AMERKS TAKE DOWN AHL’S TOP TEAM IN OVERTIME THRILLER
Costantini’s OT winner caps storybook ending on Don Stevens Appreciation Night
Apr 4, 2026On a night where the Rochester Americans (29-27-5-4) were celebrating the storied 40-year career of their Hall of Fame broadcaster, the Amerks added a little more reason to celebrate, topping the Providence Bruins (51-14-2-0) in overtime to claim a 2-1 win over the American Hockey League’s top team in the homestand finale Saturday at The Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
Rookie Matteo Constatni capped a goaltending duel as the Amerks defeated the first-place Bruins to move closer to clinching the fifth and final playoff spot in the AHL’s North Division standings.
The contest, which began with a special pregame ceremony as the club honored Hall of Famer Don Stevens, was the first of two meetings this season between Rochester and Providence. The Amerks have won six of the last nine games with Providence dating back to Dec. 29, 2022, which includes at least one matchup that went beyond regulation each of last four years.
Anton Wahlberg scored for the second straight game and ninth overall while Costantini logged his first game-winning goal in the AHL with 43 seconds left in the extra frame with his fifth overall.
Konsta Helenius (0+1) stretched his career-long point streak to seven straight games (4+8) dating back to Mar. 22. Vsevolod Komarov concluded the scoring as he registered an assist on Costantini’s fifth goal of the season.
Goaltender Devon Levi stopped 23 of the 24 shots to earn the victory as he improved to 21-18-8 through 47 appearances. Over his previous six starts, the Quebec native shows a 4-2-0 mark while making 130 saves dating back to Mar. 22.
Victor Söderström scored his ninth goal of the slate in first period from James Hagens and Georgii Merkulov for Providence, which entered the contest with a 13-1 record this season beyond regulation.
Netminder Michael DiPietro (32-7-1) made 19 saves while taking his first overtime defeat since Mar. 1, 2025. DiPietro leads the league in wins (32), goals-against-average (1.95) and save percentage (0.929).
FIRST PERIOD
After Levi made a glove save on Ryan Tattle nearly three minutes into the game, Zac Jones lobbed the puck out of the Amerks zone after the ensuing face-off. Wahlberg pressured a Bruins’ skater as they tracked down Jones’ feed. The Swedish forward forced a turnover to Helenius, who quickly slid a pass down the right wall for Wahlberg. Instead of tucking behind the back of the net, Wahlberg slipped a shot under the pads of DiPietro for his ninth of the season on Rochester’s first shot of the contest.
Unfortunately, the Amerks’ lead did not last long as Providence needed only nine seconds into its first power-play at the 12:02 mark. Seconds after Merkulov won a face-off back to Hagens from the right face-off circle, Söderström and Hagens exchanged passes. On the return feed, Söderström buried a long-range shot past a screened Levi.
Despite Providence holding Rochester to four shots compared to 12, the two clubs went into the intermission knotted up at 1-1.
SECOND PERIOD
In the second stanza, the Amerks seemed to carry much of the play but only generated seven shots while holding the Bruins to their fewest against Rochester since March 9, 2018 (4).
Levi and DiPietro traded big saves on Narvin Mutter and Brendan Warren, respectively, to keep the score even at one going into the third.
THIRD PERIOD
The clubs limited each other’s chances in the final stanza as they attempted to gain the go-ahead goal, but the goaltending duel continued as the game remained a one-goal affair at the completion of the period.
OVERTIME
Providence won the opening face-off to begin overtime but Rochester registered the only shots over the course of the extra frame (4), which did not have a whistle for the first 2:32.
While Wahlberg and Chris Douglas were both unable to finish off their scoring chances, Costantini gathered a loose puck in the slot in the Rochester end. The rookie sprinted up the ice alongside Komarov on an odd-man rush. The Amerk defenseman fought off a backcheck and generated a shot on goal. Komarov’s rebound pinballed off DiPietro’s stick before Constantini chipped it overtop the sprawling netminder for the game-winner with 40 seconds left in the contest.
STARS AND STRIPES
Tonight served as defenseman Aidan Fulp’s 100th AHL game and 16th with the Amerks ... Rochester, which entered the game by earning at least one point in six of its last eight meetings with Providence, hold a 5-2-0-0 record on home ice versus the Bruins since the start of the 2017-18 ... Anton Wahlberg (3+3) has six points over his last eight games while Matteo Costantini has five points (3+2) over his last seven home contests.
UP NEXT
The Amerks hit the road for the first of a four-game road swing beginning on Monday, April 6 when they face the Cleveland Monsters for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. All the action from Rocket Arena will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM WGR Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
PRO: V. Söderström (9)
ROC: A. Wahlberg (9), M. Costantini (5 – OT GWG)
Goaltenders
PRO: M. DiPietro – 19/21 (OTL)
ROC: D. Levi – 23/24 (W)
Shots
PRO: 24
ROC: 21
Special Teams
PRO: PP (1/3) | PK (4/4)
ROC: PP (0/4) | PK (3/4)
Three Stars:
1. ROC - M. Costantini
2. ROC - D. Levi
3. PRO - M. DiPietro