Despite scoring in the first period for the seventh straight game and putting up a season-high 48 shots, the Rochester Americans (31-40-0-3) fell 3-2 in a shootout against the Binghamton Senators (28-42-2-2) to kick-off the final week of the 2016-17 regular season Wednesday night at The Blue Cross Arena. The loss was just the third in the last 10 games for Rochester on home ice as the Amerks hold a 7-2-0-1 record over that span dating back to March 4.
Rookie Alex Kile tied the contest late in the first period with his second pro goal while former Senator Derek Grant added his 10th of the campaign and fourth against his former club. After winning three of his first four starts in the crease for the Amerks, Jonas Johansson took his third straight defeat after making 16 saves to fall to 3-3-1 on the season.
After signing a Professional Tryout a week ago, rookie Jordan Murray notched his first pro goal in the final period and added an assist for Binghamton while Max McCormick scored his team-leading 21st marker of the season. Third-year netminder Chris Driedger faced a career-high 48 shots while stopping 46 to improve his record to 12-18-2.
As the game was dwindling down, Buffalo Sabres Rookie of the Year Evan Rodrigues drew his second penalty of the night to give Rochester its third power-play with 3:32 left to play. With the puck behind the net, Cole Schneider centered a pass to Patrick Mullen atop the right point. The defensemen fired a shot that was initially blocked before it bounced to Grant near the right face-off circle. The veteran forward one-timed the puck into the top of the net to tie the game at 2-2 and force overtime.
"It was good to tie the game," Grant said. "Our power-play was not good early in the game but we just stuck with it and it was good to tie the game late and give ourselves a chance to win it."
The first half of the extra session was uneventful until the Amerks took a tripping penalty with 2:46 left to play. Despite facing a four-on-three disadvantage, the Amerks were able to generate several scoring chances, which included two shots off the iron and a breakaway opportunity for Rodrigues. Driedger, however, thwarted all the chances and the shootout was required to determine a winner.
The home squad elected to shoot first but Alexander Nylander, Nick Baptiste and Justin Bailey were all stopped while Binghamton's Nick Paul scored the lone tally in the skills competition to earn the extra point.
"Overtime got kind of wild," said Rodrigues. "On my breakaway, I was able to get a good shot but Driedger was able to get the knob of his stick on the puck and then it rang off the post. Then they had a three-on-one until Brady Austin made a great play and then we hit the post on another shot. Tonight, we just ran into a hot goalie who stole the game for them."
