ROCHESTER, NY – For the second straight game, the Rochester Americans fell behind by two goals and were unable able to recover as the Amerks dropped a 4-3 decision to the visiting Adirondack Flames Monday night at The Blue Cross Arena. The loss extends Rochester’s winless streak to a season-high five games and moves the Amerks’ overall record to 6-7-0-0 heading into the final weekend of the team’s current five-game homestand. 
Luke Adam continued his hot offensive play with two goals, while Joel Armia added a short-handed goal and Phil Varone notched two assists. Nathan Lieuwen and Andrey Makarov split time between the pipes for the Amerks and the duo combined for 25 saves.
With two goals on the night, Adam now has three scores and four points in his past two games, moving him atop Rochester’s scoring leaders.
Bill Arnold scored his first two goals of the season for the Flames, including the eventual game-winner, while Emile Pourier and Garnet Hathaway finished with a goal apiece. Starting for Adirondack was Joni Ortio, who made 27 saves in net for the win.
The Flames got off to a quick start just 2:30 into the contest when Poirier connected on a pass from Mark Cundari from the right circle putting Adirondack up 1-0. Rochester wasted no time bouncing back, however, as Adam picked up a loose puck following Jake McCabe’s shot and slammed home his second goal in two games to knot the score at 1-1.
The Flames jumped out to another one-goal lead on Arnold’s power-play tally 9:45 into the opening period. Adirondack scored its third goal off a rush by Hathaway, who managed to sneak one through Lieuwen’s arm with 3:28 left in the first period, sending the visitors into the break ahead 3-1.
The Amerks shifted to Makarov to start the second period, but Arnold finished his second goal of the game just 13 seconds into the middle frame, putting Adirondack up by a three-goal cushion that would ultimately seal the win for the Flames.
Arnold and Corban Knight took penalties just 28 seconds apart midway through the second period, and with the 5-on-3 advantage the Amerks capitalized. After setting up possession in the Adirondack zone, Varone found Adam backdoor and delivered a hard pass across the crease that Adam snuck past Ortio for his second goal of the night, cutting the deficit in half.
Rochester pulled within a goal early in the final frame with a shorthanded tally from Armia 2:29 in. With the Amerks a man down following a too many men penalty, Varone forced a turnover at his own blueline before sliding a pass to Armia, who redirected the centering feed over Ortio’s right shoulder to make it a 4-3 game.
With 3:57 left in regulation, Hathaway got his stick up high on Chad Ruhwedel in the Rochester zone, paving way to a four-minute opportunity on the man-advantage to end the game. The Amerks pulled Makarov for the extra man with 1:46 remaining, but the Amerks could not convert on their chances as the Flames held on for their third straight win.
