Amerks 5, Manitoba 3

Rochester American, Mark Cullen’s four-point night sent the Amerks past the first place Manitoba Moose 5-3 and avoided a two-game sweep against the Monsters tonight at The Blue Cross Arena. With the win, the Amerks, who improve to (27-27-3-3) after losing to the team in a shoot-out Wednesday, have now picked up points in four of their last five games, while also winning two of their last three. In the fifth of eight scheduled match-ups between the two teams, the Monsters drop to (31-21-1-5) in the tight North Division, where only two points separate the top four teams.

Rochester’s Mark Cullen (2+2), who not only scored his first goal of the season and as an Amerk, but also put up four points on the board, which brought him to the 400-point milestone, led the way for the Amerks tonight, earning the top star in the contest.  Mike Kostka (1+2), who also had a multi-point game and Clay Wilson (1+1) were the second and third star, respectively. Cullen also skated on the ice during all three power-play goals, contributing in each, while Kostka and Wilson were also a factor on two of those shifts.

Netminder Tyler Plante, who earned his first shut-out of the season during regulation despite the loss earlier this week, posted 27 saves in the winning effort. He picked up his 11th win of the season in the victory.

Guillaume Desbiens (1+1), Bill Sweat (1+0) and Mark Flood (1+1), who kept the Monsters lurking throughout the game, scored the goals for visiting Manitoba tonight. Goaltender Eddie Lack also made 27 of 32 saves in his 14th loss of the season.

The Amerks got on the board first with less than two minutes remaining in the opening period on the man advantage. Manitoba goaltender Lack denied Koskta’s initial shot from the blueline, but center Cullen was able to tip it in on the rebound after a scramble in front of the net. The power-play tally is Cullen’s first goal of the season and as an Amerk. Wilson is also credited with an assist.

Manitoba knotted the score at one just 45 seconds into the second stanza. Desbiens put a rebound past Rochester netminder Plante for his seventh of the year, with help from Flood and Sergei Shirokov.

The Moose extended their lead by two with a tally by winger Sweatt, scoring his 14th of the year. A little more than five minutes into the period, Jordan Schroeder sent a pass to Sweatt who then managed to pop the puck over Plante’s left shoulder for the goal.

Rochester wouldn’t let Manitoba have the edge for long though, evening things out at 2-2 at 13:17 of the period. After P.J. Fenton sent a pass to Colby Robak from behind the net, an unattended Robak picked up the puck at the point. He then found the high slot and wound up for a shot, which just beat Lack low on the glove-side of the net. Just after the goal, Eric Selleck, who exchanged pleasantries with the Moose for the second time in tonight’s contest, also earned his first point on the night with an assist.

Then after a hooking penalty from the Moose’s Mario Bliznak, the Amerks used the power-play to their advantage to take the lead for the second time tonight. After Cullen and then Kostka both made the decision to give the puck to Wilson at the top of the point, Wilson sent the puck sailing between the circles and through traffic to the back of the net, for the 3-2 go-ahead. On the play, Wilson, Kostka and Cullen all earned their second point on the night.

The Amerks opened up a two goal advantage with their third power-play goal of the night just 1:31 into the final frame.  After some tic-tac-toe passing between Wilson, Cullen, and Chris Taylor, Kostka crept in from the right point to slam home a backdoor feed that came off the stick of Taylor.  The goal was Kostka’s third point of the game, and Cullen also picked up his third point with an assist.

Manitoba responded to pull within one less than 3 minutes later, capitalizing on a fortunate bounce. After Desbiens missed high and wide with a wrister from center point, the puck ricochet off the glass behind the Rochester net right to Flood at the top of the crease.  Flood quickly gloved it down and stuffed it between Plante’s five hole for his eighth of the season.

Rochester quickly regained the momentum at 7:57, when Cullen once again found the back of the net for the second time in the contest, lifting him to his 400th career point, to put the home squad on top 5-3.  After Keaton Ellerby’s long shot from the left point was turned away by Lack, Cullen was all alone at the right circle to deposit the rebound.  Hugh Jessiman also factored in on the play, picking up the second assist.

Rochester American, Mark Cullen’s four-point night sent the Amerks past the first place Manitoba Moose 5-3 and avoided a two-game sweep against the Monsters tonight at The Blue Cross Arena. With the win, the Amerks, who improve to (27-27-3-3) after losing to the team in a shoot-out Wednesday, have now picked up points in four of their last five games, while also winning two of their last three. In the fifth of eight scheduled match-ups between the two teams, the Monsters drop to (31-21-1-5) in the tight North Division, where only two points separate the top four teams.

Rochester’s Mark Cullen (2+2), who not only scored his first goal of the season and as an Amerk, but also put up four points on the board, which brought him to the 400-point milestone, led the way for the Amerks tonight, earning the top star in the contest.  Mike Kostka (1+2), who also had a multi-point game and Clay Wilson (1+1) were the second and third star, respectively. Cullen also skated on the ice during all three power-play goals, contributing in each, while Kostka and Wilson were also a factor on two of those shifts.

Netminder Tyler Plante, who earned his first shut-out of the season during regulation despite the loss earlier this week, posted 27 saves in the winning effort. He picked up his 11th win of the season in the victory.

Guillaume Desbiens (1+1), Bill Sweat (1+0) and Mark Flood (1+1), who kept the Monsters lurking throughout the game, scored the goals for visiting Manitoba tonight. Goaltender Eddie Lack also made 27 of 32 saves in his 14th loss of the season.

The Amerks got on the board first with less than two minutes remaining in the opening period on the man advantage. Manitoba goaltender Lack denied Koskta’s initial shot from the blueline, but center Cullen was able to tip it in on the rebound after a scramble in front of the net. The power-play tally is Cullen’s first goal of the season and as an Amerk. Wilson is also credited with an assist.

Manitoba knotted the score at one just 45 seconds into the second stanza. Desbiens put a rebound past Rochester netminder Plante for his seventh of the year, with help from Flood and Sergei Shirokov.

The Moose extended their lead by two with a tally by winger Sweatt, scoring his 14th of the year. A little more than five minutes into the period, Jordan Schroeder sent a pass to Sweatt who then managed to pop the puck over Plante’s left shoulder for the goal.

Rochester wouldn’t let Manitoba have the edge for long though, evening things out at 2-2 at 13:17 of the period. After P.J. Fenton sent a pass to Colby Robak from behind the net, an unattended Robak picked up the puck at the point. He then found the high slot and wound up for a shot, which just beat Lack low on the glove-side of the net. Just after the goal, Eric Selleck, who exchanged pleasantries with the Moose for the second time in tonight’s contest, also earned his first point on the night with an assist.

Then after a hooking penalty from the Moose’s Mario Bliznak, the Amerks used the power-play to their advantage to take the lead for the second time tonight. After Cullen and then Kostka both made the decision to give the puck to Wilson at the top of the point, Wilson sent the puck sailing between the circles and through traffic to the back of the net, for the 3-2 go-ahead. On the play, Wilson, Kostka and Cullen all earned their second point on the night.

The Amerks opened up a two goal advantage with their third power-play goal of the night just 1:31 into the final frame.  After some tic-tac-toe passing between Wilson, Cullen, and Chris Taylor, Kostka crept in from the right point to slam home a backdoor feed that came off the stick of Taylor.  The goal was Kostka’s third point of the game, and Cullen also picked up his third point with an assist.

Manitoba responded to pull within one less than 3 minutes later, capitalizing on a fortunate bounce. After Desbiens missed high and wide with a wrister from center point, the puck ricochet off the glass behind the Rochester net right to Flood at the top of the crease.  Flood quickly gloved it down and stuffed it between Plante’s five hole for his eighth of the season.

Rochester quickly regained the momentum at 7:57, when Cullen once again found the back of the net for the second time in the contest, lifting him to his 400th career point, to put the home squad on top 5-3.  After Keaton Ellerby’s long shot from the left point was turned away by Lack, Cullen was all alone at the right circle to deposit the rebound.  Hugh Jessiman also factored in on the play, picking up the second assist.