GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS START MARCH AGAINST CRUNCH
Rochester begins final full month of the 2024-25 AHL season
Mar 1, 2025
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
After a nine-round shootout loss to begin their four-game road trip, the Rochester Americans (34-14-3-2) continue on through the Empire State as they take on the Syracuse Crunch (22-17-7-4) Saturday night at Upstate Medical University Arena.
It’s meeting nine of 12 on the season between the Amerks and Crunch, with Rochester leading the season series at 5-3-0-0. The Amerks have won two of three in Syracuse this season, including their most recent visit on Feb. 1, when Isak Rosén completed a rally for the Amerks with his overtime goal to lift Rochester to a 4-3 win.
The two sides will meet three additional times following Saturday’s game, which is the first of three Saturdays in March where the Amerks will spend time in Syracuse.
LAST TIME OUT
Noah Östlund scored the game-tying goal with 1:25 left in regulation to help the Amerks earn a standings point, before ultimately falling by a 3-2 final in a shootout to the Utica Comets on Friday. The game marked the beginning of a four-game road trip for Rochester, as well as their final visit to Utica this season. The Amerks’ loss was their first in Utica in 475 days, dating back to Nov. 11, 2023.
In addition to Östlund, Konsta Helenius also scored, with the rookie duo each netting their ninth goals of the season. Östlund and Nicolas Aubé-Kubel would go on to score in a shootout that went nine rounds deep before Utica managed to outlast Rochester. Michael Houser made 16 saves through 65 minutes before going six-for-nine in the shootout.
While the Amerks played a shootout, the Crunch were shut out as Syracuse hosted and dropped a 2-0 final to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Friday night; a team the Amerks topped 5-2 just two nights prior. Brandon Halverson was the standout for Syracuse, recording 35 saves on 37 shots, while Penguins’ goaltender Filip Larsson stopped all 31 shots, including a team high five from Declan Carlile and Conor Sheary each. Syracuse had won three of its previous four before falling on Friday.
With the loss and a Belleville win elsewhere, the Crunch start March on the outside looking in when it comes to playoff positioning in the North Division.
MARCH MADNESS
The Amerks, along with the other 31 teams in the American Hockey League, begin the final full month of the 2024-25 regular season. Rochester enters March with more points (73), wins (34), and goals (185) than any team in the league.
March features an 11-game slate for the Amerks, with six of those games coming at home and the first three of the month taking place outside the Flower City. The Amerks and Crunch will meet four times in March to conclude the 12-game season series.
Four of the 11 games will come against teams from the Atlantic Division, with each of those coming at Blue Cross Arena. Rochester welcomes Charlotte to town twice on back-to-back weeks, along with scheduled encounters against Bridgeport and Providence. The last two weekends of March will be consecutive three-game weekends, with Rochester playing each day Friday-Sunday.
LEANING ON LEVI
Devon Levi is expected to make his 28th start of the season Saturday against Syracuse. The 23-year-old has been heavily relied upon by the Amerks and has been among the best goaltenders in the league this season.
Levi is tied for first in shutouts (5), second in wins (19), and third in goals-against-average (2.16). The Quebec native has started seven of eight games against Syracuse this season, operating with a 4-3-0 record.
In February, the Sabres’ prospect went 5-2-0 in seven starts, posting three shutouts, including consecutive shutouts last week and going 159:14 without surrendering a goal. Levi was named the AHL’s player of the week for Feb. 17-23.
CRUNCH TIME
The Amerks will face Syracuse for the 43rd time overall since the start of the 2022-23 season. This includes each of the last two postseasons where the two cities met in the North Division Semifinals in back-to-back best-of-five series that went the distance.
Isak Rosén leads Rochester in the season series with seven goals and eight points against Syracuse. Brett Murray (4+2) is second in team scoring against the Crunch, though the six-year veteran has been out of the lineup the last two games.