Sprukts Leads Amerks Over Bruins

Veteran forward Janis Sprukts picked up his second consecutive four-point game (1+3) to lead the Rochester Americans to a 4-3 victory over the Providence Bruins tonight at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The game was the third of a three-game road trip for the Amerks who have now won six of their last eight to improve to 15-24-0-3. After allowing two quick goals from the Bruins, the Amerks would rally with a four-goal run and successfully deny any comeback hopes for the baby Bruins to record their 15th win of the season. Sprukts, who has collected eight points in the past two games, had a point on each Amerk-goal, while Mike Brodeur made 30 saves for his 12th win of the season in his second straight start. Drew Larman, Kenndal McArdle and Amerks captain Rory Fitzpatrick each contributed a goal and an assist as well. Wacey Rabbit (1+1) and Jeremy Reich (1+1) led the hometown Bruins with two-point nights as Kevin Nastiuk had 22 saves in the losing effort. Providence quickly jumped out a 2-0 lead as Jordan Knackstedt and Rabbit scored 30 seconds apart in the opening frame to jumpstart a five-goal first period. Rochester would respond just under a minute later on the power play as Fitzpatrick blasted home a shot from the point to give the Amerks their first of three straight goals in the first period and cut Providence’s lead to 2-1. McArdle and Sprukts tallied the assists on the play. Sprukts made it a 2-2 game with his team-leading 12th marker of the season midway through the frame with his only goal of the contest and McArdle found the back of the net in the final 10 seconds of the period on the power play to give Rochester a 3-2 lead heading into the first intermission. Rochester extended its lead to 4-2 just three minutes into the second stanza as Larman netted his fourth goal of the season which proved to be the game-winner. After a scoring drought for the duration of the period, the Bruins came out in the third with their rally caps on as Reich scored at the 6:55 mark to cut Rochester’s lead in half to make it a 4-3 game. Time would get the best of the Bruins as Rochester’s defense was able to stave off the comeback attempt to hand Providence its fourth loss in its last five games. Rochester returns home on Thursday, January 22nd to play host to the Syracuse Crunch in a midweek divisional battle at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:05 p.m. contest will be the sixth of 12 meetings between the longtime rivals.