ROCHESTER, NY – Despite a two-goal effort from newcomer Akim Aliu, the Rochester Americans fell to the Hamilton Bulldogs, 6-4, in the second game of the young season Saturday night at The Blue Cross Arena. The Bulldogs scored three unanswered goals in the final three minutes to erase a 4-3 deficit on their way to claiming the first of 10 games between Rochester and Hamilton this season.
Amerks rookie forward William Carrier scored the first goal of his professional career in the opening period, while Luke Adam finished with two assists and Johan Larsson added a goal and an assist to pace the Amerks. Getting his second start in consecutive nights, Nathan Lieuwen had 25 saves on 30 shots in defeat. Adam’s first assist on the night was his 100th point in an Amerks uniform. 
Daniel Carr scored the game-winning goal with 2:27 left in regulation for Hamilton, with Gabriel Dumont, Charles Hudon, Nick Sorkin and Drayson Bowman also scoring goals. Joey MacDonald started in net for the visiting Bulldogs, and stopped 25 shots in the winning effort.
The Amerks got off to a fast against Hamilton, which was playing its first game of the season. Carrier received a breakout pass from defenseman Chad Ruhwedel and took the puck the length of the ice before finishing on his own rebound just 3:25 into the opening period.
After a relatively quiet first 10 minutes of the period, the scoring floodgates opened for both teams during the second half of the middle frame, with Larsson scoring his first tally of the season after deflecting a Matt MacKenzie shot past MacDonald to put the Amerks ahead by two scores.
The Bulldogs quickly erased Rochester’s two-goal advantage in the span of just 1:32 on Macenauer and Sorkin’s goals, but the Amerks responded to retake the lead when Larsson forced a turnover in the Hamilton corner, allowing Adam to pick up the loose puck and find Aliu back-door. With MacDonald out of position, Aliu tapped the puck into the open net to put Rochester back on top 3-2.
A defensive breakdown by the Amerks allowed Hudon to skate in alone on a breakaway just 1:28 after Aliu’s goal, and Hudon converted on a backhand deke to tie the score at three.
Another aggressive forecheck by the Amerks created a turnover 4:22 into the third period that led to the Amerks fourth goal when Phil Varone collected the puck and whipped a no-look pass right to Aliu. Once again positioned in the right spot, Aliu spun and zipped his second goal of the night past MacDonald.
Hamilton completed its comeback in the final three minutes of regulation with two goals just 17 seconds apart. Dumont scored the tying goal at the 2:57 mark, flipping a back-hander through the left arm of Lieuwn, and Carr finished the eventual game-winning goal on the next shift to put Hamilton ahead for the first time all night.
Rochester pulled Lieuwen for the final minute to add the extra skater, but Bowman sealed the game into the empty net with 17 seconds left to put the Bulldogs ahead by a pair.
The Amerks head north of the border on Saturday, Oct. 18 when they travel to Ricoh Coliseum to face the Toronto Marlies at 3:00 p.m. The afternoon matinee will be the first of 10 get-togethers between the two teams this season and will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1280 Rochester.
