ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Elmira Aviators (19-24-5-4) roared back to take down the Rochester Jr. Americans (36-16-1-0) 6-3 at the Rochester Ice Center Tuesday night.
The Aviators stumbled out of the gate in the first period, going down 2-0 and being outshot 25-7 in the opening 20 minutes. Due to injuries and illness, Elmira was forced to dress just 18 skaters and use an emergency backup goaltender for Tuesday’s tilt.
However, the Aviators were not deterred and returned from the locker room fired up for the second period.
Forechecking and forcing turnovers became the theme for Elmira. The purple and black constantly pounced on Rochester’s mistakes from the second period onward.
Ben Taylor got the party started with a snipe off the back bar from the right-wing circle. The Aviators won a board battle in the near corner, and Taylor shot the puck out of a cannon to put Elmira on the board.
Taylor now has goals in back-to-back games and three across his first 10 NAHL games.
The purple and black got back on level terms thanks to another Rochester turnover and a sweet shot from Evan Dantas.
Dantas had an assist on Taylor’s score and added an empty net goal just before the third period horn to make it a three-point night. In eight career games against the Jr. Americans, Dantas has six goals and seven assists.
Elmira grabbed its first lead 29 seconds into the third period.
The Aviator’s third line put the Jr. Americans in a blender, and this time it was former Rochester forward Corson Maguire finishing off the move with a sharp-angle snipe to make it 3-2 Aviators.
Maguire added two assists for a three-point night, continuing to haunt his former squad. In four games against the Jr. Americans, Maguire has four goals and five assists.
The Aviators made it four unanswered with another notable goal. Max Festa, in his second career game, stole the puck and then undressed the Rochester goaltender with a forehand-backhand move for his first NAHL goal.
The Jr. Americans pulled one back to make it 4-3 Elmira late in the third, but the Aviators fired right back 43 seconds later.
Maguire set up Max Campbell on a two-on-one to reestablish Elmira’s multi-goal lead. Campbell had an excellent game, forechecking and creating problems for the Rochester back line.
Dantas would put the exclamation point on the victory with an empty net score just before the final horn.
The story of Elmira’s win can’t be told without mentioning the goaltending of Jake Shingles.
Coming off his first career NAHL shutout, a 23-save performance against Philadelphia, Shingles was given the nod Tuesday night. The Allentown native made a career-high 46 saves, many keeping his team in it when they were down early.
The Aviators will try to keep the good times rolling with a trip to Maine this weekend. Game 1 at Norway Saving Bank Arena is Friday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. Game 2 is Saturday, March 21, at 7 p.m.
Fans can stream the action on NATV or listen live on WINGZ93.
Mac Young is the play-by-play voice of the Elmira Aviators. To contact him, email [email protected].