AMERKS CLOSE OUT HOMESTAND WITH OVERTIME LOSS TO MONSTERS
Nadeau, Kopff have multi-point efforts in 4-3 loss to Cleveland
Dec 27, 2025Forwards Olivier Nadeau (1+1) and Tyler Kopff (0+2) each posted multi-point efforts for the Rochester Americans (15-10-3-1), who closed out their four-game holiday homestand on the short end of a 4-3 overtime loss to the Cleveland Monsters (13-10-3-1) Saturday at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
Rochester, which has points in nine of its last 11 games dating back to Nov. 22, close out the home portion of the month having played in five of the six games beyond regulation. The Amerks remain in third place in the North Division with 34 points, three back of Syracuse.
While Nadeau and Kopff each logged two points, Isaac Belliveau found the back of the net for the first time since Nov. 2, 2024, and first as an Amerk. Brendan Warren, Zac Jones, and Mason Geersten, who played as a defenseman tonight, each were credited with an assist in the defeat while Trevor Kuntar added his 10th goal of the season to match a career-high.
Goaltender Devon Levi (11-5-4) made his sixth straight start and 20th appearance of the season, stopping 35 shots. Levi, who celebrated his 24th birthday on Saturday, is tied for second amongst all AHL goaltenders with 20 games this season.
Hunter McKown, Luca Pinelli, Justin Pearson all scored for Cleveland in regulation before Luca Del Bel Belluz called the game 79 seconds into overtime. Goaltender Ivan Fedotov (9-6-2) earned his fifth straight victory, making 23 saves.
FIRST PERIOD
Nearly five minutes into the first period after a heavy hit by Riley Fiddler-Schultz, Jones was able to keep the puck inside the offensive zone. Kuntar was the recipient of Jones’s pass to the left of the net before he tracked his own rebound at the far corner. The Buffalo native turned out at the hashmarks then wired a shot past Fedotov’s glove for his 10th of the season.
Four minutes later, Geersten provided an outlet pass in the neutral zone to Nadeau by the Cleveland bench. Nadeau carried it down the left wing and played the puck around the back of the net for Kopff. After controlling the pass, Kopff centered it to the point for Belliveau to convert and double the cushion at the 9:07 mark.
Rochester the 2-0 lead into the intermission break along with an 8-5 shot-advantage.
SECOND PERIOD
Facing a two-goal deficit, the Monsters cut into the score as Tate Singleton, who opened the scoring in the last meeting between the two clubs last month, flagged down a potential clearing attempt inside the Amerks zone. He gained ownership of the puck and then handed it to McKown to tuck under the crossbar less than three minutes into the frame.
Later in the stanza, Cleveland evened the score at 2-2 just 30 seconds into its second power-play of the night as Pinelli was setup by Owen Sillinger and Mikael Pyyhtiä with 3:54 on the second-period clock.
After seeing its two-goal lead dissolve, Kopff played the puck into the offensive zone from along the right wing. The Brown University product then worked a Monster into the corner, allowing Nadeau to rim it around the boards to the far point. Geersten banked a pass off the end boards for Nadeau to stuff inside the right arm and body of the Cleveland netminder, restoring the 3-2 lead.
THIRD PERIOD
Cleveland outshot Rochester 11-2 in the opening 12 minutes before tying the score again at the 11:55 mark when former Amerk Hudson Fasching moved the puck to Pearson. The latter sent a pass to the far point for Stanislav Svozil, whose quick shot pinballed off skates in front of the net before glancing off Pearson and in past Levi for the equalizer.
The Amerks tried to claim the lead late in the third period as they had a few shots on Fedotov, but the game remained knotted at 3-3, requiring the overtime frame.
OVERTIME
While the Monsters controlled the pace of play in the first minute of the extra frame, Konsta Helenius and Matteo Costantini had an odd-man rush. Helenius attempted a shot, but had it denied by Corson Ceulemans and the loose puck was scooped by Pyyhtiä in the corner. The Cleveland forward took a stride before centering a pass to a streaking Del Bel Belluz, who converted on the ensuing breakaway opportunity to seal the 4-3 win for Cleveland.
UP NEXT
The Amerks close out the 2025 calendar year as the home-and-home series shifts to downtown Cleveland on Monday, Dec. 29 for a rematch with the Monsters at Rocket Arena. The 6:30 p.m. 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
CLE: H. McKown (4), L. Pinelli (9), J. Pearson (3), L. Del Bel Belluz (OT—GWG 6)
ROC: T. Kuntar (10), I. Belliveau (1), O. Nadeau (4)
Goaltenders
CLE: I. Fedotov – 23/26 (W)
ROC: D. Levi – 35/39 (OTL)
Shots
CLE: 39
ROC: 26
Special Teams
CLE: PP (1/2) | PK (1/1)
ROC: PP (0/1) | PK (1/2)
Three Stars:
1. CLE - L. Del Bel Belluz
2. ROC - O. Nadeau
3. CLE - L. Pinelli