The Rochester Americans (30-17-4-4) needed overtime for the third consecutive game on Saturday night at The Blue Cross Arena, but the Cleveland Monsters (24-26-3-2) picked up a 3-2 win 1:35 into the extra frame.
Despite the overtime loss, the Amerks, who have points in five straight games, remain in second place in the AHL’s North Division standings. Dating back to the start of the 2011-12 campaign, Rochester holds a record of 29-7-4-4 over Cleveland and has earned a point in all seven games so far this season (4-0-2-1) opposite the Monsters.
Forward Taylor Leier notched his eighth goal of the slate while rookie winger Brett Murray added his ninth goal for the Amerks. Lawrence Pilut, who earned his 100th AHL career assist, William Borgen and Rasmus Asplund all chipped in a helper. Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (3-3-3) made his fifth start in the last six games but suffered the overtime loss.
Trey Fix-Wolansky turned in a season-high three-point effort for Cleveland as he netted a pair of assists to go with his ninth goal of the campaign. Markus Hannikainen lit the lamp while Sam Vigneault sealed the overtime win with his career-high 10th tally. In his first appearance of his conditioning stint after suffering an injury on Dec. 29, Joonas Korpisalo made 32 saves to earn the victory.
We came back to earn a point ? but fall in OT ? pic.twitter.com/Evtgy4mSd7
— Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey) February 23, 2020
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