Rochester Report: Week 22

As the regular season enters its final full month, the Amerks are looking for consistent success, as they push for the playoffs, and after losing two of three games last week, wins are necessary this late in the year. With three matchups against divisional opponents, this week’s games are crucial for their place in the standings as the playoffs near.

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

February 26: vs. Utica (L 3-2/SO)

This game had an interesting start when Andrew Hammond took a delay of game penalty, which Brogan Rafferty scored on, one of their two shots in the first, for an early lead. While the Comets held their lead throughout the period, Casey Mittlestadt (8) scored with over a minute to go in the period, and the game was tied after one despite a 15-2 lead in shots for the Amerks.

The second period saw Utica gain momentum, as they earned more scoring opportunities, and at 5:09, Sven Baertschi put Utica up 2-1 and held the one-goal lead after forty minutes. As the third period progressed, Utica remained in front, despite Rochester outshooting them by a 2:1 margin, and nearly won in regulation, until Scott Wilson (10) tied the game with 27 seconds to go in regulation.

With no goals in OT, the game went to a shootout, which lasted five rounds until Baertschi scored the game-winner for Utica, as Rochester lost 3-2. Hammond made 19 saves in the start, as the Amerks lose to end their homestand next game with a win.

February 28: vs. Laval (W 4-2)

After the opening faceoff, both teams started fast, and Remi Elie’s seventh of the year gave the Amerks a 1-0 lead two minutes into the game. As the period neared its conclusion, Casey Mittlestadt (9) scored on the power-play with under a minute to go and Rochester held a two-goal lead after the first.

Similar to the opening period, Nikita Jevpalovs trimmed Laval’s deficit to one, and with a few minutes remaining, Laurent Dauphin tied the game at 2, as the final period would start with a tie between both teams.

The game stayed at a stalemate until Eric Cornel (11) scored at 14:44 to put the Amerks in front, and he ultimately sealed it with an empty-netter for his second of the game, as Rochester ended their homestand with a 4-2 win. Andrew Hammond played solid, making 34 saves in net.

February 29: @ Syracuse (L 4-2)

Andrew Oglevie got the scoring started early, as his 14th of the year gave Rochester the lead 4:20 into the game until Gemel Smith tied it for the Crunch 33 seconds after to tie it at 1.

Throughout the period, both teams earned scoring chances, as the Amerks led Syracuse in shots on goal, 10-7 after one period, and this trend continued for the rest of the game. Alexander Volkov gave Syracuse their first lead of the night on a power-play goal at 8:03 of the second, despite a 27-13 edge in shots, the Amerks trailed heading into the third period. Not even a minute into the third, and Rasmus Asplund (3) scored with the man advantage to tie the game at 2.

Just five minutes into the third, Boris Katchouk put the Crunch in front, 3-2, which would be the game-winner, as Ross Colton scored an empty-net goal, as the Amerks fell 4-2 despite outshooting Syracuse 45-20. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 16 of 19 shots faced, as the team continues to have up and down stretches at this stage of the season.

The last two weeks saw Rochester win two of their last six games, and with them traveling to Utica (67 pts), followed by two straight games in Belleville (79 pts) this weekend against the Senators, improvement is needed. Casey Mittelstadt scored two goals for a total of four points in one of his best stretches of play this season. With the Amerks’ overall record of 31-18-4-5, the team has accrued 71 points in 58 games, the positive play has to continue in order to move up or prevent falling from second in their division.

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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