Maxim Lapierre (pictured) scored twice to help Hamilton roll to a 6-2 win over Rochester at Copps Coliseum, ending the Amerks’ season and advancing to the North Division Finals with a 4-games-to-2 series win.
With the scored knotted at 2-2 entering the final period, defenseman Ryan O’Byrne tallied for Hamilton, who scored four unanswered to wrap up the series.
Carey Price, who earned his first professional victory earlier in the month, stopped 27 of 29 shots to earn his first playoff series win for Hamilton.
Corey Locke led the Bulldogs again with a goal and two assists on the night, while teammates Kyle Chipchura and Eric Manlow also provided goals in the victory. Locke had five goals and eight points in the series with Rochester.
Timo Helbling and Clarke MacArthur tallied in the loss for Rochester.
Hamilton will play the winner of the Grand Rapids-Manitoba series in the North Division final. The Griffins take a 3-2 series lead into Sunday’s Game 6.
