GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS BEGIN HOLIDAY HOMESTAND AGAINST PHANTOMS
Five things to know as Amerks open four-game holiday homestand at Blue Cross Arena
Dec 13, 2025By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
Fresh off a five-point road trip, the Rochester Americans (14-9-2-0) look to stay hot, aiming to extend their point streak to a season best-six games as they welcome the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (12-9-1-2) to Blue cross Arena Saturday evening.
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Here are five things to know before the Amerks and Phantoms meet for the final time during the 2025-26 regular season.
(SENS)ATIONAL
The Amerks return to the Flower City after cruising their way to a 6-1 win over the Belleville Senators on the road Wednesday night. Noah Östlund, who returned for one game with the red, white, and blue, collected a goal and assist, as he, Konsta Helenius, and Riley Fiddler-Schultz each had three-point performances.
Nikita Novikov registered his first shorthanded goal and first multi-goal game as an Amerk. The third-year pro has improved Rochester’s record to a perfect 11-0-0-0 when he finds the back of the net. On the other side, Devon Levi stopped 37 of 38 shots and has tossed aside 77 shots over his last two outings.
It was a rare Friday off for the Amerks last night. Elsewhere in Syracuse, the Phantoms were limited to a season low-15 shots in the team’s 3-1 loss to the Crunch. Lehigh Valley skates into Rochester having lost consecutive games and dropping seven of its last 10. Despite the struggles, the Phantoms are third in the Atlantic Division standings.
KEEP IT MOVING
A heavy week of transactions continued for the Amerks entering tonight’s tilt. Earlier in the week, Isak Rosén and Zach Metsa were called up to Buffalo, while Östlund was returned to Rochester. Following Wednesday’s win, Östlund returned to the blue and gold, who went on to recall forward Trevor Kuntar after awarding the second-generation Amerk with an NHL contract.
As a result, the Amerks have recalled forwards Matteo Costantini and Red Savage from ECHL-Jacksonville. Goaltender Scott Ratzlaff has also been recalled, as there is a chance Topias Leinonen may not be able to be in Saturday’s lineup.
Costantini is third in scoring for Jacksonville with 14 points (5+9) through 16 games. The NCAA National Champion is on his second stint this season with the Amerks, as is Savage. Both forwards registered a goal and an assist with Rochester.
Ratzlaff has gone 5-6-0 in his rookie season, owning a .916 save percentage at the ECHL level. His save percentage ranks 14th amongst ECHL goaltenders with 10 or more starts. He was named October’s Rookie of the Month for Jacksonville.
POWERING THE EAST
Rochester enters the weekend operating at 26.9% on the power-play to lead the Eastern Conference. This follows a three-goal night on the man advantage in Belleville, marking the first time the Amerks had produced more than two power play goals in a single game this season and the 10th time already that the Amerks have had a multi-power-play goal outing.
Creating opportunities is something the Amerks have relished doing this season as they lead the entire AHL in power-play opportunities with 108. Their 29 power-play goals also top the league.
Even down two of their top power-play producers (Rosén, Jake Leschyshyn), Rochester was still able to get three on Wednesday night. Depth has aided the man-advantage, with a dozen different Amerks scoring power-play goals this season. While he doesn’t have a goal on the man-advantage, Zac Jones has produced the bulk of his points on the power-play with 17 assists, leading all skaters in that category.
WORK FROM HOME
Saturday starts a four-game homestand for the Amerks, which is their second-longest homestand of the season. Lehigh Valley will be the only team outside the North Division that pays a visit during this two-week stretch, with Utica and Belleville coming to town next week, before the Amerks host Cleveland Christmas weekend.
Only 10 of Rochester’s 25 games played have come on home ice, where the team shows a 5-4-1-0 record to start the year. The Phantoms are 6-7-1-1 on the road this season. Since the 2017-18 campaign, Rochester has earned points in six of its seven games hosting the Phantoms, showing a 4-1-1-1 mark in the process.
THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
Tonight is the second and final meeting of the season between the Amerks and Phantoms after Lehigh Valley won the only previous affair in a 4-2 outcome back on Nov. 19 at PPL Center.
That night, the Amerks contained rookie forward Alex Bump, who continues to lead the Philadelphia Flyers’ AHL affiliate in scoring as a 22-year-old with 19 points (6+13). Bump enters Saturday with points in three straight and four of his last five with two goals and two assists over that span. He is seventh in AHL rookie scoring and second in the Eastern Conference, trailing only Hershey’s Ilya Protas.
Bump is expected across the ice from former collegiate teammate, Matteo Costantini. The tandem won a National Championship with Western Michigan University last spring. Bump was named Tournament MVP and the NCHC Conference’s Player of the Year after amassing 23 goals and 47 points in 42 games.