By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
It would be pretty easy to say goalie Devon Levi is the biggest reason the Rochester Americans have already hit the 30-win plateau.
Going into the weekend, the second-year goaltender ranked second in the American Hockey League in goals-against average and seventh in save percentage. Chants of LEE-VI, LEE-VI have become a staple of Amerk games at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial this season.
But no one is infallible, no one is immune to an off night. Or two.
Levi was just so-so in Friday’s 5-1 loss to the Syracuse Crunch – when the Amerks showed little compete as a team – and struggled even more on Sunday in a 5-2 home loss to the Laval Rocket.
He allowed four goals on only 11 shots and, for the first time as an Amerk, was pulled because of substandard play. Michael Hauser took over with 4:19 remaining in the second period.
“I gave him a pat because it was probably on us, not really on him,” Amerks captain Mason Jobst said. “We all go through periods of ups and downs. Guys are here to figure things out.”
Thus, the showdown for first place in the North Division – played in front of 7,124 Kids Day fans – ended with Laval regaining the top spot by a point, 65-64. Idle since playing on Wednesday night, the Rocket improved to 31-12-2-1 by defeating an Amerks team (30-14-3-1) playing for the third time in three nights.
Still, the Amerks said fatigue wasn’t a big factor.
“The energy was really high for what was on the line,” Jobst said. “That was our best game of the weekend (which also included a 4-3 overtime win at Utica on Saturday). We didn’t get the result but compete-wise it was our best game.”
When the tank isn’t full, however, mistakes are magnified. Playing a disciplined, smart game is critical.
“In a game like that where the goalie gets pulled, you always look at the goalie,” Leone said. “But there’s five other guys on the ice too. Sure, would he have probably liked to have two or three of them back? Absolutely.
“But we turn over the puck on the third goal. The first goal we’re not on the right side of the puck. The margin for error is really small when you play three-in-three.”
Early errors cost the Amerks, with the Rocket scoring twice in the first 3:12 to take an almost instant 2-0 lead. Alex Barre-Boulet – who else? – fired home a one-timer from the top of the left circle at 1:25 after Sean Farrell ducked away from Anton Wahlberg on the left-wing boards. It was Barre-Boutlet’s 11th goal of the season and 21st in 67 career games against the Amerks.
Florian Zhekaj extended the lead to 2-0 at 3:12 off a quick-developing two-on-two fast break out of the Laval zone. He was allowed to angle into the high slot before firing a wrister that hit Levi’s glove but, instead of going in the webbing, dropped into the net at 3:12.
The shot came from a Grade-A spot, as Jobst pointed out, but it’s also a shot Levi usually stops.
The Amerks managed to pull even. Jack Rathbone’s goal at 10:50 of the first period off Ryan Johnson’s across-the-crease feed cut the deficit to 2-1.
Jobst then tied the score at 2:11 of the second period with a defection at the right edge of the crease. It was actually the second redirect of Ethan Prow’s point shot; Wahlberg got his stick on it at the top of the right circle before it changed direction again on the Jobst tip.
That’s when the Amerks needed their goalie to be the goalie he has been all season. Instead, a pair of fairly nothing plays turned into goals.
Owen Beck scored at 9:13 after Levi misplayed Joshua Roy’s far-from-dangerous soft toss from the right of the crease. Levi, one of three Amerks selected to play in the AHL All-Star Classic two weeks ago, was unable to cover it, the puck bobbled free, Tyler Wotherspoon swatted it across the crease and Beck had an open-net tap-in.
Beck scored again just 6:28 later. This time he flipped the puck on goal from the right side of the crease and it hit Levi’s right leg and slithered in five-hole. That was the end of his day. He ended the weekend eighth in the AHL in GAA (2.36) and 11th in save percentage (.911).
“I just thought he struggled,” Leone said. “Just the feel of the game. We tied it 2-2; I think we gave up nine shots at the time.”
Levi had been pulled twice during his time with the parent Buffalo Sabres, in November of last season against Boston (after allowing five goals on 18 shots) and in December of last season against Columbus (four goals on 18 shots).
“Dev’s been a rock-star for us all year but it happens, everyone has bad nights,” Leone said. “Sometimes you lose games and the goalie either gets recognized for how well he plays or how poor he plays, but it’s not on Dev.”
Houser allowed one goal on 12 shots over his 24:19 of play as the Amerks slid back into second place.
“The whole weekend felt like playoffs,” Amerks forward Tyson Kozak said. “That was a good learning experience for our team.”
You expect Levi’s teammates to stand up for him. anything else would be unacceptable. So as a fan I take their comments with a huge grain of disappearing salt.
However, Amerks had a bad weekend. And so did their allstar goalie. they never once had the lead in regulation in any of the 3 games and literally stole their only win Saturday night, when they played just as bad if not worse than they did in their no-show against the Crunch.
On Saturday with the score 3-2 Utica in the 3rd, Sandstrom made a great save on a Comet breakaway which could have made it 4-2 and stuck the dagger into a struggling Amerks team. it was said ‘remember that save if Amerks do manage to come back and tie this game’.
Thats how a goalie rallies and inspires his teammates. Levi does that a lot, which is why Amerks are vying for 1st place. This past weekend, he did not. He surrendered 8 goals in two home losses. Sunday when they really needed him most, it was 2-0 Laval before many many fans made it to their seats. Coach knew Levi didn’t have it so it was no surprise that he got pulled. One can (and usually does) have an excuse to cover the goalie for every goal allowed, but sometimes you just have to admit, the goalie didn’t do his job.
Sunday, it seemed like an unfair fight. Laval was totally rested and ready while Amerks were playing their 4th game in 5 1/2 days. Still for the first 30 minutes Amerks were the better team. They had quite an edge in time of possession, but the problem was they missed out on far too many golden opportunities. And that energizes the bad guys. Add to that Amerks were playing from behind…again, and it finally caught up with them.
Levi will bounce back. He always does. But on this weekend, he was less than so-so. He looked more like Marcus Ketterer (remember him guys?) This season it has been rare for the guys to play 3 stinkers in a row. So time to regroup, reset, and get back on the saddle. All of them. While i’m not ignoring the comeback win in OT, i’m also not ignoring that they played like losers for all but the last 4 1/2 minutes.
We can be critical because this isn’t a squad going thru the motions of a mediocre season. These guys are contenders, who didn’t play like it. More is expected. they know that.