LEVI BLANKS CRUNCH FOR FIRST PRO SHUTOUT
Levi’s 20-save effort, Rosen’s three-point night lead Amerks to 3-0 win over Syracuse
Nov 29, 2024Isak Rosén factored on all three goals, including scoring twice, and Devon Levi was flawless in stopping all 20 shots he faced to pick up his first professional shutout while leading the Rochester Americans (9-6-3-0) to a 3-0 win over the intrastate rival Syracuse Crunch (8-7-1-2) Friday night at Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
With the win, Rochester has earned at least one point in 11 of its last 15 games dating back to Oct. 23. Additionally, the Amerks, who entered the contest showing a 35-11-5-0 record when scoring three or more goals against the Crunch, have blanked Syracuse in each of their last two regular-season meetings dating back to last season.
Forward Isak Rosén (2+1) notched his third multi-goal outing in his last 16 games and second three-point game of the season for the Amerks while Brett Murray (1+0) also notched his sixth tally. Jack Rathbone, Mason Jobst, Kale Clague, Vsevolod Komarov and Konsta Helenius all registered one assist each to complete the scoring.
In his fourth appearance with Rochester this season, Levi (2-1-1) turned aside all 20 shots he faced, which included 13 in the final period to earn the win and shutout. The second-year netminder has held the opposition to three or fewer goals in all but six of his 30 appearances with the Amerks.
FIRST PERIOD
For the third consecutive contest, the Amerks drew the game’s first power-play in the opening period. Unlike the two previous, Rochester used the man-advantage to generate a 1-0 lead.
While the first unit was unable to capitalize with the extra skater, Zachary Metsa, Rosén, Helenius, Jobst, and Murray all kept the Crunch trapped inside their own zone before Rosén gave Rochester the early cushion. As the Amerks possessed the puck, Metsa handed a pass to Helenius from the center of the zone to the left dot. As the rookie tried to thread it to Jobst at the bumper position, it caromed to the far face-off circle for Rosén to wire over the blocker of Halverson, who was screened by Murray.
Rochester carried the 1-0 lead into the intermission break while limiting Syracuse to a season-low three shots compared to its nine.
SECOND PERIOD
During the second period, Rochester gained a 5-on-3 power-play for 1:46 less than 5:30 into the frame. After being held without a shot in the opening seven minutes and the puck in the left wing of the Crunch zone, Rosén provided a perfect backhand pass through the dots to Rathbone. As the Amerks’ blueliner was all alone in-front of the Crunch netminder, he primed himself for a slapshot only to fool the unsuspecting defense with a nifty pass through the low slot to a wide-open Murray, who snuck to the side of the crease before steering it past Halverson at the 7:21 mark.
While neither team was able to find much offensively for the remaining 11 minutes, Rochester netted its third of the night during final seconds of the second period.
The Amerks appeared to be content with a two-goal lead heading into the break, but Josh Dunne dumped the puck into the Syracuse zone for Viktor Neuchev at the right-wing. The second-year forward looped to the top of the blueline before giving a pass to Clague at the left point. Clague waited briefly then centered it for Komarov in-between dots, but the two-time QMHJL champion laid it for Rosén to hammer past the glove hand for his second of the night and sixth overall.
THIRD PERIOD
During the third period, in which Syracuse finished with a 13-3 shot-advantage, the visitors had their best chance to potentially spoil Levi’s bid for a shutout as Rochester was called for simultaneous holding and tripping infractions.
The Amerks shorthanded unit along with Levi dug deep to successfully clear off both penalties to keep the game a 3-0 score. Dylan Duke’s attempt from the top of the crease was denied by Levi before the Quebec native also turned aside a flurry of other chances.
Rochester used the momentum from the kill as they limited the Crunch for the final six minutes and preserved the 3-0 victory.
STARS AND STRIPES
Prior to Friday, Rochester’s power-play unit, which scored twice, went 2-for-31 over its last eight games dating back to Nov. 9… Tonight marked goaltender Devon Levi’s first shutout since Feb. 25, 2023 as a member of the Northeastern University … Including tonight’s first-period goal, the Amerks have outscored the Crunch 13-5 in the opening 20 minutes of play in the last nine regular-season games dating back to last season.
UP NEXT
The Amerks and Crunch close out their home-and-home series as the scene shifts to downtown Syracuse on Sat. Nov. 30 for a 5:00 p.m. rematch at Upstate Medical University Arena. The matchup will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
SYR: None
ROC: I. Rosén (5 – GWG, 6), B. Murray (6)
Goaltenders
SYR: B. Halverson – 12/15 (L)
ROC: D. Levi – 20/20 (W)
Shots
SYR: 20
ROC: 15
Special Teams
SYR: PP (0/6) | PK (4/6)
ROC: PP (2/6) | PK (4/6)
Three Stars:
1. ROC - D. Levi
2. ROC - I. Rosén
3. ROC - B. Murray