GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS ENTER LAVAL FOR WEEKEND SET WITH ROCKET
Five things to know as Rochester looks to settle the score with North Division leaders
Mar 6, 2026By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans (24-20-5-3) roll on in their three-game road trip with the next two at Place Bell against the North Division leading-Laval Rocket (34-18-2-3).
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Here are five things to know before the action gets going Friday.
SIXTH LOSS IN SYRACUSE
Riley Fiddler-Schultz netted the Amerks’ lone goal Sunday evening as the team fell by a 3-1 final to the Syracuse Crunch. Rochester went 0-for-6 on its power-play, and with the loss, will now enter Friday’s tilt winless in six straight for the first time since 2021, going 0-4-1-1 since Feb. 15.
Devon Levi made his league-leading 38th start of the season, stopping 25 saves. The Amerks were held off the scoreboard until Fiddler-Schultz converted with just over three minutes left in regulation.
The Rocket are coming off back-to-back regulation losses and have dropped four of their last five as their lead on second-place Syracuse is beginning to slip. The Crunch took a pair of wins over a five-day span from the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate. Most recently on Wednesday, the two sides fought a scoreless affair until the Crunch solved Rocket goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen with six minutes remaining en route to a 2-0 win for Syracuse.
Laval enters Friday having lost consecutive home games in regulation for the first time this season.
20 TO GO
The countdown to the end of the 2025-26 regular season continues for the Amerks, who despite their recent struggles, continue to occupy a playoff spot in the North Division.
At 56 points, Rochester finds itself in the middle of a gap. The Amerk are six points clear on the first team behind them in the standings (Belleville), while seven back of the first team in front of them (Toronto).
The Amerks do benefit from having games in hand on every team in the division and will enter the weekend with more games remaining than any other team in the Eastern Conference. That said, they also have the third-most difficult remaining schedule in the conference, with their strength of schedule showing opponents with an average of a .604 points percentage.
REDS AND RATZ
The Amerks could see some supplemental help over the weekend, with goaltender Scott Ratzlaff rejoining the team after a brief stint in Jacksonville. In addition, fellow rookie Red Savage is inching closer to being able to return from a lower-body injury that has left the forward sidelined since Jan. 30.
Savage has produced three goals and five points while wearing the red, white, and blue, while Ratzlaff has won three games for the Amerks since making his AHL debut Dec. 29, 2025.
The duo provide support in depth, with Savage’s potential return giving more options on offense and Ratzlaff possibly factoring in for a start in Laval to take some of the load off of Levi’s shoulders, who continues to lead the AHL in games and minutes played, along with saves at 987.
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
The largest suburb of Montreal welcomes a number of Quebec-born Amerks back to their native province. Levi is perhaps the most notable, growing up idolizing Carey Price and since turning pro, the 24-year-old has gone 4-2-0 at Place Bell when playing the Rocket.
Forward Olivier Nadeau grew up just over two hours from Laval and has produced a solid season in a depth role for Rochester, accumulating 13 points (6+7) over 36 games. Defenseman Isaac Belliveau was acquired in the offseason and has posted four points (1+3) through 22 games on Rochester’s blue line, with his games played only being at the number it is due to injuries.
While not a Quebec resident, Noah Laaouan was acquired from the Rocket in January of 2024. The Halifax, Nova Scotia, native never skated in a game for Laval, but appeared in 36 contests for the team’s ECHL affiliate in Trois-Rivieres. In his first full season as an Amerk, Laaouan has scored a goal and produced seven points.
CLOSING OUT THE SERIES
Friday and Saturday will be games seven and eight, respectively, of this season series that concludes following the afternoon affair at Place Bell Saturday. This marks the first completed season series the Amerks will have against a North Division opponent this season.
Rochester has gone 2-3-1-0 thus far against Laval, with the Rocket taking each of the past four matchups. The Amerks will aim for payback with a pair of games at Laval after the Rocket carried wins out of Blue Cross Arena back-to-back Fridays, including a decisive 9-3 final last week.
Konsta Helenius has 13 points (5+8) in 19 career games against Laval, including five contests in the 2025 North Division Finals.
Alex Belzile recorded a goal and two assists in the win over Rochester last Friday. He is fifth in league scoring with 51 points (26+25), posting 13 since the beginning of February and 20 for his career over 29 games against Rochester.