FOUR-GOAL FIRST-PERIOD PROPELS AMERKS PAST MONSTERS
Metsa, Weissbach and Novikov all record three points; Levin wins fifth straight
Apr 3, 2024The Rochester Americans (34-22-6-3) scored four times in the first period before cruising to a 6-1 over the Cleveland Monsters (35-23-4-3) Wednesday at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
With the victory, the Amerks have earned at least one point in 23 of their last 31 games dating back to Jan. 17, which includes a 6-0-0-1 over their last seven on home ice. Rochester, which also boasts an 8-1-0-1 mark in its last 10 games, completed the two-game home-and-home sweep over the Monsters and moves into a second-place tie with Cleveland going into the final seven games of the regular season.
Rookie defensemen Zach Metsa and Nikita Novikov both tallied a goal and two assists for the Amerks while Linus Weissbach (1+2) and Ethan Prow (0+2) each recorded a multi-assist game. Graham Slaggert, Mason Jobst, and Viktor Neuchev all scored one goal each while Joseph Cecconi, Jeremy Davies, Ryan Johnson, and Anton Wahlberg had an assist. Wahlberg’s point served as his first in the AHL.
Goaltender Devon Levi (12-5-3), who was reassigned to the Amerks from the Buffalo Sabres earlier in the day, earned his 18th start in the last 27 games since Jan. 20. The rookie netminder, who has won five straight and six of his last seven, has held the opposition to three or fewer goals in 17 of his 20 starts overall.
Luca Del Bel Belluz scored for the second straight game for Cleveland, which has lost six straight games. Former Amerk goaltender Malcolm Subban (11-17-4), who made his 35th appearance of the season and fourth with the Monsters since being acquired by Columbus at the NHL trade deadline back in March, suffered the loss despite making 19 saves.
Early in the contest, Prow gathered Weissbach’s pass at the right point. The veteran blueliner stepped down towards the circle and fired a shot through traffic. As the rebound sat atop the goal mouth, Novikov shoveled it into the back of the net for his third of the season.
Less than four minutes later, Tyson Kozak absorbed a hit along the left-wing boars before feeding Meta at the near point. The Quinnipiac University product slid it to Novikov at the far side of the ice. Prior to the latter’s shot reaching Subban, Slaggert provided a redirection to double the club’s lead with his fourth of the campaign with 13:48 remaining.
The Amerks kept the momentum going as they capitalized just before their first power-play of the night had expired to increase the lead to 3-0.
After Prow kept the puck from exiting the zone, Neuchev snagged it from just inside the blueline and wristed a shot for his 11th of the slate as Subban was screened by Michael Mersch.
Cleveland temporarily put a stop to Rochester’s run as Del Bel Belluz beat Levi gloveside with three minutes left in the period, however, the home club answered immediately to restore their three-goal cushion.
Before the conclusion of the opening period, which featured the most goals in a first period by Rochester against Cleveland since April 2, 2022, Jobst was the recipient of one-time feed by Novikov from the right face-off dot.
During the second stanza, Weissbach sprinted through the offensive zone to prevent it from crossing the blueline. The Swedish forward rimmed it around the boards before being set-up by Davies and Cecconi at the right point, where he snapped home his 15th of the season.
To close out the 6-1 victory, Rochester’s second in as many games against the Monsters, Metsa finished off an outlet feed from Weissbach and Johnson early in the third period.
The Amerks step away from North Division opponents as they kick off a brief two-game trek through New England beginning on Saturday, April 6 when they face the Providence Bruins for a 7:00 p.m. contest. All the action from Amica Mutual Pavilion will be carried on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
Stars and Stripes:
The Amerks defensive corps combined for 11 points tonight on two goals, nine assists and a plus-minus rating of +9, which was paced by Zach Metsa and Nikita Novikov each totaling a goal and a pair of helpers … With Anton Wahlberg making his home debut tonight, he was 34th player to record at point this season for the Amerks and 10th different rookie to log a point ... Rochester improved 8-1-0-1 in its last 10 games to move into a second-place tie with the Monsters going into the final seven games of the season.
Goal Scorers
CLE: L. Del Bel Belluz (8)
ROC: N. Novikov (3), G. Slaggert (4), V. Neuchev (11), M. Jobst (19) , L. Weissbach (15), Z. Metsa (6)
Goaltenders
CLE: M. Subban – 19/25 (L)
ROC: D. Levi – 26/27 (W)
Shots
CLE: 27
ROC: 25
Special Teams
CLE: PP (0/3) | PK (2/3)
ROC: PP (1/3) | PK (3/3)
Three Stars:
1. ROC – Z. Metsa
2. ROC – L. Weissbach
3. ROC – D. Levi