabb lit the lamp
for the first time this season, while Brennan assisted on the goal to
extend his point streak to four games. Rookie forward Brian Flynn also
added an assist, improving his point streak to a career-long six games.
The Amerks jumped out to an early lead when Phil Varone scored top-shelf just four minutes into the opening frame. Defenseman
Mark Pysyk broke up the Abbottsford rush and set up Varone, who cut to the net and roofed it for a 1-0 lead.
The Heat pulled even early in the second stanza as Quintin Laing swatted home a loose puck past Knapp at 15:56 to make
it a 1-1 game. Laing deposited the tying goal off a centering pass from Ben Street.
Abbotsford
took its first lead of the night late in the second period when Sven
Baertschi jumped on Roman Horak's rebound
for the go-ahead goal at 13:36. After Knapp made the initial save on
Horak, Baertschi corralled the loose puck in the low slot and buried it
to give the Heat a 2-1 lead.
The
Amerks fought back to tie the game early in the third with a power-play
goal from McNabb. Brennan sent a cross-ice
pass to McNabb, who patiently moved into the high slot and wristed a
shot over Abbotsford goaltender Leland Irving's glove for the equalizer.
The Heat took a 3-2 lead midway through the third period when Brady Lamb ripped a shot from the point, but the rebound
would bounce right to Byron, who sent it to the back of the net from the top of the crease.
Rochester
wraps the weekend up on Saturday, Nov. 17 as it heads to the southern
tier to clash with the Binghamton Senators
at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. The 7:05 p.m. matchup will be
the second of eight meetings between the intrastate rivals.
