AMERKS CLOSE OUT HOMESTAND WITH 5-2 WIN OVER PENGUINS
Levi makes 28 saves as Rochester goes 4-1-0-0 on homestand
Feb 26, 2025An early-and-often start propelled the Rochester Americans (34-14-3-1) past the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (28-14-6-1) by a 5-2 final Wednesday night at Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
With the win, the Amerks finished their season-long five-game homestand with a 4-1-0-0 record as they continue to maintain the top spot in the North Division and the American Hockey League with 72 points.
Rochester ends the season series with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1-1-0-0 for the second consecutive season.
Ryan Johnson, Mason Jobst, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Noah Östlund, and Isak Rosén each scored for the Amerks, while reigning AHL Player of the Week and AHL All-Star Devon Levi registered 28 saves for his third straight win and 19th overall. Levi has gone 18-4-1 over his last 23 starts.
FIRST PERIOD
For the second time over its last three games, Rochester built itself a 3-0 lead through the opening 20 minutes of play.
Johnson got things started 3:14 into the period with his second goal over the last three contests. The sophomore defenseman stepped in from the left-wing side, seeing former Penguin Jagger Joshua providing the net-front screen. With Tristan Jarry’s eyes taken from him, Johnson fired the puck into the top right corner and over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goaltender’s glove to get the Amerks on the board.
A power-play opportunity midway through the frame provided Jobst with the opportunity to double the team’s lead. Atop the zone, Noah Östlund frisbeed the puck down to the goal-line to Riley Fiddler-Schultz, who quickly fed it in-between the circles for Jobst to bang a one-timer past Jarry for his 13th goal of the season.
Aube-Kubel scored his fourth goal as an Amerk in transition at the 14:12 mark of the first. Levi made a blocker save on his end of the ice, resulting in the puck flying off the goaltender and forward into the neutral zone where Aube-Kubel corralled the puck and raced down the ice for a partial breakaway, driving a wrist shot in and out of the net from the left-wing side to swell Rochester’s lead to 3-0.
SECOND PERIOD
Graham Slaggert got involved in extracurriculars with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Marc Johnstone, resulting in the pair dropping the gloves at center ice.
The altercation motivated the visitors, as a scramble in front of Levi ended with Rutger McGroarty spinning and shooting through the five-hole to end Levi’s remarkable streak without allowing a goal, allowing the Pens to shorten their deficit to two goals, trailing 3-1 at the end of 40 minutes.
THIRD PERIOD
Östlund scored 1:23 into the final period to restore Rochester’s three-goal lead with his eighth goal of the season. Östlund has 17 points (7+10) over his last 17 games.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton responded 1:40 later, shrinking the gap back to two. Late in the period, the Penguins pulled their goaltender during a power-play. After Rochester survived a six-on-four sequence, Rosén caused a turnover at center ice before strolling down to the empty net to deposit his team-leading 26th goal of the season.
STARS AND STRIPES
Levi’s shutout streak ended at 159:14 … Rochester has won a season-high four consecutive games on home ice … Aube-Kubel, Östlund, Rosen each scored a goal and an assist.
UP NEXT
Following a successful homestand, the Amerks embark on a four-game road trip, beginning with an intrastate showdown on Friday, Feb. 28 against the Utica Comets at Adirondack Bank Center. The North Division matchup will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester, beginning at 7:00 p.m. as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
WBS: R. McGroarty (9), B. Katchouk (19)
ROC: R. Johnson (2), M. Jobst (13-PPG), N. Aube-Kubel (4-GWG), N. Östlund (8), I. Rosén (26)
Goaltenders
WBS: T. Jarry – 31/35 (L)
ROC: D. Levi – 28/30 (W)
Shots
WBS: 30
ROC: 36
Special Teams
WBS: PP (0/2) | PK (2/3)
ROC: PP (1/3) | PK (2/2)
Three Stars:
1. ROC – N. Aube-Kubel
2. ROC - Östlund
3. ROC - D. Levi