Down two goals with just over 10 minutes remaining, the Hamilton Bulldogs staged an impressive comeback on Saturday night and defeated the Rochester Americans, 4-3, in a game televised across Canada on Sportsnet ONE and TVA Sports.
Blake Geoffrion scored twice including the game-winner, and Brendan Gallagher added a goal and an assist for the host Bulldogs.
Rochester opened a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by rookie forward Brian Flynn in the second period. Flynn one-timed a pass from Marcus Foligno home at 2:38 of the second, and beat goalie Robert Mayer from the left-wing circle at 12:28.
Geoffrion got the Bulldogs on the board at 9:42 of the third, poking a loose puck home past Rochester goalie Connor Knapp, who was making his professional debut. Gallagher then banged home a rebound at 12:04 to tie the game, and Hamilton grabbed the lead for the first time when Mike Blunden tipped in a shot from Nathan Beaulieu on a power play at 13:54. For Beaulieu, a first-round draft pick by Montreal in 2011, it was his first professional point.
Geoffrion’s second goal of the period, and Hamilton’s fourth goal in a span of 5:19, gave the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead with just under five minutes remaining. Rochester pulled back to within one when Nick Tarnasky scored at 16:22, but could not get the equalizer.
Mayer (24 saves) improved to 4-1-1 on the season as Hamilton extended its points streak to four games (2-0-1-1). Knapp finished with 30 saves; David Leggio saw his streak of 35 consecutive starts in net for Rochester (regular season and playoffs) end.
