By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – Brando Biro’s five-point night guided the Rochester Americans to an 8-4 rout of the Hartford Wolf Pack as they surrendered their most goals in a game this season and now have a three-game losing streak.
The Pack heads across the border to Canada to play a strong and rested Toronto Marlies team with the third-best record in the AHL. The Marlies lead the North Division and are coached by ex-Wolf Pack/Sound Tiger/Springfield Falcon Greg Moore at 5 pm on Saturday.
In the third, with Louie Domingue coming in for starter Dylan Garand, they scored two but gave up one. Biro capped a five-point game with the eighth goal at 6:01 on the power play. Isak Rosén tried for the rebound after Ethan Prow had an initial shot. Biro was unchecked at the left side of the net and tucked it home for his 14th.
The Pack did marshal some effort, scoring twice. The first came off the stick of Lauri Pajumiemi, who swiped the puck from Jiri Kulich trying to exit the Rochester zone. Instead, he fired his 16th by Marlies netminder Malcolm Subban at 7:54. Karl Henriksson, stationed at the left side of the net, easily put away his fifth off a gorgeous pass from Leschyshyn at 13:10.
The second period saw Rochester, who entered the game with a three-game losing streak, toyed with the Pack tacking on three more goals with the Americans a step ahead on too many shifts.
The Americans started early at 34 seconds as Prow took a pass from behind the net from Biro. The former Springfield Thunderbird came off the point and stepped into the shot for his sixth goal of the season.
The Pack had their moments. Tanner Fritz had a breakaway at 2:07 but was denied, while Gettinger’s rebound attempt was also rejected.
At 3:42 as Mason Jobst benefitted from a misplayed puck by Garand. Mike Mersch shot it from the side of his net and made a pass for Libor Hajek. However, it went off the backboards and came back in front, and Jobst had the easy goal (11th) with Garand out of position for a 5-2 lead.
At 10:28, Rochester extended their lead to 6-1. Kulich was alone on the right wing and tallied with a solid backhander, his 17th of the season.
Fritz again sent an excellent shot on Subban with Gettinger in front getting stopped on the rebound attempt. Garand stopped Biro and then denied Rusek seeking a hat trick. The Wolf Pack defense was offering little to no support.
The Pack got a respite from the onslaught as Cristiano DiGiacinto found Zac Jones, who danced past a pair of Americans, Jobst, and Jeremy Davies, and dished it off beautifully to Anton Blidh, who scored the second goal in as many games for the Pack and eighth overall at 15:28.
The Americans had the extra step and were often unchecked and got to more loose pucks and in the shooting areas on the ice.
A strong start, a 1-0 lead evaporated as the Rochester Americans skated to a commanding 3-1 lead as the period ended.
On the powerplay, Gettinger scored his 11th after establishing the inside position on Prow and made a perfect tip during the second half of their first power play. It was also the second shot of the night after Rochester had the first six shots of the game by Sean Malone, Prow, and Rousek twice among them.
The Americans tied the score at one as Rousek scored his 12th from Rosén, was on the left-wing unmarked, and went to the backhand top shelf at 13:26.
The Pack had a strong shot on Subban as Jake Leschyshyn had a solid drive to the net at 15:03.
Two minutes later, Jeremy Davis got his tenth from behind the net, found him in the shot, and buried it.
Then at 19:20, Rusek scored his second all-alone of the right-wing converted Biro pass.
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