AMERKS CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH WITH 4-2 WIN OVER THUNDERBIRDS
Rochester secures playoff spot for sixth consecutive AHL postseason
Apr 2, 2025Leading point-getter Isak Rosén’s return proved to be valuable as the two-time AHL All-Star broke a 2-2 tie midway through the third period to propel the Rochester Americans secure a 4-2 win over the Springfield Thunderbirds Wednesday night at Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
With the victory, Rochester officially clinches a Calder Cup Playoff berth for the sixth straight AHL postseason, doing so with seven games remaining in the regular season.
The Amerks extended their point streak to six games while picking up their 40th win of the season. This marks the first time Rochester has reached 40 wins in a season since the 2018-19 campaign. With a 40-18-4-3 record, the Amerks are securely in second place in the North Division with 87 points. The remaining games still present value for Rochester, which sits within striking distance of Laval for first place in the North Division.
Jack Rathbone, Anton Wahlberg, and Noah Östlund contributed to the scoring in addition to Rosén, while Graham Slaggert and Brendan Warren each posted two assists.
Devon Levi secured his 23rd win of the season, tying him for the league lead in wins with a 26-save performance. Levi is 23-10-4 on the season, ranking sixth in the league with a 2.22 goals-against average and fifth overall with a .918 save percentage.
FIRST PERIOD
Fresh off his first recall to the Sabres, Rathbone returned to the lineup for the Amerks and opened the scoring 5:14 into Wednesday’s tilt.
The fifth-year pro corralled the puck as it leaked toward the top of the zone. From there, Rathbone dished it through traffic, eluding the glove of Springfield’s Colton Ellie for his sixth goal of the season to get Rochester on the board.
Springfield outshot Rochester by a 9-5 margin in the opening frame and was rewarded for its efforts with a pair of goals to take the lead into intermission.
Hugh McGing thought he had scored earlier in the period, but the officials deemed goaltender interference was the reason for the puck crossing the line, therefore, the call on the ice was overturned. The same couldn’t be said for Otto Stenberg’s tally 16:14 into the period. The forward spun in front of the goal, flinging a wrist shot over Levi’s glove to even the score.
With 30 seconds to play in the period, Matthew Peca capitalized on sustained pressure from the Thunderbirds entering the zone, shooting his team-leading 30th goal of the season past the blocker of Levi to gain the T-Birds a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes of play.
SECOND PERIOD
Peca nearly doubled the lead for Springfield less than three minutes into the second with a breakaway opportunity, but Levi’s anticipation was spot-on, dropping to the butterfly to shut down the five-hole attempt of Peca and keep the Amerks within a goal.
Wahlberg evened the game with his 11th of the season scored 8:59 into the period.
Slaggert gathered a pass from Warren on the left-wing side, then chopped the puck across the slot for a planted Wahlberg off to the side of the goal. The rookie Swedish forward swiftly backhanded the puck to the top corner of the goal past Ellis, making it 2-2.
THIRD PERIOD
After a multi-week recall to Buffalo, Rosén returned to Rochester in fashion, scoring the go-ahead goal from a sharp angle near the midway point of the third period.
The third-year pro skated with the puck toward the goal-line, blasting a shot that hit off the blocker of Ellis, then dropped between his legs and trickled in for Rosén’s team-leading 28th goal of the season.
Naturally, the AHL’s Rookie of the Month and Player of the Week had to find the scoresheet again, as Östlund banked in his 19th goal of the season on an empty-net goal in the final minute of the contest.
STARS AND STRIPES
Östlund extended his goal-scoring streak to six games, scoring eight over that span … Zachary Metsa finished the two-game season series with four assists against Springfield … Warren’s two-assist game was his first multi-point affair since Feb. 11 … Wahlberg’s two-point game (1+1) was his second over the last five games.
UP NEXT
The Amerks spend the upcoming weekend in Belleville as they make their final north of the border to visit the Senators for a pair of games at CAA Arena. The action will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Friday night, as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
SPR: O. Stenberg (5), M. Peca (30)
ROC: J. Rathbone (6), A. Wahlberg (11), I. Rosén (28-GWG), N. Östlund (19-EN)
Goaltenders
SPR: C. Ellis – 26/29 (L)
ROC: D. Levi – 26/28 (W)
Shots
SPR: 28
ROC: 30
Special Teams
SPR: PP (0/2) | PK (2/2)
ROC: PP (0/2) | PK (2/2)
Three Stars:
1. ROC – I. Rosén
2. SPR– M. Peca
3. ROC - A. Wahlberg