There’s only 18 games left in the regular season and time is running out fast for this Rochester Americans to figure out how to score goals on a regular basis. The 4-2 loss on the road in Syracuse was another example, something that’s happened a lot lately, where the Amerks had more shots and more chances but were unable to score more goals than the other team.

Syracuse Crunch goalie Scott Wedgewood was lit up by the Amerks with 45 shots in the game and he stopped 43 of them. At the other end of the ice Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was in net for Rochester where he faced 19 shots and only saved 16 of them.

Andrew Oglevie scored his 14th goal of the season to give Rochester a 1-0 lead just 4:20 into the game with a quick wrist shot from above the face off circles. A lead early in the game on the road in Syracuse is a great way to take the crowd out of the game.

Unless you aren’t able to hold the lead.

It only took 33 seconds for Syracuse to tie the game when Gemel Smith scored on the first shot of the game for Syracuse by slipping the puck through the five hole of Luukkonen on a rush.

The Rochester penalty kill had been perfect in eight of the last nine games going into Saturday night but Alexander Volkov found the sweet spot with a one timer from the side of the net to give Syracuse a 2-1 lead at 8:03 of the second period.

Just over a minute later John Gilmour put the puck into the back of the net but it was immediately waived off. Cal Foote of Syracuse had Dalton Smith pinned down in the goal crease which resulted in Scott Wedgewood being forced outside the crease.

Rasmus Asplund scored 23 seconds into the third period to tie the game on the power play off a perfect feed from Casey Mittelstadt. Taylor Leier had an assist as well by leading the rush into the offensive zone. That was only the third goal of the season for Asplund in 29 games played.

The game winning goal was scored by Boris Katchouk at 5:07 of the third period when he sent the puck into the top corner over the left shoulder of Luukkonen. Ross Colton scored the insurance goal into an empty net with 26 seconds left on the clock.

Rochester had 10 shots in the first period, 17 in the second, and 18 in the third period. There was never a point where the team appeared to quit being determined to win. They were in the game right up until the empty net goal was scored against. With only 18 games left in the regular season and the playoffs coming in the blink of an eye there’s no room left anymore for moral victories or being content with a lot of chances.

Syracuse earned two points in the standings and moved within two points of Utica in second place and just six behind Rochester sitting in second. Belleville is running away with the lead in the North Division and it’s going to be everyone else battling for two through four.

The next three games will be huge for Rochester playing against Utica at home Wednesday night before traveling to Belleville for games Friday and Saturday next weekend.

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The Amerks were without Kevin Porter who was suspended for two games. Details here…

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The highlights in Tweets…