Recap: Elmira Aviators on Nov. 15 and 16
It was a strange weekend for both squads as the NAHL’s two New York teams battled for the first time and each team left with a pair of points. The Rochester Jr. Americans won the first game 6–3, but dropped game two 6–0.
In game one, forward Adam Gionta struck in the first period to give the home squad the first lead of the contest before forward Hugo Branthsson extended the lead five minutes into the second frame. Elmira was not deterred, though, as they cut the lead in half 12 seconds after Branthsson’s goal and tied the game at two a few minutes later.
Fortunately for the Jr. Amerks, the Aviators got called for too many men as the period ticked down and Rochester capitalized, taking the lead on a goal from forward Nick Reif and held onto the lead the rest of the way.
An eventful third period saw three more Rochester goals from forwards Owen King, JC Humphreys and Landon Brownlee, respectively, while the Aviators added one to make the final score 6–3 in favor of the home team. Six goals tied a season high for the team while the 40 shots on goal were the most since a 47-shot performance at the NAHL Showcase.
In game two, the Jr. Amerks streak of 11 straight contests scoring first was finally broken as Elmira notched the first goal and never looked back. For just the second time in franchise history — and the first time at home — the Jr. Amerks were held scoreless, falling 6–0 despite outshooting Elmira 37–36 and having five powerplay chances.
Despite the final score, there were still moments to be proud of. The team never stopped trying, outshooting Elmira in the third period despite being down 4–0 at the start, and the team showed its fighting spirit literally with a pair of brawls breaking out. The Jr. Amerks now have to forget and reset before the upcoming home contest with the Northeast Generals.
Preview: Northeast Generals on Nov. 22 and 23
WHEN: Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m. | Nov. 23 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Rochester Ice Center | Fairport, NY
PROMOTIONS: Nov. 22 – Dollar Dogs | Nov. 23 – Military Appreciation Night
WATCH: NAHL.tv
FOLLOW: @JrAmerksNAHL
History
These two teams have a storied rivalry already. The Jr. Amerks hold a 6–2–0 advantage in the regular season along with a 2–0–0 record in the postseason, but more than anything, these teams love to fight. In their first-ever matchup last season, the teams combined for 153 penalty minutes and 13 power plays. Rochester’s 85 PIM still stands as the team’s highest single-game total. And, of course, it was one of the most exciting games of the season as the Generals mounted a 3-goal comeback before the Jr. Amerks won in overtime.
Military Appreciation Night on Saturday
For the second year in a row, the Jr. Amerks host the Northeast Generals on their Military Appreciation Night. The team will wear special commemorative jerseys and all ticket revenue will be donated to Fairport Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Dyke, Gionta break streaks in shutout
Forwards Jaden Dyke and Adam Gionta have been playing great hockey over the past few weeks and had sizeable points streaks going on, though both were broken during the shutout loss last Saturday. Dyke was on six straight appearances with one assist while Gionta had scored points in five consecutive and in 11 of his last 12. One streak ending just means another can begin, so keep an eye out for key players this weekend.
Acquisitions proving valuable
Most of this season’s roster started the season with Rochester, but a pair of midseason trade acquisitions have already had an impact on the team. Forwards Wyatt Stefan and Nick Reif, formerly of the Danbury Hat Tricks and Aberdeen Wings respectively, have combined for 12 points this year. Reif scored his third goal in six games against Elmira, a productive stretch for the forward who notched just one assist in seven games prior to the trade.
Special teams may need more
The Jr. Amerks penalty kill has been admirable this season, hovering just above 83%. For much of last season, that mark was far lower before improving to 81% by the end of the season, so it is a much-needed improvement. They have allowed zero powerplay goals in nearly as many games as they have allowed one and boast a record of 6–2–1 when they have a perfect performance. Their powerplay, however, is not as good. They were one of the top teams last season with a man up, but this year they sit at 16.8%. They are 4–3–2 when they fail to score on the powerplay, so it has definitely made an impact this year, but time will tell if it will start to tick upwards.
Generals cannot stay clean
If there is one team the Jr. Amerks can get more powerplay practice against, it might just be the Northeast Generals. In 22 games, they have tallied a league-high 486 PIM, over 30 more than the closest team. They also have a forward, Jack Demoura, who is one of three players to have already reached 100 PIM on the season. The bad news? Their penalty kill is only slightly lower than the Jr. Amerks’, sitting at 82%, and they have scored more shorthanded goals, five, than any other team this year.
