(Binghamton, NY) – The contest between Rochester Americans (3-2-0-0) and Binghamton Senators (1-2-0-0) Saturday night in Binghamton appeared like it was going to be decided in overtime. However, a pair of late third-period goals by the Amerks proved to be the difference maker to give them a 3-1 victory at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.
The Amerks were led by Cole Schneider (1+1) as he recorded his second straight two-point night to lead Rochester to its second win in as many nights. The Williamsville native’s multi-point outing gives him eight points (3+5) on the season, moving him atop the AHL in scoring. Linus Ullmark also earned his second straight start, stopping 38 of the 39 shots he faced to improve his record to 3-1-0. Cal O’Reilly and Dan Catenacci rounded out the scoring for Rochester, which swept the weekend to move into a second-place tie in the AHL’s North Division standings.
Rookie defenseman Francis Perron provided the lone tally for Binghamton.
With the game tied at 1-1 with just under a minute left in regulation, Schneider scooped up a loose puck following a faceoff in the Amerks end of the ice. The former Senator then raced into the offensive zone while protecting the puck as he evaded a Binghamton defenseman on his way to the net before beating former teammate and Sens netmidner Matt O’Connor to give the visors the lead with 45 seconds remaining.
The Amerks opened the scoring on the night 9:05 into the game’s first period. O’Reilly and Nick Baptiste crashed towards the net after Schneider dished the puck to the left of O’Connor from behind the net. With the puck sitting there, the two of Amerks each swung there sticks at, but it was O’Reilly’s twig that connected, resulting in the puck being chipped over the right shoulder of the Senators netminder to give the Amerks the lead.
Binghamton tried to find the equalizer as they outshot the Amerks 34-14 after 40 minutes, but Ullmark kept them off the board.
The two clubs entered the third period with the Amerks holding on to the 1-0 lead until Perron scored his first professional goal at the 12:19 mark.
Rochester tried to regain the lead, but O’Connor kept the game tied until Schneider’s late third-period tally.
For the second consecutive night and with time running out, the B-Sens pulled O’Connor for an extra skater, but Catenacci sealed the game as he tracked a puck in the neutral zone and flung it into the vacated net with only a second to spare on the clock.
The Amerks continue their three-game road swing on Friday, Oct. 28 in St. John’s against the IceCaps at 6:00 p.m. EST at Mile One Centre. The contest can be heard live on the Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM ESPN Rochester.
Goal Scorers
RCH: O’Reilly, Schneider, Catenacci
BNG: Perron
Goaltenders
RCH: Ullmark – 38/39 (W)
BNG: O’Connor – 21/23 (L)
Shots
RCH: 24
BNG: 39
Special Teams
RCH: PP (0/3) / PK (5/5)
BNG: PP (0/5) / PK (3/3)
