Although they have remained in first over the last few weeks, the Amerks have been unable to continue a lengthy winning stretch. In the last two weeks, they have won only two of their last five games and would need a successful week to continue staying at the top of their division, especially with every game coming against divisional foes.
| # |  Top Scorers | GP | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | J.S. Dea | 57 | 15 | 24 | 39 |
| 17 | Sean Malone | 58 | 12 | 18 | 30 |
| 22 | Zach Redmond | 59 | 5 | 25 | 30 |
| 15 | Andrew Oglevie | 55 | 15 | 14 | 29 |
| 19 | C.J. Smith | 50 | 12 | 15 | 27 |
December 31: @ Utica (L 3-2)
The game began with the Amerks outshooting Utica in the first period, doubling the Comets shot total, and a Taylor Leier goal, his fourth of the year, gave Rochester a one-goal lead after 20 minutes of play.
Taylor Leier from Porter and Wilson. #Amerks up 1-0. pic.twitter.com/1mMduzzSQN
— LGA585 (formerly LetsGoAmerks) (@LGA585) December 31, 2019
Utica was able to bounce back in the second, with Brogan Rafferty tying the game on the power-play, which was then followed near the period’s conclusion with Wacey Hamilton scoring with 38 seconds remaining in the second, as Utica held a 2-1 lead at the second intermission.
Taylor Leier ties up 2-2! Power play goal tip in front of the net. Assists to Redmond and Pilut. pic.twitter.com/JJV4pzaqXG
— LGA585 (formerly LetsGoAmerks) (@LGA585) January 1, 2020
At 7:32 of the third, Leier scored his second of the night, once again with the man advantage, and evened the game at 2. However, it was former Amerk Justin Bailey who scored the game-winner with another power-play goal, as Utica won 3-2 at home over the Amerks, despite a 35-18 edge in shots. Special teams were key in this game, with each team scoring two PPGs, and Hammond made the start in net for Rochester, earning only 15 saves in the game. As the team continues their road trip, a win is needed to gain momentum.
January 3: @ Belleville (W 4-3)
After falling to Rochester in their previous matchup, Belleville got off to a fast start, starting with a lead in shots, and Josh Norris scoring nearly halfway through the first gave the Senators a lead after the opening period. However, the Amerks responded with two periods where they dominated Belleville in shots on goal, 29-10. Sean Malone (7) scored two minutes into the period to tie the game at 1, which held until the 8:06 mark when Alex Formenton put the Senators back in the lead. The Amerks, however, scored two goals in the period’s last eight minutes, courtesy of Jean-Sebastian Dea (11) and Casey Mittlestadt, who scored his first career AHL goal, which gave Rochester a 3-2 lead after two.
Sick Mitts shorty! pic.twitter.com/qrhXmYu94n
— LGA585 (formerly LetsGoAmerks) (@LGA585) January 4, 2020
As the game showed, it was not over as Drake Batherson helped Belleville send the game to OT, but Remi Elie (3) scored a minute into the extra frame for a 4-3 Amerks win.
Remi Elie OT game winner! JS Dea created the turnover, Pilut is the one that sent it down ice. Amerks win 4-3. pic.twitter.com/nXDoHZ1T26
— LGA585 (formerly LetsGoAmerks) (@LGA585) January 4, 2020
Jonas Johansson continued his stellar year, making 19 saves, improving to 11-2-2, along with a 2.07 GAA and .930 SV%, which rank 3rd and 4th in the league, respectively. A win against Toronto would help them going forward as the season nears its halfway point.
January 4: @ Toronto (L 5-2)
While both teams got ample shooting chances early in the game, Kalle Kossila and Kenny Agostino scored a couple of minutes apart later in the first to give Toronto a two-goal lead.
Mittelstadt scores again!! Makes it a one goal game. Marlies lead 2-1 after 1. pic.twitter.com/3ePgUMqp60
— LGA585 (formerly LetsGoAmerks) (@LGA585) January 4, 2020
Casey Mittlestadt, however, was able to cut the deficit in half at 18:24 of the first, and they left the ice trailing 2-1.
Pilut off the faceoff win by Porter. Game is tied 2-2. pic.twitter.com/cuc0dB8Kyz
— LGA585 (formerly LetsGoAmerks) (@LGA585) January 4, 2020
Lawrence Pilut (5) evened the game at 10:43 of the second, which would result in a 2-2 score after two periods, with the Amerks edging Toronto in shots, 24-18. The Marlies offense opened up in the third with three goals in over three minutes, which were scored by Kossila, Pontus Asberg and Egor Korshkov between 11:24-14:44 of the period, and would lift Toronto to a 5-2 win over Rochester. Andrew Hammond made 22 saves on 27 shots faced in this matchup.
After losing two of their three games this past week, they return home to face Binghamton (30 pts) and Belleville (43 pts) before traveling to Syracuse and face the Crunch (37 pts), who has struggled after winning the division last season. Currently sitting at 21-9-2-2 with 46 points, they have split their matchups, they lost their last meeting with the Devils, who sit in last in the North while defeating Belleville this past week. While the Amerks have not faced Syracuse since November 13, they won 4-3 over the Crunch and strong performances against their upcoming opponents are needed, with only a two point lead in the division.
| Date | Opponent | Time/Result |
|---|---|---|
| 10/04/19 |  vs. Syracuse Crunch | W 3-2 (OT) |
| 10/11/19 |  @ Springfield Thunderbirds | W 2-1 |
| 10/12/19 |  @ Providence Bruins | L 3-2 |
| 10/13/19 |  @ Hartford Wolf Pack | W 3-2 (SO) |
| 10/18/19 |  vs. Cleveland Monsters | L 4-3 (SO) |
| 10/19/19 |  @ Utica Comets | L 7-1 |
| 10/23/19 |  vs. Hershey Bears | W 5-1 |
| 10/26/19 | @ Syracuse Crunch | W 7-6 (OT) |
| 10/27/19 | @ Springfield Thunderbirds | L 2-1 (OT) |
| 10/30/19 | vs. Providence Bruins | L 4-3 |
| 11/01/19 |  vs. Binghamton Devils | W 4-2 |
| 11/02/19 | @ Utica Comets | W 6-0 |
| 11/08/19 | vs. Binghamton Devils | L 4-3 (SO) |
| 11/13/19 | vs. Syracuse Crunch | W 4-3 |
| 11/15/19 | vs. Cleveland Monsters | W 4-3 (OT) |
| 11/16/19 | @ Utica Comets | W 4-3 |
| 11/22/19 | vs. Hartford Wolf Pack | W 4-0 |
| 11/23/19 | @ Binghamton Devils | W 4-2 |
| 11/29/19 |  vs. Toronto Marlies | L 3-2 (OT) |
| 11/30/19 | @ Cleveland Monsters | W 3-2 |
| 12/04/19 | vs. Toronto Marlies | W 4-0 |
| 12/06/19 |  vs. Charlotte Checkers | W 4-0 |
| 12/07/19 | vs. Charlotte Checkers | L 3-1 |
| 12/11/19 |  vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | W 4-2 |
| 12/13/19 |  @ Laval Rocket | W 3-2 |
| 12/14/19 | @ Laval Rocket | W 5-0 |
| 12/18/19 | @ Binghamton Devils | L 2-1 |
| 12/20/19 | vs. Binghamton Devils | W 3-0 |
| 12/21/19 | vs. Utica Comets | W 4-3 |
| 12/27/19 |  vs. Belleville Senators | W 4-3 |
| 12/28/19 | @ Binghamton Devils | L 2-0 |
| 12/31/19 | @ Utica Comets | L 3-2 |
| 01/03/20 | @ Belleville Senators | W 4-3 (OT) |
| 01/04/20 | @ Toronto Marlies | L 5-2 |
| 01/08/20 | vs. Binghamton Devils | L 4-3 (SO) |
| 01/10/20 | vs. Belleville Senators | L 5-1 |
| 01/11/20 | @ Syracuse Crunch | L 5-4 |
| 01/17/20 | vs. Cleveland Monsters | L 4-3 (SO) |
| 01/18/20 |  @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms | L 4-0 |
| 01/19/20 | @ Hershey Bears | L 4-1 |
| 01/22/20 | @ Cleveland Monsters | W 3-2 (OT) |
| 01/24/20 | vs. Laval Rocket | W 5-2 |
| 01/25/20 | @ Syracuse Crunch | W 3-2 |
| 01/31/20 | vs. Syracuse Crunch | W 4-2 |
| 02/01/20 | @ Binghamton Devils | W 3-2 |
| 02/05/20 | @ Cleveland Monsters | W 4-2 |
| 02/07/20 | vs. Syracuse Crunch | L 5-2 |
| 02/08/20 | @ Toronto Marlies | L 4-0 |
| 02/11/20 | @ Charlotte Checkers | L 4-2 |
| 02/12/20 | @ Charlotte Checkers | L 5-2 |
| 02/15/20 | @ Syracuse Crunch | W 4-3 (SO) |
| 02/16/20 | vs. Utica Comets | W 3-2 |
| 02/19/20 | vs. Belleville Senators | L 3-2 (OT) |
| 02/21/20 | vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms | W 3-2 (OT) |
| 02/22/20 | vs. Cleveland Monsters | L 3-2 (OT) |
| 02/26/20 | vs. Utica Comets | L 3-2 (SO) |
| 02/28/20 | vs. Laval Rocket | W 4-2 |
| 02/29/20 | @ Syracuse Crunch | L 4-2 |
| 03/04/20 | vs. Utica Comets | L 3-1 |
| 03/06/20 | @ Belleville Senators | W 5-3 |
| 03/07/20 | @ Belleville Senators | W 4-2 |
| 03/11/20 | vs. Binghamton Devils | L 5-2 |
| 03/13/20 | vs. Syracuse Crunch | 7:05 PM |
| 03/15/20 | @ Cleveland Monsters | 3:00 PM |
| 03/17/20 | @ Toronto Marlies | 1:30 PM |
| 03/20/20 | vs. Springfield Thunderbirds | 7:05 PM |
| 03/21/20 | vs. Springfield Thunderbirds | 7:05 PM |
| 03/25/20 | vs. Toronto Marlies | 7:05 PM |
| 03/28/20 | @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | 7:05 PM |
| 03/29/20 |  @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers | 3:00 PM |
| 04/01/20 | vs. Utica Comets | 7:05 PM |
| 04/03/20 | vs. Syracuse Crunch | 7:05 PM |
| 04/04/20 | @ Syracuse Crunch | 7:00 PM |
| 04/08/20 | @ Utica Comets | 7:00 PM |
| 04/10/20 | vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers | 7:05 PM |
| 04/11/20 | @ Binghamton Devils | 7:05 PM |