ROCHESTER, Minn. – The Grizzlies just keep finding new ways to win games. This was the first overtime of the season for Rochester and it ended in dramatic fashion as Matt DeRosa scored his third goal, and game winner, to lead the Grizzlies to a 7-6 victory over the Breezy Point North Stars.
This marks the eighth win in a row now for Rochester (8-1-0-0), despite blowing a 5-1 lead at one point.
“I think we get a little individual at times and that’s when we get into trouble. Our ‘D’ were stepping up when we really didn’t have to,” Grizzlies head coach Casey Mignone said. “It’s good to be able to nit-pick and still win.”
Lukas Newman opened the scoring for the Grizzlies at the 5:26 mark of the first, with an unassisted goal. That lead would hold until James Curran would tie the game up late in the first. This would be the second straight game Rochester and Breezy Point would go into the first intermission tied at one.
The second period would blow wide open for both teams, with a combined eight goals. Last night’s game saw no goals in the second period.
Rochester would open the period with three straight goals, two from DeRosa and one from Richard Szabo, who scored a highlight-reel goal.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do. The puck came up through the middle and I took it, and I saw a chance to score,” Szabo said.
The North Stars would respond shortly afterwards as Dustin Sadler would make it a 4-2 game. Not too long after, Dylan Svoboda would score his first of the year to increase the lead for Rochester. Breezy Point would add two more in the second before Szabo would add a late power play goal, making it a 6-4 lead for the Grizzlies and giving the momentum back to Rochester.
“Hockey’s a game of momentum. One team will get up and then they’ll come right back at you. It’s all about managing your mistakes and coming back harder,” DeRosa said.
Breezy Point would score two goals in the third period, completing a rather impressive comeback, tying the game up at six.
The game would head to overtime where it would complete the Matt DeRosa Show, as he scored his third to give the Grizzlies a dramatic overtime win.
“We do a lot of three-on-three line rushes…It’s all about setting up a triangle. I was going to drive wide and Vlad was going to the net and we had a third guy high. I just saw the back door open and slid it across,” DeRosa said.
This marks another impressive weekend for the Grizzlies, who have had four straight weekend sweeps and an eight game win streak.
“To win a couple games in a row is nice. When you get to eight, it’s impressive. Good teams will find a way even when we’re not playing our best,” Mignone said.
Rochester is back home Friday Oct. 19 taking on the New Ulm Steel for the first time this season. Puck drop is set for 7:05.