(Rochester, NY) – Rochester Americans head coach Randy Cunneyworth set the franchise record for the most coaching wins in the most dramatic of ways Wednesday night at The Blue Cross Arena, leading the Amerks to an incredible five-goal third-period comeback for a stunning 6-5 victory over the St. John’s IceCaps.
Tonight’s win was the 338th career coaching victory for Cunneyworth in Rochester, moving him ahead of John Van Boxmeer, who led the Amerks to their fifth Calder Cup in 1987, for the most all-time in franchise history. Cunneyworth, who coached the Amerks from 2000-01 to 2007-08 before returning this season for another stint with the team, is now 338-302-64 as the Rochester bench boss, including 32-29-2-1 this season. He currently ranks sixth all-time in both wins and games by an AHL coach and will own fifth place in games coached by the season’s end.
“Wanting the points for the playoff drive, that’s the only thing that matters at this point as far as I’m concerned,” said Cunneyworth. “I’m very proud to have this many wins and to have worked with the guys that I’ve worked with.”
“I’d like to congratulate Randy on achieving this milestone,” said Van Boxmeer. “I think he’d agree that to be able to do something like this, you need a great organization and great players. I am very happy for Randy, especially with him being an ex-player of mine and keeping it in the Amerks family. I wish him continued success going forward.”
Facing a 5-1 deficit with 15:29 to play in the third period, the Amerks scored five straight unanswered goals, setting the stage for Chad Ruhwedel’s game-winner with only four seconds remaining in regulation. The win improves Rochester to 32-29-2-1 on the season heading into Friday’s rematch against the IceCaps.
Matt Donovan sparked the late game rally with a goal and added two assists for a three-point night while Dan Catenacci scored twice, including the game-tying goal. Colby Robak and Justin Bailey each recorded two assists while Jean Dupuy and Jerry D’Amigo scored 3:05 apart in the third period to round out the scoring. Linus Ullmark made 13 saves on 17 shots before being replaced by Andrey Makarov, who the earn and finished with seven saves in 23:49 of relief effort in what was his first game since Jan. 2.
Charles Hudon provided a pair of goals for the IceCaps with Nikita Scherbak notching two assists behind a 28-save effort from goaltender Eddie Pasquale. Jeremy Gregoire, Gabriel Dumont and Morgan Ellis also scored in the loss for the IceCaps, who twice led by four goals at one point
Hudon opened the scoring just 2:15 into the contest with his team-leading 23rd goal of the season to stake St. John’s to an early 1-0 lead. Cory Ward, playing in just his second game with the IceCaps after being signed to an ATO just four days prior, started the play with a long stretch pass through the neutral zone that sprung Scherbak free up the right wing side. Scherbak gained the zone with speed, swung around the Amerks net to draw Ullmark out of his crease and set up Hudon for the easy tap-in into the empty net.
A high-sticking double-minor to IceCaps forward Tim Bozon late in the first period afforded the Amerks 3:55 of power-play time to start the second, but it was the duo of Scherbak and Hudon striking again shortly after the teams returned to full strength to put St. John’s up 2-0. Josiah Didier left a drop pass at the left point for Scherbak, who held momentarily before sending a no-look pass across the high slot that Hudon one-timed past Ullmark for his second of the night.
The IceCaps took their largest lead of the night, adding two more in a span of 1:38 to open up a 4-0 advantage. Mark MacMillan negated a potential icing call thanks to an aggressive forecheck to retrieve a loose puck off the end boards before centering to Gregoire for the rookie forward’s fifth of the season. Dumont then widened the gap less than two minutes later when the St. John’s captain poked in a rebound after Max Friberg was stopped on a near breakaway opportunity.
Catenacci put the Amerks on the board with 55 seconds remaining in the middle frame, but Ellis responded for St. John’s 4:31 into the third when his long range shot from just inside the blueline sailed over the left should of Makarov.
With the IceCaps again leading by four, Rochester mounted its comeback at 8:54 as Donovan picked the upper corner on the power-play before Dupuy brought the Amerks to within a pair just 1:08 later after pushing home his own rebound following an end-to-end rush that started from behind his own net.
D’Amigo then put a shot into the lower left corner at 13:07 off a feed from Robak and Catenacci swept in his second of the game just 2:10 after that to knot score at 5-5 apiece. The game looked as if it were heading to overtime, but Eric O’Dell’s pass intended for Bailey made its way through the crease to Ruhwedel, who fired it into the open side with four seconds remaining to cap a remarkable comeback victory for Rochester.
The same two teams get back at it again on Friday, Mar. 25 as the Amerks and IceCaps bring their season series to a close in the back-end of a two-game set at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:05 p.m. rematch with St. John’s will be the eighth and final meeting of the season between the North Division rivals and will be carried live on FOX Sports 1280 Rochester. Friday’s matchup will also air live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel 26 as well as 323 for viewers in the Buffalo market.
Goal Scorers
RCH: Catenacci (10, 11), Donovan (8), Dupuy (6), D’Amigo (12), Ruhwedel (10)
STJ: Hudon (23, 24), Gregoire (5), Dumont (14), Ellis (13)
Shots
RCH: 34
STJ: 25
Goaltenders
RCH: Makarov – W (7/8) / Ullmark – L (13/17)
STJ: Pasquale – L (28/34)
Special Teams
Amerks Power Play: 1-5
Amerks Penalty Kill: 2-2
