(WGR 550) – Arttu Ruotsalainen has points on the last five Rochester Americans goals, including two overtime winners, as Rochester won a Calder Cup Playoffs series for the first time since 2005.
Ruotsalainen tipped in the overtime winner on Wednesday in Game 1 against the Belleville Senators in Rochester. Then on Friday, he sent in Brett Murray for the series-clinching goal to eliminate Belleville.
Ruotsalainen leads the AHL in playoff scoring with three goals and two assists for five points. Peyton Krebs has three assists.
During Wednesday's contest, Rochester was down 3-0 in the third period and won, 4-3.
The Amerks led 3-1 in the third period on Friday, but went to an extra session again. Two goals by Ruotsalainen, and another from Mark Jankowski had given the Amerks that two-goal advantage.
Aaron Dell was clutch again in overtime, making five saves in the extra session and 34 overall. In the first two periods, Dell stopped 22-of-23 shots faced.
Starting in late February, Ruotsalainen got red-hot, getting points in 12 out of 13 games. In those games, he had 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points. In 21 games, he had 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points.
Murray celebrated breaking a slump that had seen him go 22 games without a goal.
Rochester advances to face the top team in the North Division, the Utica Comets. Utica finished the season fourth in the AHL with a points percentage of .660.
Games 1 and 2 are in Utica on Tuesday and Saturday. Rochester hosts Game 3 on Sunday, May 15 at 5:05 p.m. ET. If Game 4 is necessary in the best-of-five series, that will be in Rochester on Tuesday, May 17 at 7:05 p.m. ET.
***Photo: Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey)
