Motor City Rockers Fall to Elmira in game 1, 3-2, in Shootout

ELMIRA, NY — For the second consecutive weekend the Motor City Rockers found themselves in a shootout, and for the second weekend in a row, the Rockers lost via the shootout. 

The Riversharks Nick Gullo earned the only goal in the post-regulation skills competition to power Elmira to a 3-2 win over the Rockers on Friday night at First Arena.

Nick Magill-Diaz, Scott Coash, and Pavel Svintsov failed to score for the Rockers, and Brett Parker Martin Moucha was also held goalless in the shootout. 

The Rockers took the lead in the first period on the man advantage.

Brad Reitter held the puck in the far side circle after collecting the puck from Svintsov at the point. Reitter moved the puck back up to the point where Jaime Milam fired a shot on the net. Svintsov chipped the rebound over the glove of Spencer Kozlowski for his first power-play goal of the season - third overall with 13:50 to play in the first period. 

The Riversharks thought it tied the score in the second period, as Rasmus Asp fired a shot that appeared to go under the crossbar from a shallow angle on the near side. A goal light went on, but no goal was called, and Elmira had a 5-on-3 for 15 seconds.

After the Rockers killed the 5-on-3 and faced a normal 5-on-4, the Riversharks got its power-play goal off the stick of Nick Gullo who fired a sharp rebound from point-blank range that tied the score at 1-1 with 4:37 into the second period. 

The Rockers regained the lead, 2-1, late in the middle frame when Reitter recovered the puck deep in the offensive zone and fed it to Svintsov in the nearside circle. Svintsov drew three defenders as he feathered a pass to Danny Vanderwiel at the far side post for Vanderwiel’s third of the season with 1:50 to play in the second period. 

With under two minutes left to play in the third period, the Riversharks defensemen Kona Jackson fired a hard shot from the point that was deflected in front of Trevor Babin by Luke Richards. The puck went through Babin’s five holes for the tying 2-2 goal.

Motor City has still earned at least a point in all five games played this season as it holds onto first place with 10 points in the Continental division with Columbus idle this weekend. 

The Rockers and Riversharks will square off again on Saturday night at First Arena at 6:05 pm.