Amerks Hope to Make it Two
(Photo: Melissa Kania)
After defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs last night in a shootout victory, the Rochester Americans hope to defeat the Bulldogs tonight in the second half of the home-and-home series.
A victory tonight would be the Americans’ third consecutive win, going back to last Saturday’s 6-2 victory over the Adirondack Phantoms in Glens Falls. Rochester has now won five of its last six games, with the sole loss coming to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins on October 26.
HOW IT BREAKS DOWN
• Rochester: 6-2-1-0; 13 points, good for third in the division and fifth in the conference. The Amerks’ 36 goals-for is tied for first in the league with Charlotte, and the team’s 31 goals-against is tied for most in the league with Grand Rapids. The team is on a two-game winning streak and after tonight’s game is off until Friday, when they host Adirondack.
• Hamilton: 3-2-1-1; eight points, putting them at fourth in the division and ninth in the conference. The Bulldogs have scored 17 goals this season, the lowest of any team in the North Division. The team’s 21 goals-against is seventh least in the league. Prior to last night’s shootout loss to Rochester, the Bulldogs defeated Abbotsford to end a three-game losing streak.
• Tonight’s matchup is the third this season so far between the two teams, who have just 134 miles of the I-90 separating them. Rochester has won both of the games, including a 3-1 victory over the Bulldogs at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, and last night’s shootout win.
• After tonight, the Bulldogs and Americans will face each other on November 14, December 31, January 11, January 21, February 18, February 22, March 30, April 20 and 21.
• So far this season in games between the teams, three different players have a goal for Hamilton (Bournival, Gallagher, Boyce). Bournival leads Hamilton with two points (1-1) in the season series. Meanwhile, five players have a goal for Rochester (Finley, Hodgson, Brennan, Girgensons and Porter). Hodgson leads the Americans with two points (1-1) in the season series.
• Rochester Americans goaltender David Leggio has played in both games, while Peter Delmas tended net for Hamilton in the game in Buffalo with Robert Mayer taking the lead last night.
LEADERS
• Hamilton: Right-winger Aaron Palushaj leads the team in goals (3) and is tied for the team lead with four points. Brendan Gallagher and Blake Geoffrion also have four points. Six players on the team have three assists: Blunden, Bournival, Bryce, Holand, Nash and Quailer). Defenseman Frederic St-Denis is a plus-6 to lead the Bulldogs.
• Rochester: Left-winger Marcus Foligno, defenseman T.J. Brennan and center Cody Hodgson are all tied for the team lead with 10 points in nine games. Foligno’s five goals is best on the team, while Hodgson’s nine assists lead in that category. Center Rick Schofield, in his first year with Rochester after joining the team from Syracuse, and AHL rookie Frederick Roy, lead the team with plus-3 ratings.
Tonight’s game begins at 7 p.m. and will be televised on Sportsnet ONE across Canada. Fans can also watch online through AHL Live or listen through various radio broadcasts – simply go to amerks.com or hamiltonbulldogs.com for more information.