AMERKS SHUTOUT BY WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
Nadeau records team-high seven shots in 8-0 loss to Penguins
Apr 18, 2026The Rochester Americans (31-31-5-4) were on the wrong side of a lopsided 8-0 loss to the playoff-bound Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (46-17-7-2) Saturday evening at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.
The Amerks, who enter the final day of the regular season still in need of a point to clinch their fifth straight trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs, suffered their second straight shutout on the road versus the Penguins dating back to last season. Despite the shutout defeat, Rochester, which split the season-series with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2025-26, have posted a .500 winning percentage or better against the Penguins in each of its last eight years dating back to the 2017-18.
Forward Olivier Nadeau, who scored Rochester’s lone goal Friday night versus Cleveland, registered a game and career-high seven shots. Anton Wahlberg saw his personal-best seven-game point streak come to an end in the loss.
Rookie netminders Scott Ratzlaff (4-6-1) and Topias Leinonen (3-3-0) split the goaltending duties for the Amerks as Ratzlaff drew the starting nod. The duo combined to make 21 saves.
Rutger McGroarty (2+1), Tristian Broz (1+2), Owen Pickering (1+2), and Atley Calvert (1+2) all recorded three points each for the Penguins, who eclipsed the 100-point mark for the first time since the 2016-17 season. Aidan McDonough, Joona Koppanen, and Sebastian Aho collected two assists while Rafaël Harvey-Pinard notched two goals.
Goaltender Sergei Murashov, who was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie team earlier this week, improved to 24-9-4 as he logged his fourth shutout of the campaign.
FIRST PERIOD
Early in the contest, Ville Koivunen skated down the left wing with the puck before firing a shot on Ratzlaff. The rookie netminder made the initial save but the rebound caromed off a Rochester skater and in the crease for McGroarty to put into the back of the net just 1:03 into the game to open the scoring.
Things went from bad to worse as the Amerks not only took a hooking infraction two minutes later after the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goal, but they saw the home team’s advantage double. Aho had the puck at the left point and sent a shot towards the net for Calvert to steer in his 16th goal of the season on a redirection with 14:21 left in the stanza.
Tempers began to flare after the second goal of the evening, with 48 total penalty minutes issued but Rochester could not chip into the deficit before the end of the period. The Amerks outshot the Penguins 13-8 but still trailed by a pair.
SECOND PERIOD
Holding a 2-0 lead to begin the middle period, the Penguins doubled their advantage with a pair of tallies in nearly four minutes to put a premature end to Ratzlaff’s night at the 9:35 mark.
Rochester continued to generate shots on Murashov, however, the offense in front of him plotted two more goals in another four-minute span to make it a 6-0 score after 40 minutes of play.
THIRD PERIOD
The Penguins, who began the third period on a power-play with a 6-0 lead, added two more goals to close out the 8-0 win.
UP NEXT
The Amerks conclude their historic 70th anniversary season in the AHL as they renew their rivalry with the Hershey Bears on Sunday, April 19 in the regular season finale at Giant Center. The afternoon matinee between the league’s two oldest teams 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
WBS: R. McGroarty (9 – GWG, 10), A. Calvert (16), T. Broz (16), O. Pickering (7), R. Harvey-Pinard (20, 21), V. Koivunen (13)
Goaltenders
ROC: S. Ratzlaff – 10/14 (L) | T. Leinonen – 11/15 (ND)
WBS: S. Murashov – 27/27 (L)
Shots
ROC: 27
WBS: 29
Special Teams
ROC: PP (0/2) | PK (2/5)
WBS: PP (3/5) | PK (2/2)
Three Stars:
1. WBS - S. Murashov
2. WBS - R. McGroarty
3. WBS - R. Harvey-Pinard