AMERKS WIN STREAK SNAPPED IN SHUTOUT LOSS TO CHECKERS
Rochester opens road swing on wrong side of 6-0 loss to Charotte
Dec 6, 2024The Rochester Americans (11-8-3-0) were held to just 19 shots and were unable to generate much offensively as they dropped a 6-0 decision to the Charlotte Checkers (11-4-1-2) in the first game of a season-long five-game road swing Friday at Bojangles Coliseum.
Despite suffering its second shutout of the campaign and seeing its three-game win streak halted, Rochester has earned at least one point in 13 of its last 18 games dating back to Oct. 23. Additionally, the Amerks show a 3-2-0-0 record over their last five meetings against the Checkers in Charlotte, which includes the 2024 Queen City Outdoor Classic. Friday was the first time in the 25 all-time meetings with the Checkers that Rochester has been held off the scoreboard.
Zachary Metsa, who had an assist in back-to-back games entering the contest, Mason Jobst, and Josh Dunne all registered three shots each to top all Amerks while Jack Rathbone and Riley Fiddler-Schutlz each had a pair. Kale Clague also appeared in his 300th pro game, recording one shot.
In his eighth appearance of the season and first since Nov. 23, goaltender Felix Sandström (3-4-1) made 29 saves, but suffered the defeat. Sandström entered Friday with a 5-6-0 record all-time against the Checkers, which included the 4-1-0 mark he posted during the 2023-24 season with Lehigh Valley.
FIRST PERIOD
After seeing a pair of odd-man rushes be denied by Sandström, the Checkers, who responded with the game’s next four shots after allowing the first, broke the scoreless game at the 5:45 mark of the first period.
Charlotte skated the puck across the blueline into the Rochester zone, and as Ben Steeves fired a shot, it was invertedly blocked by an Amerk stick before drifting to the left hash marks for Riese Gaber to sweep past the right arm of Sandström. The goal was Gaber’s first of his AHL career and first of two on the night.
Neither team could capitalize on their lone power-play of the period and the Amerks trailed 1-0 on the scoreboard while also being limited to just four shots compared to the Checkers’ 11.
SECOND PERIOD
The Checkers drew a pair of tripping infractions to start the second period, and despite being unable to add to their lead on the first, they utilized the man-advantage to make it a two-score game 5:06 into the frame.
As Matt Kiersted received a pass atop the left point from former Amerk Ramus Asplund, the blueliner sent the puck back down the wall to Sandis Vilmanis. The Latvian native skated into the circle and snapped a shot past a screened Sandström for his third of the campaign.
Less than three minutes after seeing the deficit swell to 2-0, Rochester had the best chance of the contest to solve Charlotte netminder Ken Appleby, however, Brett Murray’s redirection while on the power-play rang off the goal post before being cleared away safely to preserve the shutout.
The Amerks went into the second intermission being shutout through the first 40 minutes against the Checkers for the first time since March 15, 2019.
THIRD PERIOD
During the third period, Charlotte, which entered the contest with just a pair of regulation losses on both home and road ice, put the game out of reach as they plotted four more goals, two of which came less than 30 seconds apart, to secure the 6-0 win.
UP NEXT
The Amerks have a chance at redemption when the teams close out their two-game set with a rematch on Saturday, Dec. 7 at Bojangles Coliseum. Game time is slated for a 6:00 p.m. start and will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
ROC: None
CLT: R. Gaber (1,2), S. Vilmanis (3), O. Okuliar (4), B. Steeves (1), W. Skoog (3)
Goaltenders
ROC: F. Sandström – 29/35 (L)
CLT: K. Appleby – 19/19 (W)
Shots
ROC: 19
CLT: 35
Special Teams
ROC: PP (0/4) | PK (2/3)
CLT: PP (1/3) | PK (4/4)
Three Stars:
1. CLT - R. Gaber
2. CLT - K. Appleby
3. CLT - B. Steeves