AMERKS BLANKED IN BELLEVILLE, 5-0
Rochester shutout for third time this season in first game after clinching playoff berth
Apr 4, 2025One game after clinching a Calder Cup Playoff berth, the Rochester Americans were unable to generate anything offensively against a desperate Belleville Senators team, resulting in a 5-0 shutout loss in the first of back-to-back meetings Friday night at CAA Arena.
The Amerks saw their six-game point streak snap, along with the team’s four-game win streak over the Senators this season. Rochester falls to 40-19-4-3 on the season, continuing to hold 87 points and occupy second place in the North Division standings.
Due to Cleveland and Syracuse both winning tonight, Belleville gained no ground on the teams holding playoff spots in front of them, but do remain within four points of striking distance as they own 71 points via a 31-25-4-5 record.
Felix Sandström made 23 saves in the loss, which saw his career-best nine-game win streak come to an end. It’s the first time Sandström sustained the loss in goal in 119 days, with the last coming the last time the Amerks fell in shutout fashion down in Charlotte back on Dec. 6. It’s also the first time Rochester was blanked by Belleville since Feb. 7, 2018, in a 2-0 loss at Blue Cross Arena.
Leevi Meriläinen made 20 saves in goal for Belleville, collecting his fourth shutout of the season.
FIRST PERIOD
The playoffs start now for Belleville, which entered the weekend four points out of playoff positioning. The desperation showed in what was a dominant first period of play, with the Senators jumping out to a 3-0 lead.
The opening goal came on a Senators’ power-play, when Xavier Bourgault solved Sandström on a one-timer from the left circle that went over the blocker and in 4:36 into the game.
Wyatt Bongiovanni scored midway through the period by crashing the net, collecting a pass from Tristen Robins that bled through the blue paint. Bongiovanni was seated to the left of Sandström to poke it through.
A late goal was tacked on by Oskar Pettersson to make it 3-0 with 2:59 left in the period. A turnover out behind the net was right on the stick of Pettersson for a wrist shot from the slot, beating Sandström’s blocker and ending a 23-game pointless drought for the Belleville forward.
SECOND PERIOD
The Senators continued to pressure Rochester, as Pettersson scored his second of the night, along with Bongiovanni to build a 5-0 lead. Pettersson’s came 2:38 into the period on a shot rattled through in the blue paint, while Bongiovanni capitalized on a three-on-one rush into the attacking zone for the Sens.
Rochester’s best chance of the period came while shorthanded, as Graham Slaggert forced a turnover that led to a breakaway that was shot just wide of Meriläinen.
THIRD PERIOD
Like Slaggert, Isak Rosén also ended up with a breakaway, but shoveled the puck wide of Meriläinen.
The Amerks managed to keep Belleville from adding to its total in large part to quality stops from Sandström on both Pettersson and Bongiovanni, who were both in search of hat tricks.
Despite a game-high eight shots on goal in the third, Rochester was unable to solve Meriläinen, who posted his fourth shutout of the season.
UP NEXT
The Amerks and Sens meet in a rematch Saturday night, marking the final visit for Rochester to CAA Arena this season. The 7:00 p.m. matchup will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
BEL: X. Bourgault (10-PPG, GWG), W. Bongiovanni (19, 20), O. Pettersson (6, 7)
ROC: None
Goaltenders
BEL: L. Meriläinen – 20/20 (W)
ROC: F. Sandström – 23/28 (L)
Shots
BEL: 28
ROC: 20
Special Teams
BEL: PP (1/3) | PK (3/3)
ROC: PP (0/3) | PK (2/3)
Three Stars:
1. BEL – W. Bongiovanni
2. BEL– O. Pettersson
3. BEL – L. Meriläinen