Amerks leave Rats Feeling Blue

The Rochester Americans, who will host a game on blue-shaded ice at HSNBC Arena in Buffalo on Sunday, downed the Albany River Rats 5-3 in Rochester Friday night.

The Rats let slip away leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the second and a 3-2 early in the third period as Rochester scored three unanswered goals off of Scott Clemmensen and the Devils top farm-club. Clemmensen stopped 34 of 39 shots. The Rats counted with 33 shots.

Brian Gionta, a Rochester native, played his first game for Albany this season and earned an assist. Rookie sensation Zach Parise also had an assist, his 36 of the season, for his 50th point. The River Rats goals were scored by Ahren Nittel, his 20th, Pascal Rheaume, his 22nd, and Aleksander Suglobov, his 21st.

BOXSCORE (http://www.pointstreak.com/framed/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid=140141&refresh=1)

I don't want to start anything but Albany has some cheap players. Shultz, Voros. It was apparant when they were down 1 goal with 5 minutes left that they had no intention on tying the game and just wanted to cheapshot.

I don't want to start anything but Albany has some cheap players. Shultz, Voros. It was apparant when they were down 1 goal with 5 minutes left that they had no intention on tying the game and just wanted to cheapshot.How about hometown hero Brian Gionta, eh?

You know what I always say? "Stanley Cups not Calder Cups!"

Gionta looked very good, actually. Not bad for someone who hasn't played in a while.

I don't want to start anything but Albany has some cheap players. Schultz, Voros.

I won't argue with that. There's a reason they're both pushing 200 pims, and it's not because they're particularly great fighters. (I'll probably catch some flack for saying that, but oh well.)

Anyways...good luck to your Amerks in the playoffs. Must be nice to follow an AHL team that does so well year after year.

We have enough good knuckle chuckers. Skrlac is top 10 in the league. Janssen is a top middle weight in the league while Schultz and Clouthier can handle themselves. Thats not including Hale, Brooks, Voros and DeMarchi.