ROCHESTER, NY – The Rochester Americans allowed two goals in the first and third periods on their way to a 4-1 loss at the hands of the Utica Comets Sunday afternoon at The Blue Cross Arena. The loss concludes a three-in-three weekend for the Amerks, who went winless during that stretch as their record falls to 25-33-5-1 this season.
It was also Rochester’s second loss to Utica in three days, pushing the Amerks’ losing 
skid to four games.
Michael Pelech scored the only goal for the Amerks, with Allan McPherson and newcomer Curtis Leonard, who was making his professional debut, each adding assists. Andrey Makarov stopped 24 shots in the loss. Pelech’s goal was his first as an Amerk.
Darren Archibald, Frank Corrado and Hunter Skinkaruk all scored for the Comets, with Sven Baertschi adding an empty-netter in the final minutes. Joacim Eriksson made 21 saves between the pipes for Utica, which extended its win streak to a franchise-best five straight games.
The Comets scored two goals during the first period, with Archibald opening the scoring 3:19 in with a chip shot over Makarov and in to the top of the net. Utica added its second goal with 1:40 left in the opening period on the power-play, when Corrado scooted down the right wing and blasted a slap-shot through Makarov’s arm to send the Comets into the intermission up 2-0.
The Amerks cut Utica’s two-goal advantage in half at the 10:14 mark of the second period with a conversion on an odd-man rush. With a man crashing the net, McPherson fed Pelech just outside the slot, and Pelech’s snap-shot snuck through the wickets of Eriksson to bring the Amerks within a goal.
Shinkaruk regained Utica’s two-goal lead with 12:40 left in the third period after darting through the slot and snapping the puck into the upper corner.
After erasing Utica’s five-minute power-play that concluded late in the third period, the Amerks pulled Makarov with 2:25 left for the extra attacker. Just seconds after Makarov vacated the net, however, Baertschi intercepted a pass in the Utica zone and skated the length of the ice before putting the puck into the open net to seal the Comets’ 4-1 win.
With Rochester game report
