News
Amerks shock Marlies with late comeback
November 26, 2006
(TORONTO) -- Despite leading for most of the game, the Marlies were edged 5-4 in overtime on Sunday afternoon at Ricoh Coliseum. Rochester's Brandon Smith scored the game winning goal with 2:25 remaining in the extra session on a shot from the left point as the Amerks avenged a 6-0 loss last night in Hamilton.
Toronto scored the first goal of the game when the Marlies' Erik Westrum beat Rochester goaltender Craig Anderson at 9:37 of the first period. The play began when Jeff Corey made a centering pass to Boyd Devereaux. The puck bounced off Devereaux's stick to the far side of the zone, where Westrum's shot from a tough angle eluded Anderson.
The Marlies went up 2-0 at 16:02 after the Americans were called for too many men on the ice. Ben Ondrus redirected a Kris Newbury pass from the edge of Anderson's crease for his first of two powerplay goals on the evening.
Rochester's Rob Globke got the visitors on the scoreboard when he beat Marlies' starting netminder Justin Pogge between the pads at 18:36 to cut Toronto's lead in half. The goal sent the Amerks to the locker trailing 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Ondrus helped the Marlies regain a two goal advantage at 6:27 of the middle stanza with his second of the night. Ondrus was positioned in front of the net and tipped Newbury's shot from the point. Michael Schutte also tallied a helper on the play.
In the waning seconds of the middle period, the Americans closed the gap to 3-2. Moments after being unsuccessful on a powerplay opportunity, Rochester's Kamil Kreps picked up a rebound of an Anthony Stewart shot and fired a bullet past Pogge's glove to send the visitors to the locker room down a goal for the second time.
Toronto regained their two-goal lead when John Mitchell snapped a shot over Anderson's left shoulder and under the cross bar at 1:34 of the third period. Brett Engelhardt and David Cloutier earned assists on the play.
The Americans' final comeback began with under 11 minutes remaining in the game when Clarke MacArthur picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, sending a pass to Anthony Stewart who ripped a shot that went over Pogge's left shoulder into the net at 9:27 for the Toronto native's second point of the contest.
Marek Zagrapan scored the first professional goal of his career, as Rochester made the Marlies pay for a defensive zone turnover at 13:45. Former Ottawa 67 Mark Mancari assisted on the play while Globke earned his second point.
Kreps and Greg Jacina earned the helpers as Rochester took their only lead of the day on the game's final play.
The Marlies remain in Toronto and host the Milwaukee Admirals - AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators - on Maple Leafs' alumni night, this Wednesday evening, at 7:30 p.m. Former Leaf captains Darryl Sittler and Wendel Clark will sign autographs in Marlies Alley before the game.
SCORING
First Period
1. TOR E. Westrum (7) (Devereaux, Corey) 9:37
2. TOR B. Ondrus (2) (Newbury, Earl) 16:02 PP
3. ROC R. Globke (2) (Hunter) 18:36
Second Period
4. TOR B. Ondrus (3) (Newbury, Schutte) 6:27 PP
5. ROC K. Kreps (4) (Stewart) 19:52
Third Period
6. TOR J. Mitchell (2) (Engelhardt, Cloutier) 1:14
7. ROC A. Stewart (4) (MacArthur) 9:27
8. ROC M. Zagrapan (1) (Mancari, Globke) 13:45
Overtime
9. ROC B. Smith (3) (Kreps, Jacina) 2:35
THREE STARS
1. TOR Ondrus #25
2. ROC Stewart #24
3. ROC Smith #27
ICE CHIPS: The Marlies scored the first goal of the game for the first time since Colin Murphy scored first for Toronto on November 3 at Houston... a different player has scored two goals in each of the three Marlies' games this weekend -- Brett Engelhardt on Friday, Robbie Earl on Saturday, and Ben Ondrus today... Toronto scored two power-play goals in both of its home games this weekend... with his assist today, Boyd Devereaux recorded his first point for the Marlies at Ricoh Coliseum... Michael Schutte earned his first assist as a Toronto Marlie today... Mitchell (1G, 3A) and Engelhardt(2G, 2A) both have a three-game point streak, the longest of the season for each player... both Engelhardt (1G, 3A) and Erik Westrum (2G, 3A) have a four-game point-streak at Ricoh Coliseum, stretching back to the Oct. 22 game versus Peoria... the Marlies went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill today, the first time they have not allowed a goal on the PK since they went 8-for-8 against Grand Rapids on October 27.
