AMERKS CLINCH FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT ON FINAL DAY OF REGULAR SEASON
Rochester locks up fifth straight playoff berth after 5-4 overtime loss to Bears in regular season finale
Apr 19, 2026A wild back-and-forth affair between the American Hockey League’s two oldest teams ultimately ended with the Rochester Americans (31-31-6-4) rallying in the third period to earn the single point they needed to extend their season at least for another week before falling 5-4 in overtime to the Hershey Bears (32-31-6-3) in Sunday’s regular-season finale at Giant Center.
Despite the overtime defeat, Amerks clinched their fifth straight trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs and 51st playoff appearance overall in the 70-year history of the franchise. By securing fifth place in the North Division, Rochester will face the Toronto Marlies in the opening round best-of-three play-in series, which begins on Wednesday, April 22 with Game 1 in Toronto.
Since the 2004-05 season (excluding the 2019-20 season), Rochester is 12-6-2-1 on the final day of the regular season and have outscored its opposition 70-60 while also earning at least one point in eight straight.
Trevor Kuntar (1+1) and Zac Jones (0+2) both recorded multi-point efforts for the Rochester, which entered the contest needing at least one point to earn a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Konsta Helenius and Jake Leschyshyn scored in the second and third periods, respectively, while Carson Meyer (1+0) ultimately sent the game into overtime.
Jack Rathbone, Riley Fiddler-Schultz, Olivier Nadeau, Anton Wahlberg, and Noah Laaouan each recorded an assist for the Amerks, who closed out the regular season with a 31-31-6-4 record.
Goaltender Devon Levi (23-20-9) made 26 saves in what was his league-leading 52nd appearance of the campaign. Levi backstops Rochester to the postseason for the third time in his professional career.
Bodgan Trineyev (1+2), Andrew Cristall (1+1), Ilya Protas (1+1), and Alex Suzdalev (0+2) all notched a pair of points for the Bears, who are also going to the playoffs for the fifth consecutive campaign.
Goaltender Clay Stevenson, who entered the game allowing a pair of goals and picking up two wins this season against the Amerks, finished the season with an 18-13-3 record in his third year with Hershey.
FIRST PERIOD
While Hershey began the first period registering the first six shots in the opening 2:10 of play, Rochester responded with a season-high 23 during the final 17:50.
The Amerks held a 23-7 shot-advantage at the conclusion of the first period but both Levi and Stevenson kept the game scoreless.
SECOND PERIOD
After a heavy hit by Rathbone, a pair of fighting infractions, and a roughing penalty, Rochester drew its first power-play of the contest.
The Amerks only needed nine seconds before capitalizing on the man-advantage as Wahlberg won the ensuing draw to the right of Stevenson. The Swedish forward, who finished the season with 10 points (2+8) in his last nine games, helped the puck to Jones. The two-time AHL All-Star backhanded a simple-looking shot towards the cage from the right point. The shot caromed off bodies atop the crease and was scooped up by Kuntar, who gave the visitors a 1-0 lead just 1:36 left into the frame.
Hershey countered the Rochester power-play goal with two of its own 4:02 apart to take a 2-1 lead on Trineyev and Protas’ 17th and 29th tallies of the season.
Rochester quickly answered Protas’ goal as Helenius made it a 2-2 score just 29 seconds later.
Prior to the tally, Wahlberg broke up a pass inside the Amerks end of the ice and carried it inside the opposite side of blueline. The second-year pro pulled up outside the right circle and poked it back to the point for Laaouan to attempt a shot. Despite the puck hitting off Kuntar in front of the net, it eventually made its way to Helenius to rifle over the glove of Stevenson with 5:55 left in the frame.
Rochester successfully cleared off a tripping infraction before the two teams went into the intermission break as the game was deadlocked at 2-2.
THIRD PERIOD
Like the second period, the Amerks got on the board early to grab a 3-2 lead, however, Hershey responded with a pair of tallies to reclaim a 4-3 advantage with 9:30 left in regulation.
The never-say-die Amerks rallied once again as they drew a hooking infraction moments after the Bears took the lead.
On the ensuing man-advantage, Rochester was able to set-up its power-play unit inside the Bears’ zone, and after gaining ownership of the puck near the left circle from Fiddler-Schultz, Jones played catch with Meyer. The veteran Amerks winger, who is looking to make his Calder Cup Playoff debut, waited atop the blueline, and with traffic in front of Stevenson, tied the game at 4-4 at the 12:45 mark.
The teams remained tied through the final seven minutes of regulation, and thus, overtime period was required.
OVERTIME
Hershey controlled the pace of play in the extra time, limiting the Amerks from even holding possession.
As the frame was nearing its halfway mark, Henrik Rybinski skated down the wing on an odd-man rush alongside Ivan Miroshnichenko. Rybinski sent a quick pass atop the crease before making contact with Levi while Miroshnichenko capped the win as he had a yawning net at the 2:26 mark.
UP NEXT
The Amerks will begin the first round of the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs in a best-of-three series with the Toronto Marlies beginning on Wednesday, April 22. All the action from the Coca-Cola Coliseum will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM WGR Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
ROC: T. Kuntar (21), K. Helenius (21), J. Leschyshyn (13), C. Meyer (14)
HER: B. Trineyev (17), I. Protas (29), W. Bongiovanni (15), A. Cristall (20), I. Miroshnichenko (14)
Goaltenders
ROC: D. Levi – 26/31 (OTL)
HER: C. Stevenson – 40/44 (W)
Shots
ROC: 44
HER: 31
Special Teams
ROC: PP (2/4) | PK (2/4)
HER: PP (2/4) | PK (2/4)
Three Stars:
1. HER - I. Miroshnichenko
2. HER - B. Trineyev
3. HER - C. Stevenson