Toronto defeats Rochester 5-4

(amerks.com) – Despite a two-goal effort from veteran forward Akim Aliu, the Rochester Americans fell to the Toronto Marlies 5-4 Friday night in Schomberg, Ontario in the first of two preseason match-ups between the two clubs.

 
Dan Catenacci and Jordan Samuels-Thomas added goals for the Amerks, with Tim Schaller, William Carrier, Brady Austin, Jerome Leduc, and Nick Petrecki all adding assists. Andrey Makarov started in net for Rochester.
 
Spencer Machacek finished with two goals for the Marlies, while Eric KnodelConnor Brown, and Trevor Smith also scored.  
 
Toronto opened the scoring 6:28 into the first period on the power-play when Brown banged home a rebound. The Marlies would add another goal later in the first period on a wrap-around play finished by Machacek, making the score 2-0 in favor of Toronto.
 
The Amerks responded with their first goal of the preseason 4:35 into the second period off the stick of Catenacci, who deflected Schaller’s shot into the Toronto goal. Rochester then capitalized on a power-play opportunity just 2:51 later when Aliu tipped in Austin’s shot. However, Toronto answered on a five-on-three power-play chance with Smith on the finishing end to provide a 3-2 Marlies lead. Toronto added some insurance with just 1.3 seconds left in the middle frame with Knodel finishing on a late chance. 
 
Rochester appeared to score its third goal early in the final period, but the play was waved off after the net was knocked out of place. Just moments after the disallowed goal, the Marlies bounced back to score their fifth goal on Machacek’s second tally of the evening. Desperately needing a goal, Samuels-Thomas grabbed a rebound off a shot from Petrecki and scored Rochester’s second power-play goal of the night, bringing the Amerks within two goals. Aliu scored his second power-play goal for the Amerks late in final period, but the Marlies held on late to secure the 5-4 win.