Heat Can't Melt Amerks
By: Thad Brown
Updated: December 11, 2012
The
Rochester Americans cooled off
the Western Conference-leading Abbotsford Heat as the Amerks defeated
their North Division rivals with a 3-2 shootout win Tuesday night at The
Blue Cross Arena. The win was the Amerks' second in the past three
games, but only the third in their last eight.
David
Leggio made his return to the pipes after a two-game rest, turning away
29 saves in regulation to move within one
win of a 100 career victories. Leggio was perfect in the shootout,
stopping all six Heat shooters before T.J. Brennan netted the
game-winner in the sixth round. Frederick Roy
and Luke Adam also scored in regulation for the Amerks.
Brennan,
who shares the team lead in goals with nine, appeared to score in
overtime with a wrister that went top-shelf
past Abbotsford goaltender Barry Brust, but the goal was called off and
the teams played on through the scoreless extra session. Brust also
finished with 29 saves in the losing effort.
The
Amerks broke a scoreless tie with 12:13 remaining in the second period
when Roy converted a tic-tac-toe passing play
to give the Amerks a 1-0 lead. Marcus Foligno caused a Heat turnover in
the corner and quickly sent the puck to Maxime Legault, who one-timed a
pass to the top of the crease where Roy buried his second goal of the
season.
Less
than four minutes later the Heat responded as Dustin Sylvester raced
down the wing and fired a wrister over Leggio's
shoulder to tie the game at 1-1 with 8:33 remaining in the second
stanza. The unassisted tally was Sylvester's sixth goal of the season.
Rochester
regained the lead with 18 seconds remaining in the second period as
Adam deflected Mark Pysyk's shot from the
point just as the Amerk power-play expired. The go-ahead goal was Adam's
second in as many games, which also extends his current point streak to
three games.
Former Sabre Paul Byron scored 7:42 into the third period to knot the contest at two apiece. Byron finished off a 2-on-1
rush with Sylvester, who recorded his 12th point of the season and second of the night.
After a scoreless overtime, Brennan scored in the sixth round of the shootout to secure the win for Rochester.
Rochester makes its way to Quicken Loans Arena to take on the Lake Erie Monsters on Thursday, Dec. 13. The 7:05 p.m. matchup
will be the first of six meetings between the North Division rivals this season.
