AMERKS CLOSE OUT ROAD TRIP WITH 6-3 LOSS IN PROVIDENCE
Helenius reaches 20-goal mark, Valente scores in pro debut in setback to Bruins
Apr 11, 2026The Rochester Americans (31-29-5-4) scored twice in the third period but ultimately were unable to keep pace in a 6-3 loss to the league-leading Providence Bruins (53-14-2-0) Saturday at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
The Amerks, who remain close to clinching their fifth straight trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs, have earned at least a point in seven of their last 10 games against Providence, which includes last Saturday’s 2-1 overtime victory at home. Additionally, Rochester has logged a .500 winning percentage or better in each of its last five seasons versus the Bruins since the start of the 2021-22 campaign.
Liam Valente, who made his professional debut after joining the club earlier this week, Konsta Helenius and Graham Slaggert all scored for the Amerks. Slaggert notched his second goal of the season whereas Helenius became the fourth Amerk this season – and second this weekend – to reach the 20-goal mark.
Along with Valente collecting his first pro point, Maxim Štrbák also notched his first with an assist on Slaggert’s third-period tally.
Olivier Nadeau, Anton Wahlberg, and Aidan Fulp all produced one assist each to conclude the scoring.
Goaltender Devon Levi (23-19-8) made 38 saves, which included 22 in the second period alone, in his league-leading 50th appearance of the campaign. Over his last nine starts, the Quebec native shows a 6-3-0 record while making 210 saves since Mar. 22.
Fabian Lysell (2+0), Matěj Blümel (1+1), Patrick Brown (1+1), Georgii Merkulov (1+1), Riley Tufte (0+2) and Christian Wolanin (0+2) all notched a two-point outing for Providence, which entered the contest with a league-best 52 wins and 108 points on the slate.
Netminder Simon Zajicek (14-5-1) earned his 14th win of the 2025-26 season as he stopped 21 of the 24 shots he faced.
FIRST PERIOD
Following a pair of fights seven minutes apart, the second of which gave Providence a power-play, the home team opened the scoring.
On the ensuing face-off to the left of Levi, Brown won the draw back to Wolanin. The Quebec native patiently waited and sent a pass for Merkulov to blast past the Amerks goaltender at the 9:19 mark.
While Rochester gained its second power-play of the period, the team was unable to find any success despite some good looks only to have the Bruins double their lead seconds after the infraction.
After the Amerks’ power-play expired, Lysell broke up a pass at the Rochester blueline and flagged down the loose puck near center ice. The former first-round selection raced in all alone on Levi and converted for his 16th of the season.
Nearly a minute after seeing the deficit swell to a pair, Rochester was nearly caught inside its own zone on an extended shift, however, Valente forced a turnover and carried the puck through the neutral zone. The newest Amerk flew up the ice alongside Anton Wahlberg on an odd-man rush, and as they reached the dots, he used a toe drag move before wiring his first professional goal.
SECOND PERIOD
With the score 2-1 midway through the middle frame, Providence pressured Rochester for nearly the entire period as they finished with a staggering 24-2 shot-advantage.
The Bruins, who did not allow the Amerks their first shot until 3:21 left in the period, struck twice in a 55-second span to take a 4-1 cushion on Blümel and Lysell’s markers, respectively.
Providence carried the lead into the final period of play for the 39th time of the season.
THIRD PERIOD
On Rochester’s second power-play of the third period and fourth overall, Wahlberg won the face-off inside the Bruins’ zone. Nadeau helped push the puck to the left point for Helenius, and the second-year Finnish product carried it across the blueline before zipping home his 20th tally of the season, cutting the deficit in half with 7:12 left in regulation.
The momentum from the goal lasted less than 40 seconds, though, as Brown beat Levi at the 13:22 mark when he caught Tufte’s breakaway feed to restore Providence’s three-goal lead.
The two clubs traded goals for the second time of the frame as Riley Duran scored into an empty net with 2:22 to play before Slaggert finished off Štrbák’s rebound 42 seconds later to cap the 6-3 score.
UP NEXT
The Amerks close out their historic 70th anniversary season in the AHL with the first of a three-game weekend beginning on Friday, April 17 when they host the Cleveland Monsters in the regular season home finale at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:05 p.m. puck drop will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM WGR Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
ROC: L. Valente (1), K. Helenius (20), G. Slaggert (2)
PRO: G. Merkulov (23), F. Lysell (16, 17 – GWG), M. Blümel (19), P. Brown (20), R. Duran (7)
Goaltenders
ROC: D. Levi – 38/43 (L)
PRO: S. Zajicek – 21/24 (W)
Shots
ROC: 24
PRO: 44
Special Teams
ROC: PP (1/4) | PK (2/3)
PRO: PP (1/3) | PK (3/4)
Three Stars:
1. PRO - F. Lysell
2. PRO - G. Merkulov
3. PRO - P. Brown