39-year old Greece native Brian Gionta helped draw nearly 10,000 fans to the Blue Cross Arena and scored a goal that brought the house down in a 4-2 loss to Toronto.

Playing on a line with Alex Nylander and Kevin Porter, Gionta gave the Amerks a 2-1 lead in the second as Porter sent him on a breakaway. The veteran calmly switched to the backhand and buried it for his first Amerks goal. The Amerks partisan started chanting USA, sending an electricity through the building.

Arvin Atwal scored his first Amerks goal 49 seconds before Gionta's goal to tie game, the Marlies scoring the last three.

Gionta will captain Team USA in the Olympics which start next weekend in Korea.