Amerks Start New Losing Streak In OT

The Rochester Americans suffered a 4-3 overtime loss to the Peoria Rivermen tonight at The Blue Cross Arena. With the loss, the Amerks fall to 12-26-2-2 and have now lost 17 of their last 19 contests. They are 2-16-1-0 in the rough stretch. Marek Zagrapan and Mark Mancari each had a goal and an assist. Kenndal McArdle also had a goal, while Tyler Plante made 33 saves between the pipes for the Amerks. Jeff Woywitka had the Rivermens OT winner, while Mike Glumac and Yan Stastny each chipped in with a goal and an assist each. Steve Wagner rounded out Peorias scoring, while Chris Beckford-Tseu made 21 saves. McArdle put the Amerks on the board at 2:07 of the first, shorthanded. McArdle and Dylan Hunter raced in on Beckford-Tseu on a 2-on-0. Hunter dished a last-second saucer pass to McArdle who slid a shot past the Peoria goalie for his fourth of the year. The Amerks second goal of the night came after Marc-Andre Gragnani crashed into Beckford-Tseu as he tried to tip in a Mark Mancari pass. Zagrapan follow up the play and poked the loose puck past the displaced goalie for his team-leading 14th of the season. The Rivermen nearly got on the board early in the second as Nicholas Drasenovic swung in front of the Amerks net with the puck and tried to slide a shot past Plante. The Amerks goalie sprawled, stopping the puck with his back leg. The Rivermen finally did find the back of the net at 1:53 of the second, when Glumac roofed a shot over the shoulder of Plante on the power play for his 11th of the season. Yan Stastny added Peorias second of the night at 6:34 of the second, his ninth of the year. Mancari swiped a rebound out of the air and into the back of the net at 8:21 of the third for his 11th of the year to put the Amerks back on top, 3-2. Wagner the evened the line at three apiece at 13:28 of the third. Woywitka scored his seventh of the year at 2:41 of overtime to give Peoria their 12th road win of the season. They are now 12-3-2-1 on the road this season. The Amerks hit the road for their next four starting in Michigan as they take on the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday, January 16th. The 7:00 p.m. contest will be broadcast live on Hot Talk 1280 WHTK, whtk.com and B2 Networks. Rochester returns home on Wednesday, January 23rd to host the Quad City Flames at The Blue Cross Arena. Faceoff is at 7:05pm.