ROCHESTER, NY – The Rochester Americans pushed their home win streak to five straight games on Friday with a 3-1 win over the visiting Utica Comets at The Blue Cross Arena. The win improves the Amerks to 29-26-2-1 on the season and puts the Image may be NSFW.
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team seven points out of a playoff spot behind the Comets.
Chad Ruhwedel led the way with a two-point night (1+1) while Eric O’Dell and Justin Bailey also scored in the win for Rochester. Cole Schneider and William Carrier kept their torrid pace intact with assists and Linus Ullmark stopped 30 of 31 shots to earn his second straight win.
Chris Higgins provided the lone Utica goal and Richard Bachman made 23 saves in the loss for the Comets.
Despite being outshot 9-7 in the opening period, it was the Amerks leading the Comets after the first 20 minutes as the duo of O’Dell and Schneider teamed up for the third straight game to give Rochester the early advantage. Schneider initially set up Ruhwedel at the high point for a shot that never made its way through. O’Dell, however, was quick to keep the play alive and made good on the second opportunity when he corralled the loose puck from his knees and shoveled it past an unsuspecting Bachman for his team-leading 21st of the season.
Rochester needed just 55 seconds into the middle frame to increase its lead to a pair. A complete defensive zone breakdown allowed Carrier to scoop up a sitting puck along the left wing boards while Bailey crept his way to the net-front, somehow managing to elude coverage. Carrier then spotted a wide-open Bailey at the edge of the crease and the rookie forward tapped into the far side of the net to put the Amerks up 2-0.
Utica made it a one-goal game with 5:03 gone in the third period when Higgins redirected an Andrey Pedan shot past Ullmark, but Ruhwedel hit the empty net in the final minute of regulation to seal the 3-1 win for Rochester.
With Amerks game report
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