GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS AIM FOR WEEKEND SWEEP IN UTICA
Road trip continues with Amerks seeking fourth straight win
Nov 2, 2024The Rochester Americans (4-3-0-0) aim to sweep their second straight weekend as they close out a back-to-back set against the Utica Comets (0-8-0-0) at Adirondack Bank Center on Saturday night.
Saturday marks the third of 12 meetings against Rochester’s intrastate rival and second in as many nights. Previously, the Amerks topped Utica, 8-1 and 4-1 last night and on Oct. 12, respectively. Including last night, Rochester has won 12 of the last 13 games on the road against the Comets, the only exception being a 6-0 loss back on Nov. 11, 2023.
Isak Rosén (2+1) scored in each of the first two games of the season-series while Viktor Neuchev (1+3) and Lukas Rousek (0+3) both have three assists. Neuchev, who tops all Rochester skaters this season in assists, has collected three of his five helpers against Utica while Rosén has three of his seven points. Goaltenders Michael Houser and Felix Sandström allowed just one goal in their lone appearance versus the Comets, while earning the victory.
LAST TIME OUT
The Amerks erupted for a season-high eight goals, including six in the third period, in a dominating 8-1 win over of the struggling Comets to begin the weekend set from the Adirondack Bank Center.
Rochester’s six goals in the final 20 minutes of play marked the most goals in a period since the club scored six on Feb. 24, 2018, at Toronto.
Anton Wahlberg (2+0), Brett Murray (1+1), Jack Rathbone (1+1), Lukas Rousek (0+2), Mason Jobst (0+2), and Viktor Neuchev (0+2) all registered multi-point efforts in the victory. Konsta Helenius, Brendan Warren, Isak Rosén all scored in the third period before Tyson Kozak capped off the night with his fifth of the season and fourth in as many games. Graham Slaggert, Kale Clague and Vsevolod Komarov each chipped in an assist to conclude the scoring.
Goaltender Felix Sandström (1-2-0) made 18 saves in his third appearance of the season. The Swedish netminder earned his first career win with Rochester and his 101st of professional career.
The Comets are winless this season and sees them at an 0-8-0-0 mark to begin the campaign. Utica’s 14 goals are third fewest in the AHL through eight games while they have allowed a league-high 37 markers. Nolan Foote, a 2019 first-round draft pick (Tampa Bay), leads all Comets with seven points (2+5).
POWER-PLAY FINDING A STRONG PULSE
After going its first five games without a power-play goal, Rochester’s power-play has gone 5-for-12 in the last two contests, highlighted by four last night against Utica. The Amerks’ four power-play tallies marked the first time the team has capitalized on four man-advantages since Mar. 10, 2023, versus Hartford.
Brett Murray, who logged the team’s first for the Amerks in 2024-25 during the team’s 5-4 shootout win against Cleveland, and Anton Wahlberg both lead the Amerks with a pair of markers.
Murray has scored 29 of his 75 career goals as an Amerk on the power-play while Wahlberg has a shorthanded goal and two power-play markers this season.
“I think a power-play can really put you over the edge,” said Murray. “I think every game is won five on five, but power-plays can truly give you a little bit extra on nights where maybe you don't quite have it five on five or it's a low scoring, very defensive game. I think finally getting that first power-play goal is hopefully a sign that the floodgates will open now. We've been working hard and really, really studying our game and what wasn't clicking for us in the first couple of games. Hopefully we can turn it around and make it click the rest of the season.”
Rochester has scored at least one power-play goal in 25 of the 48 games against Utica dating back to the start of the 2020-21 season.
TIME TO SPLIT
Amerks head coach Michael Leone mentioned earlier this week that both Houser and fellow goaltender Felix Sandström will split this weekend’s games in Utica, so it would assuming Houser will start tonight.
Houser has taken the crease for three of the last four games and is 3-1-0 on the season with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. Over his last nine appearances in Utica, the veteran goaltender boasts a 7-1-0 record, coupled by a 1.86 goals-against average and .924 save percentage, along with one shutout.
Prior to earning his first win of the season last night, Sandström last took the crease for Rochester on Oct. 18. In four career appearances against Utica with both Rochester and Lehigh Valley, the Swedish born netminder shows a 3-0-0 record, including a 37-save performance April 2, 2022, and 18-save outing last night.
DESPERATION
The Utica Comets enter the first weekend of November as the only team across 32 AHL rosters yet to win a game or earn a standings point. On one hand, that can be viewed as a vulnerable opponent for the Amerks to feast on, but the red, white, and blue see it as the opposite. The Comets have allowed the most goals in the league while have scored the third fewest goals. They have been called for 142 penalty minutes, which is third-most in the league and their penalty kill unit is second-worse in the AHL (71.4%).
“I mean, they're trying to get a win,” said Leone. “I don't think they've been playing bad hockey. Look at the last three games they played against Laval. They could have won every one of those games. Obviously, they haven't had a win, but they're a good team.”
“I mean, if I were in their shoes, I think they're playing desperate for sure,” said Murray. “No one ever wants to start a season or expects to start the season 0-7. They're going to come out and they're going to be playing for their lives in here. They're going to be playing for pride.”
“When I think of Utica, I think of just like a hard physical team,” said Jobst. “They don't give you much time and space. They're very aggressive in all areas of the ice. They get on the forecheck. That barn can be hard to play in if you get behind there, it can get loud. We've played against these guys for so many years. Their core is still there. Some guys just aren't finding the back of the net right now and they're not winning games. But things change pretty quick in this league and especially in this division, there's just no easy games ever.”