AMERKS OPEN 70TH SEASON FRIDAY AGAINST TORONTO
Pregame Roc the Block Party, giveaways and specialty jerseys headline Opening Night festivities at Blue Cross Arena
Oct 6, 2025The Rochester Americans announced today details for the team’s 2025-26 Home Opener presented by American Diabetes Association, featuring a pregame Roc the Block Party, Happy Hour, giveaways and more ahead of the Amerks’ season-opening matchup against the Toronto Marlies on Friday, Oct. 10 at The Blue Cross Arena.
“We are honored to partner with the Amerks as they celebrate their historic 70th season,” said Denise Nicastro, Executive Director, American Diabetes Association of Upstate New York. “This collaboration not only raises awareness about diabetes but also directly supports Camp Aspire, where children living with diabetes can connect, grow, and thrive in a safe and empowering environment. The Rochester community’s support makes it possible for us to continue providing these life-changing experiences.”
The Opening Night festivities begin with a pregame Roc the Block Party on Broad St. beginning at 4:00 p.m. The event will include an assortment of family-friendly activities, such as a bounce house, face painting, games and a photo booth, along with a live performance from the Special Blend. The event will also feature an appearance by various Amerks Alumni members, including Hall of Famers Randy Cunneyworth, Jody Gage, Jim Hofford and Steve Langdon among others.
To accommodate the event, Broad St. will be closed and inaccessible from Exchange Blvd. and South Ave. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to allow enough time to navigate through the congested streets surrounding Blue Cross Arena while parking is also expected to fill up fast.
There will also be an extended Pregame Happy Hour, presented by Genesee Brewery, before the game where fans 21 and older can enjoy $5 12-ounce can beer specials outside at the Block Party as and inside at the Genesee Brew House at Blue Cross Arena (located at the top of the stairs in the main atrium) until puck drop.
Prior to the game, the Amerks will honor the life and career of Hall of Famer and Calder Cup champion Scott Metcalfe in a moment of silence. Metcalfe, who played nine seasons (1987-91, 1993-98) in Rochester over multiple stints, passed away suddenly in June at the age of 58. He became an instant fan favorite due to his tenacious play and endless devotion to the community. A former first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers, “Metter”, as he was affectionately known, amassed 349 points on 137 goals and 212 assists while also piling up a franchise record 1,424 penalty minutes over 499 career regular-season games in the red, white and blue.
A three-time 20-goal scorer, Metcalfe was a member of the Amerks’ last Calder Cup championship team in 1996 and was later inducted into the Amerks Hall of Fame during the team’s historic 50th Anniversary season in 2006. In addition to being the team’s all-time penalty minute leader, Metcalfe also ranks seventh in franchise history in games played (499), ninth in points (349) and assists (212) and 11th in goals (137). He’s also fourth all-time with 65 playoff appearances and 138 penalty minutes in the postseason.
He was a three-time winner of both the McCulloch Trophy for community service (1989-90, 1994-96) and the V.P. Supply Most Popular Player award (1994-97). He was also a three-time winner of the Executive Club Most Popular Player award (1994-97) and was the co-winner of the honor in 1997-98. In 1988-89 he captured the Rob Zabelny Award as the team’s Unsung Hero.
The Amerks will usher in their historic 70th anniversary season with a nod to the past, wearing the first of six specialty throwback jerseys specific to each decade in team history. Friday’s season-opener pays tribute to the early days of the franchise with sweaters inspired by the 1950s.
The one-of-a-kind jerseys will be auctioned off on DASH, a sport-focused online auction platform and partner of the Amerks, to benefit American Diabetes Association. To access the auction, visit www.amerks.com/auction, or text “DASH” to 66866, click on the download link and install DASH on your mobile device. Fans can then create their own personal profile and select the Amerks as their favorite team to start bidding. The auction will be open for bidding beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 10 and closes at 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17. Winners will be contacted directly.
The first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative 70th anniversary Amerks magnet set.
Tickets for the 2025-26 Home Opener start at just $10.
Rochester opens its historic 70th American Hockey League season at home on Friday, Oct. 10 when they host the Toronto Marlies at The Blue Cross Arena. Season Ticket Memberships for the 2025-26 season, which start as low as $19 per game, are on sale now and come with several Members-only perks and benefits. Full and Half Season Membership options are also available. For more information on Amerks Season Tickets or to sign up today, call 585-454-5335 or visit www.amerks.com/memberships.
About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to end diabetes and helping people thrive. For 84 years, the ADA has driven discovery and research to prevent, manage, treat, and ultimately cure diabetes. There are 136 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Through advocacy, program development, and education, we’re fighting for them all. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociación Americana de la Diabetes), LinkedIn (American Diabetes Association), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn). To learn more about how we are advocating for everyone affected by diabetes, visit us on X (@AmDiabetesAssn).