The Rochester Americans (25-23-5-4) return to Blue Cross Arena tonight to kick off a vital two-game homestand. Standing in their way are the Syracuse Crunch (35-19-3-2), with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Fans can catch the broadcast on 95.7 FM/950 AM WGR, stream via AHLTV on FloHockey, or watch locally on CW Rochester.
A Battle of North Division Foes
Rochester holds a slight edge in the season series with a 4-3-0-1 record against Syracuse. A win tonight would continue a positive trend for the Amerks, who have taken three of the last five matchups against their Thruway rivals.
The math is simple for Rochester: score three or more. Since the 2016-17 season, the Amerks are a dominant 46-11-5-1 against the Crunch when hitting at least three goals, compared to a dismal 3-33-6-3 when held to two or fewer.
Between the Pipes: Devon Levi
Goaltender Devon Levi gets the nod tonight, looking to build on a solid stretch against Syracuse. Levi recently found his groove against the Crunch, including a 30-save shutout back in January. Over his last five starts against Syracuse, the former All-Star is 3-1-1.
Player Spotlight: The Zac Jones Show
Defenseman Zac Jones continues to be the engine of the Amerks’ offense. Jones currently leads all AHL blueliners with 50 points, fueled by a league-leading 42 assists.
- Power Play Specialist: 30 of his 42 helpers have come on the man advantage.
- Chasing History: Jones is on pace to challenge Bob Hess’s 1980-81 franchise records for assists (58) and points (75) by a defenseman.
- Consistency: He is the only active Amerk averaging over a point per game (1.06).
New Face on the Blue Line
The Sabres’ pipeline continues to flow into Rochester as Gavin McCarthy joins the club on an Amateur Tryout (ATO). The 2023 third-round pick and former Boston University captain signed his entry-level deal Tuesday and could make his professional debut this weekend.
Key Forward Contributions
- Riley Fiddler-Schultz: The team’s current ironman has appeared in 88 consecutive games. He leads the roster with 18 goals and has stepped into a primary scoring role following the trade deadline.
- Konsta Helenius: The teenage phenom remains red-hot with 15 points in his last 14 games. The Amerks are a staggering 15-0-2-0 all-time when Helenius records a multi-point game.
The Playoff Race
Despite a challenging schedule—the second-toughest in the Eastern Conference—Rochester holds a three-point lead over Belleville for the final North Division playoff spot. Their Magic Number to clinch a fifth consecutive postseason berth currently stands at 21.
If the playoffs began today, fans would see a high-stakes play-in series between the Amerks and the Toronto Marlies.
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