AMERKS HOME WIN STREAK SNAPPED IN LOSS TO CHARLOTTE
Helenius, Jones each extend point streaks in 5-3 loss to Checkers
Apr 1, 2026The Rochester Americans (28-26-5-4) twice came within a goal but were never able to completely close the gap in a 5-3 loss to the Charlotte Checkers (40-21-5-0) Wednesday night at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
Forward Konsta Helenius (1+1) posted his fourth multi-point effort in his last five games for Rochester, which finished the season-series with the Checkers with a 1-1-1-1 record. The regulation loss was Rochester’s first when Helenius notched a multi-point game as the team was 18-1-2-0 prior to the contest.
Defensemen Noah Laaouan and Gavin Bayreuther both scored in the second and third periods, respectively. Jagger Joshua, Trevor Kuntar, Olivier Nadeau, Zac Jones, Isaac Belliveau each tallied an assist. Kuntar has logged three points (2+1) in his last three home games whereas Nadeau (2+3) shows five over his previous six inside the Flower City.
Jones, who has six points (1+5) over his last four games, is three points away from becoming first Amerks defenseman since Clay Wilson to reach the 60-point mark. He would also be the eighth blueliner in team history to do so.
Goaltender Devon Levi (20-17-8) drew his 45th appearance of the campaign for Rochester. The Quebec native finished with 19 saves but was dealt the defeat.
Sandis Vilmanis (1+2) recorded his second three-point outing of the season for Charlotte, which became third team in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the league to record 40 or more wins on the season. Trevor Carrick and Wilmer Skoog both registered a pair of assists.
Netminder Kirill Gerasimyuk (9-6-1) stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced to earn the win in his 18th appearance of the slate.
FIRST PERIOD
In the opening shift of the contest, Skoog flipped the puck out of the Charlotte zone ahead to the center ice for Vilmanis. After gathering the pass, Vilmanis gave the puck to Jack Studnicka to fire past Levi just 28 seconds into the contest.
Later in the frame near the halfway point, Charlotte drew its first power-play of the contest. Stationed atop the Amerks’ zone, Skoog flung the puck on net only to have Levi steer it to his right in the corner. Vilmanis retrieved it and sent it back to the blueline for Ludvig Jansson, whose shot sailed past the blocker of a screened Levi to double the Checkers’ lead.
The visitors took a 2-0 lead into the intermission break as well as a 11-7 shot advantage.
SECOND PERIOD
After the Checkers were unable to capitalize on a 3-on-0, Joshua helped wipe out a second icing as he tracked down a loose puck as it was rolling to the left of the Charlotte net. The Michigan State University product rimmed it around the boards to Belliveau, who carried it back down the zone. The defenseman waited before connecting on a feed for Laaouan to hammer past Gerasimyuk at the 5:17 mark.
Charlotte reclaimed its two-goal lead as Steeves dunked Jack Devine’s shot that went wide and caromed off the end boards to the right of the goal crease with 9:42 left in the period.
Before the completion of the frame, Rochester gained a two-man advantage for 41 seconds. On the power-play, Jones fumbled Kuntar’s pass at the right point, but soon regathered it near center ice. The Virginia native carried the puck back into the zone and pulled up at the left point before handing it to Helenius. The Finnish forward skated down the middle of the ice, and as he got to the top of the dots, he ripped a shot over the shoulder of Gerasimyuk to cut into the deficit on his 19th goal of the slate.
THIRD PERIOD
While the Amerks were unable to capitalize on a holding infraction seven minutes into the final period, the Checkers upped their lead to 4-2 midway through the period after MacKenzie Entwistle served his penalty.
Rochester drew a slashing penalty with just under four minutes to play in regulation and pulled Levi for an additional skater.
On the power-play, the puck made its way behind the net for Nadeau. The young forward played it to the left wing for Helenius, who one-touched it across the slot for Bayreuther to rifle to the back of the net and bring the Amerks within one with 3:16 left in regulation.
The home club pulled Levi shortly after the ensuing face-off in an attempt erase the two-goal deficit but could not finish the comeback as Vilmanis sealed the 5-3 score at the 19:49 mark.
UP NEXT
The Amerks host the Belleville Senators at The Blue Cross Arena on Friday, April 3 for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop. All the action will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM WGR Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
CLT: J. Studnicka (9), L. Jansson (2), B. Steeves (20), M. Entwistle (5), S. Vilmanis (12)
ROC: N. Laaouan (2), K. Helenius (19), G. Bayreuther (5)
Goaltenders
CLT: K. Gerasimyuk – 23/26 (W)
ROC: D. Levi – 19/23 (L)
Shots
CLT: 24
ROC: 26
Special Teams
CLT: PP (1/3) | PK (5/7)
ROC: PP (2/7) | PK (2/3)
Three Stars:
1. CLT - B. Steeves
2. ROC - K. Helenius
3. CLT - W. Skoog