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Published Saturday February 25, 2006 Moss, Knights edge Rochester
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The way the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights are playing on the road these days, they probably wouldn't mind extending their longest road trip of the season.

David Moss scored in his fifth straight game and the Knights won for the seventh time in eight tries Friday night, beating Rochester 3-2 in American Hockey League action. Omaha, which played with only five defensemen for the second straight game, finishes its five-game stretch away from Civic Auditorium tonight in Toronto.

Omaha played without defenseman Richie Regehr, who sat out against the Americans (26-26-1-2) with the flu. But Knights coach Ryan McGill said everybody in an Omaha uniform stepped up.

"We did a really good job of not giving their power play great opportunities," McGill said. "But the way we played tonight, everybody chipped in and gave us what was needed."

Derek Couture gave the Knights the lead 5:41 into the game when he one-timed Justin Taylor perfect pass through the slot, beating Rochester goalie Jean-Marc Pelletier (20 saves).

The Americans tied it less than two minutes later on Matt Hendrick's goal, but Moss - the game's No. 1 star - put Omaha on top to stay with his 17th of the season. Defenseman Steve Bancroft started the effort by picking off a neutral-zone pass and fed Ajay Baines, who skated down the right wing, put on the brakes and found Moss, who hammed the pass between Pelletier's legs.

Zenith Komarniski, who assisted on Omaha's first goal, gave the Knights a two-goal lead with an empty-netter with 1:16 remaining. Rochester's Nathan Paetsch finished the scoring by beating Brent Krahn with two seconds left.

Krahn stopped 20 of Rochester's 22 shots in earning his 17th win of the season.

Omaha (25-24-2-7).........................1 1 1-3
At Rochester (26-26-1-2).........................1 0 1-2
• First period-Omaha, Couture (Taylor, Komarniski), 5:41; Rochester, Hendricks (Novotny, MacArthur), 7:04.
• Second period-Omaha, Moss (Baines, Bancroft), 4:55.
• Third period-Omaha, Komarniski (en) (unass.), 18:44; Rochester, Paetsch (Thorburn, Mancari), 19:58.
• Shots on goal-Omaha 6-7-6-19; Rochester 8-7-7-22.
• Power plays-Omaha 0-4; Rochester 0-4.
• Goalies-Omaha, Krahn (22 shots, 20 saves, 60:00); Rochester, Pelletier (18 shots, 16 saves, 59:33).
• Penalties-Omaha 5/10 minutes; Rochester 5/10 minutes.
• Three stars-1. Moss (O); 2. Krahn (O); 3. Hendricks (R).
• Attend.-7,428.

• KNIGHTS NOTES: McGill did not expect Regehr to dress for tonight's game in Toronto. . . . The loss was Rochester's sixth straight. . . . While Omaha's power play is ranked 14th in the AHL, its penalty killing is now up to No. 5. . . . While the Knights played seven of the 10 games in February on the road, they will play nine of 12 in March at the Civic. In April, they play six of nine on the road - including five straight to finish the season.

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