Post by BuffaloGM on Nov 30, 2010 9:43:19 GMT -5
Rochester, NY - The Rochester Americans opened the season hosting the Louisville Thunder. The Thunder had a little more star power than usual due to travel issues. Alexei Kovalev, Alexander Semin, Peter Mueller, Christian Erhoff and Ilja Bryzgalov laced up the skates for Louisville but they weren't enough as the Americans won a dramatic shootout 2-1.
Alexei Kovalev scored a short-handed goal just 3:22 into the contest. From there the Americans controlled much of the play and Jan Mursak was able to beat Ilja Bryzgalov halfway through the first period to tie the game. That would be all the scoring the game would see until the shootout. Rochester goalie Stephen Valiquette would surely be tested by Kovalev, Semin and Mueller. After stopping Kovalev, Jeff Hamilton scored to give the Americans the lead. Valiquette came up big again stopping Semin. Bryzgalov answered by stopping Yanick Lehoux. Peter Mueller needed to score to keep Louisville in the game and he did just that. The game was on the stick of Ryan O'Marra. Bryzgalov had been the best player on the ice all night, but O'Marra scored to give the Americans an opening night victory.
"He was amazing for them," said O'Marra. "He just doesn't give you anything. He's so big and athletic that you try to be too fine with everything. We had a lot of great chances tonight, he just didn't give us much. Jan's goal was huge for us. We got beat to a lose puck in our end that led to their goal and I think that drained us for a bit. The shootout was exciting. Vally came up huge for us. They threw three great players at him and he gave us a chance to win."
Valiuette stopped 17 of 18 shots and earned third star honors. Rochester head coach John Torchetti was happy with the effort. "I was very pleased with how hard the guys played tonight. Vally was great when he needed to be, especially in the shootout, but I thought we played a very good game tonight. After giving up the early goal we were first on a lot of loose pucks and winning battles. That is what I want to see from our guys. We know we have enough talent to win games, but you have to have that drive and will to make things happen. I thought Mursak was great tonight. Aside from the goal he was creating chances all night for us. If he can play like that consistently he's going to do some big things this year. We don't want to give up too many shorties this year, but we responded well and got a well deserved win tonight."
The Americans will host the talented Binghamton Senators tonight. They will get a boost to the lineup as Johan Harju signed a two-year entry level contract with the Buffalo Sabres following the game and was assigned to Rochester. Felix Schutz will be scratched to make room for Harju.
Alexei Kovalev scored a short-handed goal just 3:22 into the contest. From there the Americans controlled much of the play and Jan Mursak was able to beat Ilja Bryzgalov halfway through the first period to tie the game. That would be all the scoring the game would see until the shootout. Rochester goalie Stephen Valiquette would surely be tested by Kovalev, Semin and Mueller. After stopping Kovalev, Jeff Hamilton scored to give the Americans the lead. Valiquette came up big again stopping Semin. Bryzgalov answered by stopping Yanick Lehoux. Peter Mueller needed to score to keep Louisville in the game and he did just that. The game was on the stick of Ryan O'Marra. Bryzgalov had been the best player on the ice all night, but O'Marra scored to give the Americans an opening night victory.
"He was amazing for them," said O'Marra. "He just doesn't give you anything. He's so big and athletic that you try to be too fine with everything. We had a lot of great chances tonight, he just didn't give us much. Jan's goal was huge for us. We got beat to a lose puck in our end that led to their goal and I think that drained us for a bit. The shootout was exciting. Vally came up huge for us. They threw three great players at him and he gave us a chance to win."
Valiuette stopped 17 of 18 shots and earned third star honors. Rochester head coach John Torchetti was happy with the effort. "I was very pleased with how hard the guys played tonight. Vally was great when he needed to be, especially in the shootout, but I thought we played a very good game tonight. After giving up the early goal we were first on a lot of loose pucks and winning battles. That is what I want to see from our guys. We know we have enough talent to win games, but you have to have that drive and will to make things happen. I thought Mursak was great tonight. Aside from the goal he was creating chances all night for us. If he can play like that consistently he's going to do some big things this year. We don't want to give up too many shorties this year, but we responded well and got a well deserved win tonight."
The Americans will host the talented Binghamton Senators tonight. They will get a boost to the lineup as Johan Harju signed a two-year entry level contract with the Buffalo Sabres following the game and was assigned to Rochester. Felix Schutz will be scratched to make room for Harju.