TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS SWEEP WEEK ON HOME ICE
Levi posts two shutouts as Amerks remain atop the AHL
Feb 24, 2025
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans (33-14-3-1) continued their homestand in dominant fashion at Blue Cross Arena, topping Cleveland, Belleville, and Toronto over a three-game, four-day span.
After a 4-0 shutout over the Monsters Wednesday, Rochester’s power-play dominated the Senators in a 6-3 win Saturday, before facing the Marlies in a goaltending showdown that went to a five-round shootout, where the Amerks outlasted Toronto in a 1-0 final.
DEVON DOMINATES
Devon Levi was once discussed as being the top goaltender for the Rochester Americans. That conversation has since changed to being arguably the top goaltender in the AHL.
The 23-year-old was pulled Feb. 16 against Laval, marking the first time in Levi’s career that the goaltender did not start and finish a game for the Amerks. Three days later, the second-year pro responded with a 26-save shutout against Cleveland. Three more days went by and Levi stonewalled 30 Toronto Marlies’ shots, plus another five in the shootout to secure back-to-back shutouts.
For his efforts, he was named the AHL’s Player of the Week for period ending Feb. 23, becoming the second Amerk in three weeks to earn the honors.
Levi, who represented the Amerks at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic, has won six of his last eight starts. Three of his last four wins have come via shutouts, and with five on the season, Levi now shares the league lead for shutouts with Charlotte’s Ken Appleby.
The Quebec native also becomes the first Amerks goaltender to record five shutouts in a single season since Scott Wedgewood did so over 48 games in the 2018-19 campaign. The last Amerk with more than five shutouts in a season was soon-to-be Hall of Famer, Ryan Miller, who notched a franchise-record eight shutouts during the 2004-05 season, the last time Rochester was crowned regular-season champions.
Across the AHL, Levi currently ranks second in wins (18), third in goals-against-average (2.17), and sixth in save percentage (.918%).
MVP(s?)
Levi isn’t the only Amerk garnering thought for being the best the AHL has to offer. On offense, Isak Rosén is having a masterful season.
The third-year pro is a point-per-game player, posting 48 (25+23) points in as many games. Rosén is second in the league both in points and in goals, and with Toronto’s Alex Steeves recalled to the Maple Leafs, Rosén has more goals than any active player in the league.
While his goal-scoring has been touted, Rosén showed more of his playmaking abilities this past week. The Swedish prospect logged five assists, including two against the Monsters and three against Belleville Friday evening. His three-point game was Rosen’s 15th multi-point performance of the season and his sixth time reaching three points in a game.
ON TOP OF THE WORLD
In addition to a pair of MVPs, the Amerks as a whole are the best team in the AHL, leading the league and becoming the first team to reach 70 points. The Amerks lead the league in wins (33), goals for (178), and rank seventh in goals-against (136), while owning the sixth-fewest penalty minutes in the AHL (568).
COMING UP NEXT
Rochester wraps up its season-long five-game homestand Wednesday night when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins make their lone visit to the Flower City.
The Pens had previously blanked the Amerks in their only other encounter this season, A 5-0 loss back on Nov. 9 at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is second in the Atlantic Division, yielding a 28-13-6-1 record. The game also snaps a streak of Rochester playing 11 consecutive games against opponents within its division.
Following Wednesday, the Amerks embark on a four-game road trip and return to North Division routes as they start with a New York State weekend, traveling to the Comets Friday before drawing Syracuse on the road Saturday to begin the month of March.