AMERKS DROP PLAYOFF OPENER TO MARLIES
Rochester on the brink of elimination after opening postseason with 5-0 loss to Toronto
Apr 22, 2026Seven different Rochester Americans (0-1) made their professional playoff debuts in a 5-0 loss to the Toronto Marlies (1-0) in Wednesday’s postseason opener at Coca Cola Coliseum.
The Amerks, who have dropped each of their last two playoff games by a 5-0 score, will look to stave off elimination as the best-of-three series resumes Friday night in Rochester for Game 2 at The Blue Cross Arena.
Carson Meyer, Matteo Costantini, Olivier Nadeau, Red Savage, Noah Laaouan, Isaac Belliveau, Radim Mrtka all made their professional postseason debuts. Konsta Helenius and Trevor Kuntar, both of whom finished the regular season with a career-high 21 goals, each recorded a team-high three shots.
Goaltender Devon Levi, who faced double figures in shots each period, made 26 saves in the defeat. In his last six postseason games with the Amerks dating back to the start of the 2025 North Division Finals against Laval, the former AHL All-Star has allowed 23 goals on 162 shots, but the club has been shutout twice.
Veteran forward Vinni Lettieri notched a playoff career-best four points on three goals and one assist to power Toronto to a 1-0 series lead. Michael Pezzetta and Benoit-Olivier Groulx both notched first-period goals to close out the scoring for the Marlies, who have won four straight and five of their last six games dating back to the end of the regular season.
Goaltender Artur Akhtyamov, who posted a 21-12-4 record in 37 games during the regular season, notched his first shutout as he also made his first AHL playoff appearance. Akhtyamov showed a 2-1-1 mark in four games versus Rochester during the 2025-26 campaign.
FIRST PERIOD
After being unable to capitalize on the first power-play of the contest, Toronto used an extended shift at the seven-minute mark to break the scoreless contest. Marc Johnstone and Dakota Mermis both helped rim the puck around the offensive zone before Pezzetta grabbed it at the extended goal-line and circled to the top of the far dot before picking the upper left corner to give the Marlies a 1-0 lead.
Seven minutes later while Rochester registered its only shots of the period (4), Lettieri picked up a loose puck in the right corner. The nine-year veteran forward snapped a pass to Groulx as he was crashing the crease, doubling the Marlies’ lead at the 14:33 mark.
To close out the scoring in the opening frame, the Amerks were whistled for a pair of penalties in succession, giving the home club 16 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage. Rochester was able to clear off the first of the infractions plus the first half of a double-minor high-stick, but Lettieri blasted a one-time feed from William Villeneuve inside the left dot.
SECOND PERIOD
The two clubs started to trade opportunities in the first part of the second period, including a heavy slap-shot from atop the left point by Jack Rathbone, but the score remained 3-0 in favor of the Marlies.
After a face-off win to the left of the Amerks net, Rochester tried to begin a play by flipping the puck out of the zone. Unfortunately for the visitors, Lettieri jumped up to knock the puck down before playing it at his feet and connecting his second of the night with just over six minutes left in the period.
The Amerks drew their third power-play of the night, but despite a few chances, could not solve Akhtyamov before being caught with too many men on the ice as the man-advantage expired.
Before the completion of second period, Lettieri gathered a drop pass and finished off his natural hat trick with four seconds to spare.
THIRD PERIOD
During the third period, the Marlies limited the Amerks to just four shots while registering 10 of their own over the course of the frame. Neither club found the back of the net as each netminder made their respective saves and the final score held from the end of the second period.
UP NEXT
The best-of-three opening round series shifts to downtown Rochester on Friday, April 24 for a must-win Game 2. All the action from The Blue Cross Arena will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM WGR Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
ROC: None
TOR: M. Pezzetta (1 – GWG), B. Groulx (1), V. Lettieri (1, 2 ,3)
Goaltenders
ROC: D. Levi – 27/32 (L)
TOR: A. Akhtyamov – 16/16 (W)
Shots
ROC: 16
TOR: 32
Special Teams
ROC: PP (0/4) | PK (5/7)
TOR: PP (2/7) | PK (4/4)
Three Stars:
1. TOR - V. Lettieri
2. TOR - A. Akhtyamov
3. TOR - B. Groulx