Amerks Blow Late Lead, Lost 9th Straight

Jeremy Williams scored just 1:20 into overtime to lift the Toronto Marlies over the Rochester Americans tonight at The Blue Cross Arena. With the loss, Rochester has dropped its ninth straight and 25 of its last 27 games. The Amerks now fall to 0-6-0 against Toronto and 12-31-3-4 this season. Toronto was led offensively by Alex Foster with a goal and an assist. Goaltender Justin Pogge made 27 saves in net for the division-leading Marlies. Marek Zagrapan and Mark Mancari provided the scoring for the Amerks as first-year netminder Tyler Plante registered 23 saves. After a scoreless first period, Toronto nearly made it a 1-0 game as Bates Battaglia was awarded a penalty shot after being pulled down from behind by Amerks defenseman Peter Aston. Battaglia faked right and went stick side, only to be met by the outstretched right pad of the Plante. Plante could not keep the Marlies off the board for much longer as Foster put one passed him at the 12:58 mark of the second to break the scoreless contest. Robbie Earl got the loan assist on Foster’s ninth goal of the year. Rochester tied the game at the 2:34 of the final frame on a great give-and-go by Zagrapan and David Brine. Zagrapan slid a pass to Brine as the Amerks drove into Toronto’s zone. Brine beat the defender on the left side and was able to return the pass to Zagrapan, who deposited the puck over the right shoulder of Pogge to tie the game at one goal apiece. The Amerks gained their first lead of the night as Mancari found the back of the net for his 14th tally of the season. The third-year right wing crashed the goal and knocked the loose puck past a sprawled Pogge to give the Amerks a 2-1 lead. The lead was short lived as Chris Harrington netted the equalizer with 5:01 left in regulation. Foster got his second point of the night as he added the loan assist on Harrington’s goal. Williams extended Rochester’s winless streak as he secured the win for the Marlies just over a minute into the extra frame. Amerks defensemen Franklin MacDonald turned the puck over to Williams who broke in on Plante alone and popped the water bottle off the net with a high-rising wrist shot. The game-winning goal was Williams’ 12th of the season. Rochester will complete the home-and-home series the following day as it heads north of border for a 4:00 p.m. matinee with Toronto at Ricoh Coliseum.