Rochester Report: Week 17

Heading into this week on a seven-game losing streak, the Amerks began to fall from the top of the standings, sitting in third at the start of the week. Despite struggling to earn wins on a consistent basis as they did earlier in the year, Rochester will need to build a strong run in order to prevent their strong start from completely evaporating.

#Top ScorersGPGoalsAssistsPoints
39J.S. Dea57152439
17Sean Malone58121830
22Zach Redmond5952530
15Andrew Oglevie55151429
19C.J. Smith50121527

January 22: @ Cleveland (W 3-2/OT)

With the Amerks needing a win, they got off to a hot start, with Remi Elie (5) scored a few minutes after the opening faceoff to give them the early lead, which was later doubled by Casey Mittlestadt’s fifth goal of the season resulted in a two-goal lead after the first period.

After nearly half the second period passed, Ryan MacInnis cut Cleveland’s deficit to one as a result of a short-handed goal. As the game entered the third, Rochester held a slim 2-1 lead, but did not hold, as Marko Dano tied the game at 2, which would see the game head into overtime.

However, Lawrence Pilut, who was sent down from Buffalo during the All-Star break, scored his sixth of the year to win the game, 3-2 and end their losing slide. Jonas Johansson made 23 saves in the win, as the Amerks look to build on this win.

January 24: vs. Laval (W 5-2)

Rochester started off this game how they ended the last one, with Andrew Oglevie (11) opening the scoring with a power-play goal at 12:32 of the opening period, and Sean Malone scored his eighth goal of the year a few minutes later.

After building a 2-0 lead after the first period, along with a 14-6 edge in shots, the Amerks continued to roll, as C.J. Smith (8) increased their lead to three, although Gustav Olofsson responded a minute later.

After forty minutes, the Amerks led 3-1 as they searched for two straight wins. As the third period reached its halfway point, Scott Wilson (7) increased Rochester’s lead back to 3, until Kevin Lynch scored on the power play with only a couple minutes left in regulation. At 18:35 of the third, Oglevie scored his second of the night on an empty-netter that gave his team a 4-2 win, their second straight. Jonas Johansson made 31 saves on 33 shots faced, as he continues his stellar year in Rochester.

January 25: @ Syracuse (W 3-2)

Although the game started with Rochester holding the lead in shots on goal, it took until the final minute and a half of the period, when Eric Cornel scored his eighth of the year and gave the Amerks a 1-0 lead heading to the first intermission.

Rochester opened the second with Andrew Oglevie (13) scored to increase their lead to two. It wasn’t until five minutes left in the period, when Danick Martel put Syracuse on the board and only trailed by one after two periods despite Rochester leading in shots, 32-18. Despite the Crunch ultimately outshooting the Amerks 19-7 in the third, Jean-Sebastian Dea (13), the team’s leading scorer, earned a short-hander off a rink-wide pass at 8:39 of the third for a 3-1 lead.

While Cal Foote scored for Syracuse on the power-play to pull within one, Rochester hung on for a pivotal 3-2 win on the road. After sitting the last two games, Andrew Hammond made 35 saves in his first win in over a month, as Rochester looks to continue their climb on the standings.

After a strong week where Rochester won three straight, they begin this week after the All-Sar break to host Syracuse (46 pts) after winning their last matchup on the road. The Amerks then head on the road to face Binghamton (44 pts) and Cleveland (44 pts). Despite this current win streak, Rochester now sits in second place in the North division at a record of 24-13-2-4 for a total of 54 points in 43 games, trailing Belleville by four. The Amerks need to continue this stretch in order to remain a viable contender for the playoffs as each team’s urgency after the All-Star break.

DateOpponentTime/Result
10/04/19vs. Syracuse CrunchW 3-2 (OT)
10/11/19@ Springfield ThunderbirdsW 2-1
10/12/19@ Providence BruinsL 3-2
10/13/19@ Hartford Wolf PackW 3-2 (SO)
10/18/19vs. Cleveland MonstersL 4-3 (SO)
10/19/19@ Utica CometsL 7-1
10/23/19vs. Hershey BearsW 5-1
10/26/19@ Syracuse CrunchW 7-6 (OT)
10/27/19@ Springfield ThunderbirdsL 2-1 (OT)
10/30/19vs. Providence BruinsL 4-3
11/01/19vs. Binghamton DevilsW 4-2
11/02/19@ Utica CometsW 6-0
11/08/19vs. Binghamton DevilsL 4-3 (SO)
11/13/19vs. Syracuse CrunchW 4-3
11/15/19vs. Cleveland MonstersW 4-3 (OT)
11/16/19@ Utica CometsW 4-3
11/22/19vs. Hartford Wolf PackW 4-0
11/23/19@ Binghamton DevilsW 4-2
11/29/19vs. Toronto MarliesL 3-2 (OT)
11/30/19@ Cleveland MonstersW 3-2
12/04/19vs. Toronto MarliesW 4-0
12/06/19vs. Charlotte CheckersW 4-0
12/07/19vs. Charlotte CheckersL 3-1
12/11/19vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsW 4-2
12/13/19@ Laval RocketW 3-2
12/14/19@ Laval RocketW 5-0
12/18/19@ Binghamton DevilsL 2-1
12/20/19vs. Binghamton DevilsW 3-0
12/21/19vs. Utica CometsW 4-3
12/27/19vs. Belleville SenatorsW 4-3
12/28/19@ Binghamton DevilsL 2-0
12/31/19@ Utica CometsL 3-2
01/03/20@ Belleville SenatorsW 4-3 (OT)
01/04/20@ Toronto MarliesL 5-2
01/08/20vs. Binghamton DevilsL 4-3 (SO)
01/10/20vs. Belleville SenatorsL 5-1
01/11/20@ Syracuse CrunchL 5-4
01/17/20vs. Cleveland MonstersL 4-3 (SO)
01/18/20@ Lehigh Valley PhantomsL 4-0
01/19/20@ Hershey BearsL 4-1
01/22/20@ Cleveland MonstersW 3-2 (OT)
01/24/20vs. Laval RocketW 5-2
01/25/20@ Syracuse CrunchW 3-2
01/31/20vs. Syracuse CrunchW 4-2
02/01/20@ Binghamton DevilsW 3-2
02/05/20@ Cleveland MonstersW 4-2
02/07/20vs. Syracuse CrunchL 5-2
02/08/20@ Toronto MarliesL 4-0
02/11/20@ Charlotte CheckersL 4-2
02/12/20@ Charlotte CheckersL 5-2
02/15/20@ Syracuse CrunchW 4-3 (SO)
02/16/20vs. Utica CometsW 3-2
02/19/20vs. Belleville SenatorsL 3-2 (OT)
02/21/20vs. Lehigh Valley PhantomsW 3-2 (OT)
02/22/20vs. Cleveland MonstersL 3-2 (OT)
02/26/20vs. Utica CometsL 3-2 (SO)
02/28/20vs. Laval RocketW 4-2
02/29/20@ Syracuse CrunchL 4-2
03/04/20vs. Utica CometsL 3-1
03/06/20@ Belleville SenatorsW 5-3
03/07/20@ Belleville SenatorsW 4-2
03/11/20vs. Binghamton DevilsL 5-2
03/13/20vs. Syracuse Crunch7:05 PM
03/15/20@ Cleveland Monsters3:00 PM
03/17/20@ Toronto Marlies1:30 PM
03/20/20vs. Springfield Thunderbirds7:05 PM
03/21/20vs. Springfield Thunderbirds7:05 PM
03/25/20vs. Toronto Marlies7:05 PM
03/28/20@ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins7:05 PM
03/29/20@ Bridgeport Sound Tigers3:00 PM
04/01/20vs. Utica Comets7:05 PM
04/03/20vs. Syracuse Crunch7:05 PM
04/04/20@ Syracuse Crunch7:00 PM
04/08/20@ Utica Comets7:00 PM
04/10/20vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers7:05 PM
04/11/20@ Binghamton Devils7:05 PM
Robert Janish, Jr.
Robert Janish, Jr.
One of the most memorable Sabres games I ever attended was the line brawl against the Senators, which Buffalo won in a shootout, 6-5. I can't wait for the day when playoff hockey returns to Buffalo. I graduated with a Masters in Sport Administration, and a Bachelor's in Political Science & Communication Studies from Canisius College.
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