MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -After earning six points with three consecutive wins this past week to move up the North Division standings, the Rochester Americans now have a busy week ahead as the team prepares for a four-game in five-night stretch.

Rochester kicks off the hectic week on Wednesday, October 21^st as the Binghamton Senators come to town for the first time this season. The 7:05 p.m. non-divisional contest will be the first of 10 scheduled meetings between the intra-state rivals this season and will be broadcast live on SportsRadio 1280 WHTK and FM 107.3, Rochester’s Sports Talk. The game will also be televised live on Time Warner Cable SportsNet Channel 26. The game features the return of goaltender Mike Brodeur, who signed with Ottawa during the offseason after playing the latter part of last season with the Amerks. The Amerks are 22-27-5 all-time against the Ottawa Senators’ affiliate.

After having Thursday off, the Amerks take to the road the following night en route to the State capital for a 7:00 p.m. showdown with the East Division Albany River Rats at the Times Union Center. The contest will be the second of four encounters this season between the two teams. Rochester looks to even the season series with the Rats after dropping a 6-1 decision in the first matchup back on October 10^th. The Amerks are 0-1-0-0 this season and 46-42-9 all-time against Albany. The game will be carried live on SportsRadio 1280 WHTK and FM 107.3, Rochester’s Sports Talk.

On Saturday, October 24^th, Rochester will make its first stop of the season at the War Memorial at Oncenter for a 7:30 p.m. battle with the Syracuse Crunch. The game will be the first leg of a home-and-home series between the regional rivals. The Amerks skated past the Crunch with a 4-1 win in the previous get-together on October 12^th at The Blue Cross Arena. The Amerks are 1-0-0-0 this season and 83-75-15 all-time against their arch rivals.

Rochester will return home on Sunday, October 25^th for its second of back-to-back tilts with the Crunch. Opening faceoff is slated for a 5:00 p.m. Fans can tune into to listen live to all the action on SportsRadio 1280 WHTK and FM 107.3, Rochester Sports Talk. The contest will also be televised live on Time Warner Cable SportsNet Channel 26. That night, in the spirit of Halloween, the Amerks will again host their third annual “Sweets in the Suites” promotion, courtesy of BJ’s Wholesale Club. Wear your Halloween costume to the game and receive best-available seating for as low as $10.00.  Kids can trick-or-treat, be selected to carve pumpkins or have a chance to win trick-or-treating with The Amerks Moose or Eagle, R. Thunder. The highlight of the evening is the Best Costume Contests with fan voting selecting the winners. The first contest is for kids ages 5 and under with the winner receiving one hour of trick-or-treating with The Moose on Halloween (Saturday, October 31^st).

The Best Costume winner for kids ages 6-12 will win one hour of trick-or-treating with R. Thunder. Restrictions apply to the Greater Rochester Area. As part of “Sweets in the Suites,” all children can trick-or-treat during the first intermission of the game in the suite level of The Blue Cross Arena. Three people will also be selected to compete in a pumpkin carving contest during the second period. The winner will win an Amerks gift bag.

The game also falls on the first installment of the Amerks Red Hot Sundays, courtesy of Zweigle’s.  This season marks the second season that the Amerks have partnered with Zweigle’s to offer the “Red Hot Sundays” promotion. The promotion allows fans to purchase a Family Four Pack, which includes four hotdogs, four soft drinks and four tickets, for the low price of $44. In conjunction with Savor Catering at The Blue Cross Arena, the Amerks will offer this great promotion to the fans 10 times this season. Packages can be ordered by calling the Amerks office directly and speaking with a ticket sales representative. The phone number is (585) 454-5335. After the game, fans can head down to The Distillery at 1142 Mt. Hope Ave. for the official postgame party.

Rochester (4-1-0-0, nine points) enters the week currently on the heels of a three-game winning streak after posting victories over Syracuse and a pair over Toronto to move within one point of division-leading Manitoba. The Amerks, fueled by second-year forward Michal Repik, have outscored their opponents 13-6 in the last three games and have allowed the second fewest amount of goals in the division. The Amerks are currently tied for second place with the Abbotsford Heat.

Rochester’s three-win week was highlighted by its incredible come-from-behind 4-3 OT win over the Toronto Marlies Saturday afternoon. After earning 4-1 and 5-2 wins over Syracuse and Toronto, respectively, the Amerks fell behind early 3-0 before using four unanswered-goals, including two back-to-back shorthanded, to earn the win. David Brine found the back of the net just three minutes into overtime to give Rochester its third straight win and first one on the road. The game-winner was the second shorthanded tally in as many nights for Brine, who presently leads the American Hockey League in that very category. Brine enters the week presently riding a four-game point streak (3+2). Kenndal McArdle, who skated in his 100^th AHL game at Toronto, contributed three assists and finished the game with a plus-two on-ice rating. Tyler Plante made a season-high 40 saves between the pipes to collect his second win this season.

The last time the Amerks rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the game was on November 9, 2007 at Hamilton. Down 4-0 late in the second period, the Amerks scored one before the period expired and three in the third to force overtime and ultimately defeat the Bulldogs 5-4 in a shootout.

Repik, who jumpstarted the rally with a pair of goals, notched two points in each of Rochester’s three wins this past week to establish his first point streak of the season. Repik enters the week as the Amerks’ leader in goals (5) and points (8). He also currently ranks tied for fifth in overall points and tied for second in goals in the AHL.

Teammate Jeff Taffe is tied for third in the league with four goals. Jason Garrison and Jamie Johnson share a team-high four assists, while Garrison and defenseman Clay Wilson remain Rochester’s top scoring defensemen with five points each. McArdle is first on the team and tied for first in the league with 36 penalty minutes. Rookie goaltender Alexander Salak shows a 2-0-0-0 record with 72 saves in just three games. His 2.35 goals-against average and .923 save percentage currently rank him 15^th and 13^th among league netminders, respectively.

AMERKS WEEKLY SCHEDULE
DAY                                                     TIME                                        LOCATION
Monday, October 19^th                         10:00 a.m. practice                 Blue Cross Arena
                                                            7:00 p.m. reading                   Rochester Public Library
Tuesday, October 20^th                         10:00 a.m. practice                 Blue Cross Arena
Wednesday, October 21^st                    10:00 a.m. gameday skate     Blue Cross Arena
                                                            7:05 p.m. vs. Binghamton       Blue Cross Arena
Thursday, October 22^nd                                10:00 a.m. practice                 Blue Cross Arena
Friday, October 23^rd                            7:00 p.m. @ Albany                Times Union Center
Saturday, October 24^th                        7:30 p.m. @ Syracuse             War Memorial at Oncenter
Sunday, October 25^th                          5:00 p.m. vs. Syracuse            Blue Cross Arena

Commissioner Bud Selig shaved drug suspensions of players and broke the rules of MLB. Will Manny Ramirez and three others do a year? What will happen to dozens of minor league players whose records, teams, and leagues are affected? Read the whole story at SZ ( www.mlnsports.com).