By LIAM HOFFMANN
BELLEVILLE, O.N. — The Rochester Amerks capped a season-long five-game road trip with a fourth straight win, downing the Belleville Senators. Team goal-leaders forwards Isak Rosén and Brett Murray netted two apiece through two periods before Rochester came out on top 8-2. In all, the Amerks’ power-play was 3-of-6. Entering the day, Rochester’s 15.0 percent power-play was tied for 26th best in the AHL.
Rosén and Murray each extended their goal count to 11 on the season. Murray’s eight power-play goals are the most in the AHL. In the third period, Viktor Neuchev knocked in two goals and snapped a scoring drought since Nov. 8th in a 6-3 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Forward Riley Fiddler-Schultz made his season debut for Rochester late last month. Tonight, he scored a second-period goal that lengthened his point streak to three.
Defenseman Kale Clague’s third-period power-play goal was his second in as many games. He now has six on the season toward 15 points (6+9).
After a week since his last appearance, Amerks goalie Felix Sandström (4-4-1) earned the win with 29 saves against 31 shots faced.
Four Amerks recorded two assists: Forwards Lukas Rousek and rookie Konsta Helenius, as well as defensemen Zachary Metsa and Nikita Novikov.
Rosén took only eleven minutes to score two goals and put Rochester up 2-0. With five minutes gone, Rousek and Helenius assisted on Rosén’s right-dot power-play one-timer. Six minutes later, defenseman Colton Poolman’s one-time try was redirected in by Rosén.
The third-year winger ended with three points (2+1) and, in 23 games played this year, leads Rochester with 23 points (11+12).
After entering the frame up 2-1, the Amerks scored three unanswered second-period goals. Muray netted Rochester’s second power-play conversion halfway through the second before another goal seven minutes later. Fiddler-Schultz scored between the two.
Rosén and defenseman Ethan Prow assisted on the man-up goal. Forwards Ty Tullio, Tyson Kozak and Josh Dunn plus defenseman Kale Clague added helpers in the period.
Down 6-1 around eight minutes into the third, Belleville defenseman Jeremy Davies, a former Amerk, narrowed the gap with a goal. Then, Clague cashed in a power-play goal assisted by Rousek.
Rochester will return home having won six of the last seven. The Amerks, now trailing the Cleveland Monsters by two points for first in the North Division, will next play a pair of home contests against the Syracuse Crunch. Puck-drop in game one on Wednesday is slated for 7:05 P.M. at Blue Cross Arena.
Can’t remember too many games where 3 players each scored 2 goals for the same team. Thats pretty neat! Amerks have looked sharp the last 4 games.
Now on to the insanity that is the Buffalo Sabres. Why in the world are they calling up Levi? Have they forgotten why he is here? Do they think he will stop the 9 game losing streak? (spoiler…he didn’t. He allowed 4. It hasn’t been the goalies that have been to blame for the losing streak but messing with both UPL and Levi like this is definitely a hallmark of an organization that has no clue.)
Levi needs the time here to learn, improve gain confidence and play in a winning atmosphere. UPL signed the big contract so the Sabres continue to second guess him. If he needs a night off, thats why they signed Reimer. Instead they mess with Levi and keep sending no-confidence messages to UPL.
Amazing stuff. But we shouldn’t be all that surprised. It is hoped that the nonsense stops and Levi is back here Wednesday wearing the Crest. Its really hard to have much respect for how the Sabres do things.
(disclaimer…we are just fans. We pay for our tickets. We get to say pretty much what we want….within reason of course. The way they are handling their goalies is nuts.
Ted I agree 100%. With Levi this team is a powerhouse and I believe has all the ingredients to win a championship a very serious threat possibly even a favorite to beat any team in this conference, including Hershey. A big difference in this years team compared to the past few years is much improved defense which usually shows in limiting the shots against unlike the last couple years. Houser and Sandstrom have been good at times, Houser probably slightly better and more consistent but Levi is a clear upgrade which makes the Amerks very hard to beat! Let’s hope he’s back sooner then later, he needs a full year here in a winning environment being in Buffalo with all the toxicity will not help his development