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Jason Bacashihua added to his franchise record on Friday, picking up his seventh consecutive win in a 4-3 victory over the Rochester Americans at Quicken Loans Arena. By the end of the game, Bacashihua had made 25 saves on 28 shots, not allowing the Americans onto the scoreboard until late in the second period. T.J. Galiardi led the Monsters on the offensive end, recording three points (1G, 2A) on the night. With the victory, the Monsters have won five of their past six games on home ice.

The first period would go by without any score, but Galiardi would notch the first of his three points with his eighth goal of the season at the 5:42 mark of the second period. The three-point performance marked Galiardi’s fourth multi-point game of the season, as the young center has put up four points (1G, 3A) in his past two contests.

With the puck on the half wall, forward Mike McLean threw a puck to the net that Galiardi deflected over the glove of Rochester goalie Mike Brodeur. Aaron MacKenzie picked up the secondary assist on the goal.

Less than six minutes later, forward Chris Mueller would put the Monsters up by two with his fourth goal of the season. Spotting Mueller streaking up the ice, Galiardi chipped the puck off the boards and to the stick of Mueller. Flying down the right side on a partial breakaway, Mueller fired a shot past the low blocker of Brodeur, giving the Monsters a 2-0 lead.

Looking to add to the lead, Randy Rowe put the Monster up 3-0 with his fourth marker of the season less than two minutes after Mueller’s goal, at the 13:03 mark of the second. Standing idle at the top of the faceoff circle, Galiardi one-timed a feed from defenseman Derek Peltier that Rowe deflected over the glove of Brodeur.

Just when it seemed the Monsters were going to run away with the game, David Brine recorded his seventh goal of the season at the 18:32 mark of the second, cutting the Monsters advantage to two. With the puck at the point, Peter Aston fired a slap shot through a Monsters defender that got through to the net. In front of the net, Brine deflected the puck past Bacashihua. Karl Stewart registered the second assist on the goal.

But just as the Americans finished celebrating the goal, Matt Hendricks put the Monsters up by three again, registering his ninth goal of the season 33 seconds after Brine’s marker. With the goal, Hendricks has now put up nine points (5G, 4A) in the past 10 games.

Coming down the right wing with the puck, McLean backhanded a shot to the Rochester net. Kicking it out with his pad, Brodeur put the puck right in the slot for Hendricks, who, in one motion, slapped the puck past the glove of the Americans goalie. With his second assist of the night, McLean picked up his first multi-point game of the season. Defenseman Nigel Williams had the second assist on the goal.

Going into the third down by three, the Americans weren’t going down without a fight. Just 2:12 into the final frame, Stefan Meyer put in his 15th goal of the season, cutting the Monsters lead to two. In front of the net for a Jordan Henry rebound, Meyer fished the puck out of the feet of a Monsters defender and put the puck past a sprawled out Bacashihua.

The lead that was two goals quickly got trimmed to one when Michal Repik notched his 16th goal of the season 44 seconds after Meyer’s tally. From his feet, forward Michael Duco threw the puck in front of the net. Driving the lane, Repik one-timed the feed from Duco past Bacashihua, making it a one-goal game with more than 17 minutes left in regulation time.

But the Monsters would fight off the late surge from the Americans, including the last 70 seconds of the game, when Rochester had an extra attacker.

“Unfortunately the Americans got a quick goal at the start of the third period,” said head coach Joe Sacco. “We had a couple of breakdowns that ended up in the back of our net, but we hung on. It was a good win, and a big two points for us.”

The Monsters turn around 18 hours after Friday night’s puck drop to play the Americans at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Sights and Sounds

T.J. Galiardi Interview   Coach Joe Sacco Interview

Quote, Unquote

"Obviously confidence is a huge thing in the game. Coach has showed a lot of confidence in me, and given me a lot of ice time in all situations. I was lucky enough to have a couple of points tonight and help the team.” - Center T.J. Galiardi