For the second time in as many games, the Rochester Americans found themselves skating off the ice as the losing team.
Rochester also found themselves again being the more dominant team overall, all while being unable to capitalize on those opportunities.
The first frame saw Rochester laying shots on, one after another but as the overall theme of this game – the Americans were unable to score a goal.
The shot disparity after one period was 18-7 Americans.
In the second period, Rochester was able to take advantage of a couple chances they had created.
CeeeeeeeeeeJ Smith the #GoalieSlayer gives the #Amerks a 1-0 lead!! pic.twitter.com/swLNTHqxSs
— Let’s Go Amerks (@LetsGoAmerks) April 21, 2019
The goal scoring began with CJ Smith, which should come with no surprise.
Smith, coming off a 28 goal regular season, continues to show the American Hockey League and the Buffalo Sabres why he deserves a shot with the big club.
Smith’s goal goes in the books as his first of the postseason, at 4:05 of the second period.
Not to be outdone, the Americans kept the pressure turned up on Toronto throughout the entire second frame.
The consistent pressure was rewarded late in the period, thanks to a goal from Kevin Porter.
Captain Porter puts the Amerks up 2-0!! Play started with Gosselin keeping the puck in along the boards. Porter slid it under Kaskisuo. pic.twitter.com/Ai5YFOk98N
— Let’s Go Amerks (@LetsGoAmerks) April 21, 2019
Porter’s first of the postseason, at 18:36 of the second period, put Rochester up 2-0.
Through two periods of play, everyone who had been watching the game knew that this was the game that the Americans needed to play in order to drag themselves back into this playoff series.
Unfortunately, the wheels fell off early in the third period.
When the puck dropped for the third period, Rochester held a 2-0 lead. When the clock hit two minutes into the third period, the game was tied.
An all out assault from the Marlies offense – goals credited to Chris Mueller and Jeremy Bracco – cleared out any potential forward momentum that Rochester had built up.
Toronto still trailed in shots after the final frame, 12-10, but their early barrage of goals was enough to help them push the game to overtime.
Just 2:20 into the overtime, Toronto would put the game-winning goal past Scott Wedgewood. On the ice, some were confused by a potential call of goaltender interference following the goal but no call was made and the game was made official.
Jeremy Bracco’s second goal of the game, and second goal of the postseason, pushes the Rochester Americans into a 0-2 hole.
Rochester takes the ice next on Wednesday night, when they head north to take on the Toronto Marlies at the Coca-Cola Coliseum. The opening puck is set to drop shortly after 7 PM.
Final: Toronto 3, Rochester 2 (OT)
Shots on Goal: Rochester – 42 | Toronto – 23
Rochester Goals: Smith (1), Porter (1)
Toronto Goals: Mueller (3), Bracco (1, 2)
Three Stars of the Game
1. Jeremy Bracco (2 goals, 1 assist)
2. Chris Mueller (1 goal, 1 assist)
3. Wayne Simpson (2 assists)