Lieuwen makes 34 saves as Rochester halts Hamilton's six-game win streak

HAMILTON - Nathan Lieuwen stopped 34 shots as the Rochester Americans defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-1 on Saturday in American Hockey League play.

Johan Larsson scored the winner at 10:01 of the third period for the Americans (15-14-6), who avenged a loss to the Bulldogs on Friday, while Brandon MacLean and Luke Adam also scored.

Greg Pateryn had the lone goal for the Bulldogs (18-15-4), who saw their six-game winning streak snapped. Robert Mayer stopped 25 shots.

Saturday's game marked the first start for Mayer since returning to the Bulldogs from a loan spell with Swiss team Geneve-Servette, with which he won the Spengler Cup.

His team eased him back into the role, playing a quality first period in which Mayer faced just five shots and was not seriously tested.

The Bulldogs enjoyed the majority of the offensive pressure in the first, and opened the scoring after American MacLean was whistled for hooking at 9:42.

Just 16 seconds into the ensuing power play, Christian Thomas shifted the puck to Pateryn on the blue line, and the defenceman released a low shot that passed through traffic and beat Lieuwen cleanly at the near post.

Hamilton appeared well in control of the game midway through the second period, until being pinned inside their zone for an extended shift. Desperate to clear the puck, Thomas instead lifted it over the glass and was called for delay of game at 13:18.

The Americans appeared to seize momentum and, while the Bulldogs successfully killed off the ensuing penalty, Rochester levelled game at a goal apiece at 16:36.

Mayer turned aside an initial rush led by American centre Kevin Sundher, but the loose puck bounced to Chad Ruhwedel in the high slot and his heavy slap shot was tipped in by MacLean at the far post.

The goal was MacLean's first in the AHL.

Hamilton was made to regret a missed opportunity midway through the third period, when Maxime Macenauer sprung a two-on-one rush with Louis Leblanc and elected to shoot, with Lieuwen knocking aside the attempt with his shoulder.

Seconds later, Rochester took the lead when Adam side-stepped a defender and slid a cross-ice pass to Larsson, who fired a low wrist shot past the sprawling Mayer and inside the near post at 10:01.

Adam added an insurance goal, and his second point of the period, into the empty net at 19:01.