AMERKS RALLY LATE FOR POINT IN SHOOTOUT LOSS TO COMETS
Utica outlasts Rochester in nine-round shootout
Mar 1, 2025After falling behind 2-0 in the third period, goals from Konsta Helenius and Noah Östlund helped the Rochester Americans rally to go beyond regulation, where the Comets would outlast them in a nine-round shootout as Rochester ended up on the losing side of a 3-2 final to close out February at Adirondack Bank Center.
Rochester’s four-game win streak came to a close, however, the team does have points in five straight games (4-0-0-1) and have lose just six times in regulation on the road this season. The Amerks (34-14-3-2) continue to lead both the North Division and the American Hockey League as a whole with 73 points.
Utica’s win over Rochester was its first on home ice against the Amerks in 475 days. The Comets improved to 20-24-4-2 on the season.
Lukas Rousek, Kale Clague, and Nicolas Aubé-Kubel all tallied assists in the shootout loss, while Michael Houser made 16 saves through 65 minutes, then stopped an additional six shots in the shootout. Aubé-Kubel and Östlund both scored in the shootout as well.
FIRST PERIOD
Utica came to play in the first period, outshooting the Amerks by a 10-3 margin, marking the fourth time this season Rochester was limited to three shots in a period. The number ties a season-low for shots on goal in a period.
Houser was tested with several scoring chances, including one from Utica’s Jack Malone that banged off the mask of the veteran goaltender, dislodging it and causing play to stop.
SECOND PERIOD
The Amerks responded with a 17-shot second period, dominating in the attacking zone through large stanzas of the frame. Rochester had consecutive power-plays in the first four minutes of the period, with 19 seconds of a five-on-three man-advantage that the team elected to use a timeout for ahead of the situation.
The man-advantages dissolved with no goals, and despite Utica getting just four shots on goal in the frame, they were the team to strike. At the 9:19 mark, defenseman Dmitry Osipov snatched a clearing attempt at the right point, then flicked the puck through traffic and in-between the legs of Houser to gain Utica the 1-0 lead.
THIRD PERIOD
An early power-play provided results for the Comets less than three minutes into the period as Nolan Foote took a wrist shot from the right circle that went over Houser’s glove, doubling the Comets’ lead.
Down 2-0, the Amerks responded. After 48:43, Rochester finally solved Utica’s Isaac Poulter, as Aubé-Kubel drove down the right-wing boards, slipping a pass to the net front for Helenius to tip the puck through, making it 2-1.
The Amerks continued generating scoring chances with multiple power-plays awarded later in the period, but Poulter remained standing tall. With under two minutes to play and Houser pulled, Östlund showcased heroics for the second time in less than two weeks at Adirondack Bank Center.
The rookie Swedish forward scored the overtime winner 13 nights ago in Utica. On Friday, with 1:25 to play, Östlund scored the game-tying conversion to send the contest to overtime. Atop the zone, Rousek spun a pass to Clague at the center of the blueline for a one-timer. The shot was absorbed on a block in front, with the rebound popping over to Östlund in the right circle for a one-timer of his own that drilled the back of the net, making it 2-2.
OVERTIME
Both Houser and Poulter were standouts past regulation. Rousek was turned away by Poulter while he was on his stomach, while on the other end Houser poke checked team captain Ryan Schmelzer on a partial breakaway.
SHOOTOUT
After four scoreless rounds, Utica’s Chase Stillman and Xavier Parent both scored in rounds five and six, respectively, however they were countered on goals by Aubé-Kubel and Östlund to keep the game alive. Aubé-Kubel went five-hole on Poulter, while Östlund tucked his shot under the blocker side of the Comets’ goalie.
In round nine, Adam Beckman danced his way to the net front before solving Houser on his blocker side. Riley Fiddler-Schultz came up to extend the game, but was unable to break through Poulter.
UP NEXT
The Amerks begin the madness of March as they start the new month off in Syracuse for a Saturday night showdown against the Crunch. The game 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
UTC: D. Osipov (1), N. Foote (17-PPG), A. Beckman (S/O-GWG)
ROC: K. Helenius (9), N. Östlund (9)
Goaltenders
UTC: I. Poulter – 31/33 (W)
ROC: M. Houser – 16/18 (SOL)
Shots
UTC: 19
ROC: 33
Special Teams
UTC: PP (1/3) | PK (5/5)
ROC: PP (0/5) | PK (2/3)
Three Stars:
1. UTC – I. Poulter
2. UTC – A. Beckman
3. UTC- D. Osipov