GAME RECAP: Rockers at Elmira River Sharks 11/24/23

After falling in overtime to Watertown on Thanksgiving Eve, the Motor City Rockers looked to get back on track against another New York division rival as they traveled to Elmira for another weekend set with the River Sharks. These two teams just faced each other three weeks ago with a pair of games at First Arena, with Elmira winning the first match in a shootout 3-2 before Motor City got revenge the next night in a 4-1 victory. 

The first period belonged to the goaltenders as Elmira's Spencer Kozlowski turned aside all twelve shots he faced, while his counterpart, Motor City's Trevor Babin, snuffed out all fourteen Elmira shots, as well as shutting down two power plays by the River Sharks. 

The second period belonged to the Rockers, in particular leading scorer Scott Coash, but it was Elmira who would actually strike first. On the powerplay, Darius Davidson drove to the net and beat Babin on a backhand shot for his first goal of the season at 3:15 from Cameron Yarwood and Steven Klinck to put the Sharks up 1-0. Things turned around at the 9:22 mark when Yarwood coughed the puck up at his own blueline, stripped by Jamie Milam who sent Coash in on a clear breakaway and he put it right through the five-hole on Kozlowski to even it at one. It would be Coash again at 15:03 to break the tie as Elmira had trouble clearing their zone. Mike Winn picked it up near the blueline and sent it toward the net where it rebounded to Coash for his team leading seventh goal of the season. Declan Conway drew the other assist on the play. Then just over a minute later, the Rockers struck again on a beautifully set up goal. After a near chance in the Motor City end, Nick Magill-Diaz carried it up ice, dropped the puck to Jonathan Juliano who fed TJ Delaney coming in late and he had a wide open net to deposit the puck into for his first goal of the season and first as a Rocker at 16:10 for the 3-1 lead after two periods. Motor City out-shot Elmira 18-8 in the period as they controlled play after falling behind.

That set up a third period where Motor City had to protect a two goal lead, and that has been an issue in each of the three games they went on to drop in overtime or the shootout this season. That pattern of giving up leads late in the game appeared to be rearing its ugly head at the 8:27 mark when the newly acquired Steven Klinck, who assisted on the first Elmira goal, got his first as a River Shark and second of the season from Houston Wilson and Nick Gullo to make it 3-2. It was just a perfect shot that handcuffed Babin. However, on this night the Rockers were able to shut the door and hold on to close out the 3-2 victory, despite being out-shot 12-9 in the period. Strong goaltending from Babin, disciplined defensive play, and a late powerplay all contributed to the victory.

With the win, Motor City improves to 7-0-3 on the season, good for 23 points, and still undefeated in regulation time. The Rockers are six points back of first place Binghamton after the Black Bears had to settle for two points in a shootout win over Danbury Friday night.  These same two teams will be back at it again tonight at 6:07 PM in the final meeting of the season at First Arena. It won't be the last the two Empire Division squads will see of each other though, as the River Sharks will be visiting Fraser twice this month, right before the Christmas break.