AMERKS COME UP SHORT TO MONSTERS
Nadeau scores lone goal late in reugulation, Levi makes 18 saves in 2-1 loss to Cleveland
Jan 24, 2026The Rochester Americans (20-14-4-2) scored late in regulation to pull within a goal, but the comeback attempt fell just short in what ended up being a 2-1 loss to the Cleveland Monsters (19-14-5-1) Saturday at The Blue Cross Arena.
Despite the defeat, Rochester has points in 16 of its last 22 games dating back to Nov. 22, 2025. The Amerks will go into their final two games of the month of January tied for fourth place in the North Division standings with Toronto.
Forward Olivier Nadeau helped Rochester avoid its first shutout against Cleveland since Nov. 16, 2023, as he scored in the final minute of regulation. Jagger Joshua, who became the 10th different Amerk this season with double digits in assists (10), and Isaac Belliveau logged the helpers.
Goaltender Devon Levi (14-8-6) took the defeat in the goal crease after entering the contest with back-to-back home shutouts. Levi, whose home shutout streak lasted over 177 minutes, finished the night stopping 18 of the 19 shots he faced in his 28th appearance of the campaign.
Former Amerk Hudson Fasching and Owen Sillinger both scored for the Monsters, who hold a 3-0-2-0 record this season against the Amerks. Netminder Zach Sawchenko (6-5-3) came within a minute of notching his first AHL shutout of the season as he made 30 saves to earn the win.
FIRST PERIOD
The first period was evenly balanced between the two North Division rivals as they each registered seven shots apiece while also having successful penalty kills.
Although Rochester had its best chance of the night as Joshua and Red Savage nearly connected on the first goal of the period near the 8:00 mark, the game was scoreless going into the intermission break.
SECOND PERIOD
Early in the middle period, Rochester held possession of the puck in the offensive zone before Justin Pearson poked it free. The winger pushed it ahead for Fasching and Jack Williams on an odd-man rush. Williams eventually advanced it ahead for a streaking Fasching, who found an open lane and broke free up the middle of the ice before rooking a shot over Levi for his fourth of the slate at the 1:06 mark.
Tensions seemed to rise shortly thereafter as Joshua and Tate Singleton dropped the gloves for a one-sided bout. Then to close out the period, the two teams combined for eight minutes of penalties, but the score remained a 1-0 game in favor of the visitors heading into the break.
THIRD PERIOD
Midway through the stanza and trailing by a goal, Rochester drew a pair of penalties to gain a 5-on-3 two-man advantage for 42 seconds but was unable to knot the contest.
Later in the frame following an icing, the Amerks summoned Levi to the bench for an extra skater. On the ensuing draw inside the Monsters zone, Rochester had a shot from the left of the circle, however, the rebound was kicked into the slot for Sillinger to eventually skate to the center of the ice and deposit into the vacant-net with 1:41 remaining in regulation.
Shortly after the deficit swelled to 2-0, Rochester again pulled its netminder before Nadeau stuffed in his fifth of the season after a goal-mouth scramble to spoil Cleveland’s bid for a shutout with 55 seconds left in regulation.
Unfortunately for the Amerks, though, that would be as close as they could get as Cleveland held on for the 2-1 win.
UP NEXT
The Amerks resume their season-long six-game homestand on Wednesday, Jan. 28 when the AHL’s two oldest clubs meet for the first of back-to-back meetings at The Blue Cross Arena. All the action against the Hershey Bears from 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. Fasching (4), O. Sillinger (8)
ROC: O. Nadeau (5)
Goaltenders
CLE: J. Sawchenko – 30/31 (W)
ROC: D. Levi – 18/19 (L)
Shots
CLE: 20
ROC: 31
Special Teams
CLE: PP (0/5) | PK (5/5)
ROC: PP (0/5) | PK (5/5)
Three Stars:
1. CLE - Z. Sawchenko
2. CLE - H. Fasching
3. ROC - D. Levi