GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS LOOK TO END ROAD TRIP ON A WINNING NOTE IN LAVAL
Rochester aiming to avoid first winless road trip of the season
Mar 8, 2025
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans (34-15-3-3) face-off against the Laval Rocket (36-15-2-1) for the second time in less than 24 hours Saturday afternoon at Place Bell.
It’s the penultimate meeting between Laval and Rochester in the 2024-25 regular season, also marking the final time the Amerks will play in Laval. Their final scheduled game against the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate comes on April 11 at Blue Cross Arena.
Through six games, Rochester shows a 2-3-1-0 record against the Rocket.
LAST TIME OUT
For the second game in a row, the Amerks built themselves a 2-0 lead that they were unable to handle, as Laval would end up flipping the game on its head in the third period Friday night, rallying to top Rochester by a 4-3 final.
The Rocket scored three times in a 2:25 span late in regulation. Alex Barre-Boulet had two goals, including the game-winning conversion with under six minutes to play. Laval had gone on to score four unanswered before Noah Östlund drew Rochester back within a goal with 1:23 to play, but the Amerks were unable to solve Connor Hughes for a fourth time to even the contest.
Tyson Kozak and Mason Jobst scored the first two goals of the game in the second period. Jobst would later tack on an assist on Östlund’s tally, giving the captain a multi-point game against a team he’s played very well against with nine goals and 19 points in 23 career games against the Rocket.
Brett Murray also made his return to the lineup after missing three games, registering an assist with Jobst on the goal by Östlund.
Devon Levi made 28 saves in the loss, while Hughes got credit for 22 saves in the win for Laval.
BUMPY ROAD
As Rochester closes its four-game road trip in Laval Saturday afternoon, the team is still seeking its first win of the swing. Last weekend, the Amerks dropped a pair of shootouts to Utica and Syracuse, respectively, then fell 4-3 in regulation last night, marking not only their third consecutive loss, but all three being decided by one-goal. Rochester has gone 11-5-3-3 in one-goal games this season.
The pair of games against Laval this weekend have massive implications in the Calder Cup Playoff picture. With the loss last night, Rochester descended from first place in the AHL as the Rocket leapfrogged them, fronting the league with 75 points.
Despite their recent trials, the Amerks still lead the AHL as its best road team, carrying a 20-7-1-2 record into Saturday. Earlier in the season, Rochester was on pace to surpass its 2018-19 and 1998-99 counterparts. Each of those rosters set a franchise record with 25 road wins. The Amerks need to win five more away games to become the third team in franchise history to reach that feat. This 2024-25 team can still surpass their predecessors, but to do so Rochester needs to win every one of its six remaining games on the road.
NOTHING STOPPING NOAH
With his late goal Friday, Östlund has now found the back of the net in four straight contests, pushing his season total to 11 goals. The rookie forward has 23 points (11+12) on the season, with 20 of his points (10+10) coming across his last 19 games.
Östlund’s goal last night was his first against the Rocket. The Stockholm, Sweden, native has goals against four of the other six North Division teams. His +15 rating on the season leads all Rochester forwards and is second overall to only Nikita Novikov (+25). Across the AHL, Östlund’s plus/minus is fourth-best amongst rookies.
The Sabres’ prospect has not gone consecutive games without a point since Jan. 3-4.
MISSING INGREDIENTS
Just prior to the start of Friday’s game, the Buffalo Sabres announced that forwards Isak Rosén and Josh Dunne were recalled on an emergency basis due to illness uncertainty among the Sabres roster. Rosén and Dunne are now with Buffalo as the team plays Saturday evening in Sunrise, Florida against the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers.
For the Amerks, that means the team will be playing a second straight game without the services of their leading scorer and arguably best 200-foot player on the roster. Rosén and Dunne combine for 34 goals and 74 points this season. This is Dunne’s first recall to Buffalo, while Rosén is up for a third time this season.
Additionally with the NHL trade deadline Friday, the Sabres and Rangers exchanged players, sending Nicolas Aubé-Kubel to New York. With those absences, the Amerks slotted Jagger Joshua and Ty Tullio back in the lineup Friday.
In other roster news, goaltender Felix Sandström is back with the Amerks from personal leave and traveled with the team to Laval. Sandström returns still riding a career-best seven-game win streak and has not lost since Dec. 6, 2024.