GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS ENTERTAIN CLEVELAND FOR MIDWEEK MATCHUP
Rochester hosts game two of five on season-long homestand
Feb 18, 2025
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans (30-14-3-1) continue with their season-long homestand Wednesday night as they welcome the Cleveland Monsters (26-14-4-4) to Blue Cross Arena.
It’s meeting seven of eight on the season between the Amerks and Monsters. Rochester has been heavily favored in the previous affairs, owning a 5-1-0-0 record against Cleveland this season.
Rochester boasts a 46-22-8-4 record against Cleveland over the last 11 years dating back to the start of the 2011-12 campaign and has earned at least one point in 37 of the last 54 games overall.
LAST TIME OUT
Jack Rathbone and Mason Jobst scored Sunday afternoon against Laval, but a slow start stopped the Amerks from overcoming the Rocket in a 5-2 loss. Rochester finished its three-game weekend 1-2-0-0 with an overtime win against Utica Saturday and a 5-1 loss to Syracuse Friday night.
Rathbone scored back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday, while Noah Östlund had the biggest weekend of any Amerk with his overtime game-winner Saturday, netting the first of his career. Felix Sandström made 29 saves for his seventh consecutive win as the 28-year-old continues on his career-best win streak.
Cleveland spent its weekend on the road in Chicago, sweeping the Wolves by 4-1 and 3-2 finals, respectively. Seven different skaters found the back of the net for Cleveland, which has points in eight of its last 10 games, despite winning only four of them.
M & M
Brett Murray and Zachary Metsa each have six points in the season series against Cleveland so far, with Murray having scored three goals and three assists while Metsa has scored two of his three goals this season against Cleveland.
Murray and Metsa rank second and fourth in team scoring, respectively. At 21 goals, Murray ranks fifth in the AHL, while Metsa’s 29 assists are tied for fifth-best in the league.
In 38 career games against the Monsters, Murray has amassed seven goals and 16 points. Metsa has operated at over a point-per-game basis in his two years against Cleveland and has more points against the Monsters than any other team, logging five goals and 13 points over 12 games.
When Murray scores, the Amerks have gone 16-1-1-1 this season.
PENALTY PERFECTION
The Amerks penalty kill has been among the best in the AHL, operating at 84.9% and ranking fourth across the league. Over the last 10 games, Rochester has killed off 32 of 33 penalties, and on home ice alone, the team is clicking at an 89.2% clip, tied with Laval for the best home ice penalty kill in the league.
In addition to killing penalties, Rochester is also scoring goals while shorthanded, including one from Tyson Kozak against Cleveland eight nights ago. The Amerks have accumulated nine shorthanded goals, placing them in a tie with Toronto for second-most in the league. Of those nine, Graham Slaggert has contributed with five of them, making him the first Amerk in 35 seasons to reach five or more shorthanded goals in a single year.
On Dec. 7, 2024, the Amerks woke up with the 16th ranked penalty kill. Having jumped 12 spots in the following 74 days is nothing short of remarkable.
NOT SCARED OF MONSTERS
Despite being the reigning North Division champions from a season ago, Cleveland has failed to execute its top tier punch when facing the Amerks. Over six meetings during the 2024-25 campaign, the Amerks have outscored Cleveland, 27-15. A season ago, the Monsters finished their year with the seventh-most goals scored, whereas now they currently rank 14th in scoring.
The Amerks have neutralized most of Cleveland’s top guns, though star forward Trey Fix-Wolansky remains a thorn in Rochester’s side, scoring three goals and seven points over six games against the red, white, and blue this season. Fix-Wolansky has 15 career goals against the Amerks, though none of his from this season have resulted in his team winning.
Goaltender Jet Greaves has made five starts against Rochester, with the Amerks scoring four goals on him in each of his appearances.