ROCHESTER, NY – Phil Varone scored the game-winning goal with just 2:16 left in regulation on the power-play as the Rochester Americans downed the Adirondack Flames 3-2 Friday night at The Blue Cross Arena. With the win, the Amerks even the season series at 4-4 with their New York State rivals, who meet again tomorrow night in Glens Falls, and improve their overall record to 18-23-1-0.
The win is also the third in four games for the Amerks, who have one more game before shutting it down for the annual AHL All-Star Break. Varone will represent the Amerks at the upcoming 2015 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino, which will take place Jan. 25-26 in Utica, N.Y. 
Joel Armia added a goal and an assist for Rochester, while Zac Dalpe contributed his third goal in three games. Starting his third game of the season, Matt Hackett stopped 21 shots to earn his first win of the season.
David Wolf and Max Reinhart each scored for the Flames, while Doug Carr made 29 saves in his season debut for Adirondack.
Armia started off Rochester’s night with a strong individual effort that began with a defensive play in his own zone. The second-year forward retrieved the puck from an Adirondack forward in the Rochester zone, and proceeded to skate the length of the ice, slip around a pair of defensemen, and lift a back-hand shot into the corner of the net to put the Amerks ahead 1-0.
Adirondack answered with a power-play goal from Wolf, who dragged the puck from behind the net in front and slipped it underneath Hackett to tie the score 1-1.
Just 1:13 later, the Amerks regained the lead after Johan Larsson whipped the puck toward the slot to Dalpe, who slammed home his 10th goal of the season, putting the Amerks in front 2-1.
Late in the first period, Emile Poirier was hooked from behind on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. Poirier’s shot attempt from the slot was denied by Hackett, however, who managed to get a piece of the puck with his right shoulder.
After a quiet second period, the Amerks were penalized with exactly two minutes left in the middle frame and the Flames took advantage. Reinhart controlled the puck on the left side, skated towards the net and snapped a shot through Hackett, tying the score 2-2 with just nine seconds left in the period.
With the Amerks on the penalty kill midway through the third period, Mark Pysyk jumped on a loose puck in the neutral zone and skated in on a breakaway. Despite getting slashed at the moment of truth, Pysyk flipped a back-hand off of the post. He was awarded a penalty shot after the play, but his attempt was shot wide.
The Amerks obtained a five-on-three power-play in the late stages of the third period with a chance to take the lead, and took advantage with 2:16 left on the clock. After the first penalty expired, Armia controlled the puck deep in Adirondack’s zone. Varone crashed the net, and Armia slid a pass through a defender’s legs right to Varone. Varone’s first attempt was denied by Carr’s pad, but the second shot was tapped in to put the Amerks ahead 3-2.
Now facing a one-goal deficit, Adirondack pulled Carr with just under two minutes remaining, and received a power-play with just 15.4 seconds left. Despite playing two men down, the Amerks held the Flames at bay in the final moments to earn a critical two points in the standings.
With Rochester game report
