AMERKS ERASE 2-0 DEFICIT, BUT FALL TO CHECKERS IN SHOOTOUT
Metsa, Rathbone both return to lineup, Leschyshyn scores 10th of season in 3-2 loss to Charlotte
Feb 18, 2026The Rochester Americans (24-17-4-3) erased a 2-0 deficit early in the third period before settling for the consolation point in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Charlotte Checkers (28-16-3-0) Wednesday at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
By earning a point, Rochester has earned at least one in each of its last three games against Charlotte this season as they show a 1-0-1-1 record. With a point in three of the first four head-to-head meetings with the Checkers, it marks the first time the club has done so since the 2017-18 season (2-1-1-0).
Forward Jake Leschyshyn scored his 10th goal of the season in the second period before rookie Matteo Costantini notched his second during the final frame. Zach Metsa, who returned the Amerks lineup after spending the last two months with the Buffalo Sabres, Nikita Novikov, Konsta Helenius, and Isak Rosén all notched an assist to complete the scoring.
Helenius, Jack Rathbone, who also returned to the lineup after missing the previous nine games, and Zac Jones all were unsuccessful in the skills competition.
Goaltender Devon Levi (17-10-7) made 30 saves in his AHL-best 34th appearance of the season. The netminder, who has allowed two or fewer goals in 10 of his last 13 games since Jan. 7, made five saves in overtime, including a penalty shot, and two of the three Charlotte shooters he faced in the shootout.
MacKenzie Entwistle and Nate Smith both scored in regulation while Jack Studnicka sealed the win as the lone goal-scorer in the skills competition. Netminder Cooper Black improved to 19-8-2 as he stopped 33 shots, which included all three in the shootout.
FIRST PERIOD
Early in the first period while Rochester drew the game’s first power-play, Charlotte had a pair of shorthanded chances denied by Levi to keep the contest scoreless. The Checkers had their third scoring attempt denied immediately after the penalty, but again the Rochester netminder stonewalled the shot.
Three minutes after the Checkers’ slashing infraction was successfully cleared, the Amerks were called for a delay of game penalty. Jagger Joshua and Rathbone both had a blocked shot to help the shorthanded unit with Rochester’s clear.
Late in the period as the teams traded shots over the first 18 minutes of the contest, Riese Gaber stepped in front of a second attempt for Rochester to break the puck of the Charlotte zone and sent a pass down to Entwistle. The latter collected the pass below the right face-off dot of Levi then cut the top of the crease to slip in his third goal of the year at the 18:15 mark.
The two clubs went into the intermission break tied with 12 shots apiece, but Charlotte held the 1-0 lead.
SECOND PERIOD
The Amerks registered the first six shots of the second period, but Charlotte scored on its first to double its lead at the 14:58 mark as Smith solved Levi following a fantastic individual effort, using a nifty move to maneuver around the defenseless netminder.
After the goal and seeing the deficit swell to a pair, Rochester continued to pressure Black and limit the Checkers offensively before drawing its third power play of the night with just over three minutes left in the stanza.
While being unable to capitalize with the extra skater, the Amerks finally beat Black in the dying seconds of the period to cut the deficit in half.
To begin the play, Novikov gathered the puck near center ice before carrying it across the blueline and towards the cage. As the defenseman was nearing the crease on his backhand, he circled back into the corner and banked a pass back to the right point for Metsa. After the Amerks captain tried to shoot the puck, it was blocked by bodies in front, allowing Leschyshyn to swoop and shoot, finding space between the 6-foot-8 frame of Black to get the home team on the board.
THIRD PERIOD
Carrying the momentum into the final stanza from Leschyshyn’s tally, Costantini began a play in front of the Amerks bench. The rookie snapped a pass ahead to Gavin Bayreuther, who then handed to Rosén at the far blueline. Rosén absorbed a hit but played the puck to Helenius and the AHL All-Star centered it between the dots for Costantini to wire past Black just 2:37 into the frame.
After the game was tied, the two teams continued to search for the extra point, however, Black and Levi both denied all the shots to send the game to overtime.
OVERTIME
In the extra frame, Charlotte tested Levi often as they finished with five shots, but its best chance came on Jack Devine’s penalty shot opportunity with 2:03 remaining. The Quebec native turned aside the shot and overtime continued.
Neither club was able to net the game-winner, thus the shootout was required with the score still knotted at 2-2.
SHOOTOUT
Rochester elected to shoot first in the shootout, but Helenius and Rathbone were unsuccessful as was Ben Steeves for Charlotte. In the second round, Jack Studnicka beat Levi over the glove while Jones could not even the shootout in top of the third, thus giving the Checkers the 3-2 win.
UP NEXT
The Amerks close out their three-game homestand on Friday, Feb. 20 when they host the first-place Laval Rocket for a North Division showdown. All the action from The Blue Cross Arena will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
CLT: M. Entwistle (3), N. Smith (6)
ROC: J. Leschyshyn (10), M. Costantini (2)
Goaltenders
CLT: C. Black – 30/32 (W)
ROC: D. Levi – 30/32 (OTL)
Shots
CLT: 33
ROC: 32
Special Teams
CLT: PP (0/2) | PK (3/3)
ROC: PP (0/3) | PK (2/2)
Three Stars:
1. CLT - J. Studnicka
2. ROC - D. Levi
3. CLT - C. Black