Amerks Find Hershey Not So Sweet

Jacob Micflikier earned his first three points of the season, but that wasn’t enough as the Rochester Americans dropped an 8-3 decision to the Hershey Bears tonight at the Giant Center in a battle of the two oldest teams in the American Hockey League. The loss was Rochester’s second in as many nights and the seventh in its last eight games. Micflikier led the Amerks with a three-point night (1+2) to garner his first points as an Amerk. Rookie left wing Michael Duco also picked two points (1+1) to go along with a pair of fights for the Amerks. Second-year netminder Tyler Plante made a season-high 42 saves as Hershey outshot Rochester 50-16, the biggest margin for the Amerks this season. The Bears were led offensively by Chris Bourque (1+3), Quintin Laing (2+0) and Karl Alzner (1+1) to earn first, second and third star honors, respectively. Keith Aucoin (0+2) and Oskar Osala (2+0) also chipped in with two points. Daren Machesney earned 13 saves in the win for the hometown Bears. Bourque, the son of a longtime NHL defenseman Ray Bourque, gave the Bears a 1-0 lead on a penalty shot opportunity just 1:27 into the opening frame. Rochester tied the game at 1-1 as Duco found the back of the net with just 37 seconds left in the first period for his second goal of the season. Micflikier collected his first point as an Amerk, and of the night coincidentally, with an assist on the play. Hershey took a 2-1 lead 3:41 into the second stanza with Alzner’s first of the season, but the Amerks quickly tied the game just over a minute later when Micflikier beat Machensey for his first goal as an Amerk. Duco and David Brine were each credited with assists on the play. The Bears exploded with four goals in four minutes with goals from Andrew Gordon, Laing (2) and Alexandre Giroux to give Hershey a 6-2 lead heading into the third period. Rochester would score the first goal of the third period on a Kenndal McArdle powerplay tally, but Hershey’s Osala would score back-to-back goals to give the Bears an 8-3 cushion and the win. Rochester returns home on Friday, October 31st for Halloween night matchup with the Toronto Marlies at The Blue Cross Arena. That 7:35pm faceoff will open a run of six straight home games for the Amerks.