AMERKS INCH CLOSER TO PLAYOFF SPOT WITH THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
Nadeau scores twice, Douglas nets first pro goal in 3-2 win over Syracuse
Apr 8, 2026Rookie forward Chris Douglas scored his first pro goal with just over eight minutes left in regulation to a break a 2-2 tie and lift the Rochester Americans (31-27-5-4) to a 3-2 victory over the Syracuse Crunch (39-22-3-4) in the season series finale between the intrastate rivals Wednesday at Upstate Medical University Arena.
The Amerks, who are two points closer to clinching their fifth straight trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs, have posted a winning record in each of the last two seasons versus the Crunch and three of four dating back to the 2022-23 season.
In addition to Douglas finding the back of the Crunch net for his first goal, Olivier Nadeau scored twice for the first multi-goal outing of his AHL career. Anton Wahlberg, Zac Jones, and Konsta Helenius each notched an assist in the victory, Rochester’s third straight and fourth in its last six games.
Helenius’ assist extended his career-long point streak to nine straight games (4+11) and makes him the first Amerks skater this season to reach the 60-point mark. Jones, who is one assist away from totaling 50 on the campaign, is one point away from reaching the plateau.
Goaltender Devon Levi stopped 17 of the 19 shots to earn the victory as he improved to 23-18-8 through a league-leading 49 appearances. Over his previous eight starts, the Quebec native, who went 5-1-1 in his last seven games versus Syracuse, shows a 6-2-0 record while making 182 saves dating back to Mar. 22.
Matthew Peca (2+0) and Nick Abruzzese (0+2) each tallied a two-point performance for the Crunch, who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2-0).
Netminder Brandon Halverson (23-10-6) made 15 saves for Syracuse but took his fourth straight loss dating back to Mar. 29 versus Rochester. Since the start of the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, Halverson shows an 8-13-2 record in 23 games against the Amerks while allowing 60 goals over that same span.
FIRST PERIOD
After a face-off to the right of Levi, the Amerks attempted to begin the play from the left dot, however, Nick Abruzzese stepped in front of the pass atop the blueline. The four-time 40-plus point-getter quickly moved it to Dylan Duke, who then sent a cross-ice pass to Peca to convert 3:54 into the frame.
The Amerks responded five minutes later to draw the game’s first power-play and only needed 55 seconds into the infraction to even the score.
Rochester gained the Crunch blueline as all five skaters touched the puck before Helenius retrieved Trevor Kuntar’s feed in the left dot. The Finnish forward eventually left it for Wahlberg, who pushed the puck towards the goal crease for Nadeau to redirect past Halverson.
The two clubs skated into the intermission knotted at 1-1 while also being even on shots (5) after the first 20 minutes of play.
SECOND PERIOD
While neither team was able to generate much offensively in the second period, Carson Meyer played the puck down the left wing of the Crunch zone. The former Monster, who scored the eventual shootout winner in Monday’s Amerks win, pressured a Syracuse skater in the right corner. Nadeau intercepted the potential breakout pass, swatted it out mid-air, and then as the puck returned to the ice, he quickly snapped a shot under the cross bar for his second goal of the contest with just over 12 minutes to play.
The Crunch responded just over three minutes later to tie the game at 2-2 when a falling Abruzzese slid a pass to Tinordi in front of Levi. The rugged defenseman gathered the pass and quickly fired a shot past the sprawling Amerks netminder for his second goal of the slate.
THIRD PERIOD
The two clubs continued to limit each other’s scoring chances in the third period, but Syracuse had its best opportunity to change the score midway through the frame as they drew a cross-checking penalty.
The Amerks not only successfully cleared off the infraction, but reclaimed the lead seconds afterwards on Douglas’s first pro goal with 8:19 left in regulation.
Levi helped the shorthanded unit finish off the kill as he fired the puck the length of the ice from just outside his goal crease. Halverson controlled the clear and cycled it around the wall but Brendan Warren and Graham Slaggert both trapped it along while fending off a pair of Crunch defenders. Douglas poked the puck free and looped around the zone before leaving it to Jones at the right point. As Douglas continued on his path, he received a return pass from Jones and zipped the eventual game-winner past Halverson from the right face-off circle to put Rochester ahead for good.
Rochester had to clear off one more holding infraction after the Douglas goal before the club could hang on for the 3-2 win.
STARS AND STRIPES
With his first goal tonight, Chris Douglas became the sixth different Amerk rookie this season to score and the seventh to produce at least one point … Maxim Štrbák made his pro debut tonight, becoming the 12th different first-year player used by Rochester and fifth under the age of 21 ... Of Olivier Nadeau’s 12 goals this season, three have come against the Crunch.
UP NEXT
The Amerks continue their push to the postseason on Friday, April 10 when they face the Springfield Thunderbirds for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. All the action from MassMutual Center will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM WGR Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
ROC: O. Nadeau (11, 12), C. Douglas (1 – GWG)
SYR: M. Peca (12), J. Tinordi (2)
Goaltenders
ROC: D. Levi – 17/19 (W)
SYR: B. Halverson – 15/18 (L)
Shots
ROC: 18
SYR: 19
Special Teams
ROC: PP (1/2) | PK (2/2)
SYR: PP (0/2) | PK (1/2)
Three Stars:
1. ROC - O. Nadeau
2. SYR - M. Peca
3. ROC - C. Douglas