ROCHESTER, NY – The Rochester Americans rallied with two goals from Chad Ruhwedel late in the third period, but ultimately fell short by a score of 4-3 to the Toronto Marlies Sunday afternoon at The Blue Cross Arena. The loss completes a 2-1-0-0 weekend for the Amerks, who now sit at 27-34-5-1 on the season.
Ruhwedel’s goals both came in the final 8:58 of regulation. His first, coming on the power-play, was Ruhwedel’s eighth goal with the man-advantage this year. Jayden Hart also scored for the Amerks, potting the first goal of his professional career in just his third game with Rochester. Dan Catenacci added an assist, and now has a three-game point streak (2+2). Michael Pelech, Jerome Leduc, Kevin Sundher and Evan Rankin each finished with an assist. 
Anthony Peters started in net for the Amerks and made 32 saves, giving him a .922 save percentage through his first three AHL starts.
Connor Brown (1+3), William Nylander (1+1) and T.J. Brennan (0+2) all submitted multi-point efforts for the Marlies, with Ryan Rupert and Greg McKegg each adding a goal. Christopher Gibson made 28 saves on 31 shots for the win.
Hart opened the scoring for the Amerks at the 8:58 mark of the first period to give Rochester a 1-0 lead. Playing in just his third career AHL game, Hart curled around the top of the right circle to find some open ice before cutting to the slot and shoveling the puck over Gibson and into the net.
Toronto tied things up with 4:22 left in the first period on an odd-man rush, with Nylander sliding the puck to a cutting Rupert who tapped the puck past Peters.
The visitors took their first lead of the game on the power-play at 11:55 of the second period, after a slap-shot from the point by Brennan caused a rebound that Brown poked into the net.
Nylander added his second point of the night with an insurance goal late in the second period after collecting the puck from in tight and flipping it to the top of the net to give the Marlies a 3-1 advantage.
The Marlies notched their fourth goal of the night with a power-play tally 6:59 into the third period when McKegg used a fancy move to split the Amerks defense and slip a backhander around Peters.
Ruhwedel scored his eighth power-play goal of the season on a one-timer from the left circle after Leduc delivered the puck right in his wheelhouse as the Amerks cut Toronto’s lead to 4-2.
The Amerks pulled Peters with just over three minutes left, and Ruhwedel would take advantage with his second of the night after going short-side under Gibson’s blocker to make it a 4-3 game. With both teams taking penalties in the final minute, the Amerks pulled Peters again for a 4-on-3 advantage but couldn’t score the equalizer.
With Rochester game report
