ROCHESTER, NY – Despite jumping out to a 3-0 lead midway through the game, the Rochester Americans surrendered four unanswered goals, including Greg McKegg’s second of the night 4:47 into overtime, as the Toronto Marlies rallied for a 4-3 win Friday night at The Blue Cross Arena. Even with the loss, the Amerks gain a point in the standings and now sit at 24-29-5-0 on the season heading into the month of March.
Defensemen Jake McCabe (1+1) and Chad Ruhwedel (0+2) each finished with multi-point outings for the Amerks, while Brayden Irwin and Allan McPherson added goals in a losing effort for the Amerks. McPherson’s goal, which served as the Amerks third and final tally of the night, was the first of his AHL career while Irwin found the back of the net for the sixth time in his last eight appearances. 
Fifth-year goaltender Matt Hackett started his third consecutive game in net for the Amerks and made 23 saves. He is now 6-4-2 on the year in his 12 starts since being assigned to Rochester at the turn of the New Year.
McKegg and Byron Froese each scored a pair of goals for the Marlies, and Christopher Gibson earned the win with 27 saves.
The opening period was a penalty-filled one, with the two teams combining for six minor penalties. The Amerks used their three power-play opportunities to break open the scoring with two goals in 1:06 over the final three minutes of the period.
McCabe scored Rochester’s first goal after cranking a slap-shot from just inside the blueline to make it 1-0 after gathering a pass from Ruhwedel. Irwin added the Amerks second goal just over a minute later, deflecting a Ruhwedel shot that was going well wide into the net for his 14th of the season.
The Amerks dealt the Marlies another blow when McPherson scored the first of his AHL career midway through the second. Dan Catenacci made the play to McPherson, spinning in the slot to deliver a pass on the tape, allowing McPherson to go underneath the crossbar and put Rochester ahead 3-0.
McKegg began Toronto’s furious second period comeback just 1:06 after McPherson put the Amerks in front by three, collecting Troy Bodie’s shot off of the end boards and squeezing it past Hackett on the short side to make it a 3-1 affair.
Froese scored his two goals on consecutive shifts, beginning at the 16:48 mark of the middle frame with a short-handed tally off a misplay from Hackett. Froese would strike again just minutes later when his back-hander from the slow slot trickled through Hackett to send the North Division rivals into the intermission even at three apiece.
Unlike the first two periods, the final 20 minutes went without a goal to send the game to overtime and secure at least one point for both clubs.
The Marlies finalized their comeback effort with 2:13 left in the extra session when McKegg cruised into the Amerks zone and out-waited Hackett before lifting the puck into the top of the net to win the game for Toronto.
With Rochester game report
