ROCHESTER, NY – Zac Dalpe continued a torrid stretch with two goals and one assist as the Rochester Americans returned home from a season-long eight-game road swing and defeated the Adirondack Flames 7-4 at The Blue Cross Arena. With the win, the Amerks now have collected 10 out of a possible 12 points over their last six games, and improve their overall record to 22-26-3-0. 
Dalpe, now riding a seven-game scoring streak, has 12 points (6+6) during his hot stretch and has recorded 25 points in 38 games during his first season in Rochester.
Tim Schaller recorded a goal and two assists in addition to Dalpe’s three point night, while Johan Larsson and Brayden Irwin each finished with a goal and an assist. Jerry D’Amigo and Jerome Leduc also added two assists, while Matt Hackett made 23 saves to earn his fourth win in seven appearances. William Carrier and Dan Catenacci also found the back of the net to round out the scoring.
The win also featured a season-high 51 shots from the Amerks, including 22 during a three-goal opening frame, the most goals they scored in the first period since netting four against Lake Erie back on Jan. 9. Additionally, the last time Rochester put up 50 shots in a game was against Adirondack on Dec. 19.
Turner Elson scored two goals for the Flames, while Garnet Hathaway and Emile Poirier also contributed goals. Joni Ortio stopped 44 of the Amerks 51 shots on goal in a losing effort.
The Amerks opened the scoring just 22 seconds into the contest following a turnover behind Adirondack’s net that allowed Dalpe to utilize a wrap-around move and beat Ortio to the near post.
Adirondack answered with three consecutive goals, the first on a high shot over Hackett’s shoulder by Hathaway followed by two straight scores from Elson.
Facing a two-goal deficit midway through the opening period, Rochester stormed back with two late goals to tie the score 3-3 heading into the first intermission. On the power-play at the 13:39 mark of the first period, Irwin parked himself in front and slammed home a rebound following Phil Varone’s shot from the slot. Just 3:30 later, Larsson crashed the net and Dalpe fed him with a pass from below the goal-line that Larsson managed to one-time off of the left post and in before Ortio could get in position.
The Flames regained the lead on a power-play opportunity of their own after the puck sat in the crease following Brett Kulak’s slap-shot that Poirier poked into the net to make it a 4-3 contest.
Rochester answered with two goals in 1:31 late in the second period to take its first lead since Dalpe’s goal in the opening seconds of the first period. With 4:50 remaining in the middle frame, Carrier curled around the right circle and fired a shot through screens from both Schaller and Evan Rankin to even the score at 4-4.
The Amerks scored their fifth goal during a scrum in front of the net, when Ortio denied two close-in attempts from Schaller before Catenacci drove to the crease and chipped a loose puck into the net.
Dalpe added his second of the night with a power-play goal after the puck squirted out in front, and the veteran forward buried for his third point of the night. The Amerks added their seventh goal of the game and third on the power-play with 3:31 left in the third period when Schaller cut through the slot and picked up a rebound from Irwin’s shot. Schaller slid around the crease and slipped the puck inside the post to deliver the three-goal win.
With Rochester game report
