(WGR 550) – The first two games of the AHL North Division semifinal series couldn’t have gone any worse for the Rochester Americans in Syracuse.
The Syracuse Crunch took Game 1 on Friday in overtime, and in Game 2 on Saturday, Rochester didn’t even get shot on goal in the first period and lost, 3-0.
The Amerks will face the task of having to win three-straight games if they want to advance, starting with Game 3 on Friday back in Rochester.
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The Amerks didn’t play all that well in Game 1, but did get the contest to overtime. In addition to not giving up a shot in the first period on Saturday, Ryan Jones scored on Malcolm Subban just 1:52 into the game.
Rochester got outshot 14-0 in the first period and 32-18 in the game. In Game 1, they got outshot 40-23, including 4-0 in overtime.
It’s very obvious the Amerks are really missing their leading goal scorer Jiri Kulich, and their leading scorer for most of the season, Brandon Biro. Biro was still second on the team in scoring this season despite only playing 49 games.
It’s also not helping that Isak Rosen, Lukas Rousek, Sean Malone, Ethan Prow and Brett Murray are all pointless in two games.
Subban is doing his part, sporting a .930 save percentage and 2.50 goals-against average.
If the Amerks are able to win on Friday, Game 4 will be in Rochester on Sunday afternoon.
