GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS HOST MARLIES IN HOME FINALE
Rochester and Toronto start home-and-home to wrap up regular season
Apr 17, 2025
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans (42-21-4-3) close out the home portion of their 69th season Friday night at Blue Cross Arena when they host the Toronto Marlies (35-23-4-8).
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Tonight marks the fifth of six meetings between the North Division teams and is the first of two on the weekend, as both the Marlies and Amerks close out their 72-game slates north of the border at Coca-Cola Coliseum Saturday afternoon.
While Rochester has locked up the second seed, Toronto remains without a clinched playoff spot, though their magic number is down to one for the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate to secure a playoff spot for a third straight season.
LAST TIME OUT
Zachary Metsa scored the go-ahead goal 12:37 into the second period on Wednesday as the Amerks topped the Cleveland Monsters by a 4-1 final to secure their first win of this four-game homestand.
Devon Levi stopped 24 shots for his 25th win of the season, while Brett Murray, Riley Fiddler-Schultz, and Mason Jobst joined in on the scoring with Metsa. Rochester concluded its eight-game season series with the Monsters in dominating fashion with a 7-1-0-0 mark to prevent Cleveland from clinching a playoff spot on Wednesday.
Toronto found themselves down 2-1 past the midway point of the third period Wednesday in Utica, then roared back with a five-goal onslaught to power past the Comets by a 6-2 final. Alex Steeves scored his conference-leading 36th goal of the season to serve as the game-winner, while Nick Abruzzese led the charge with a three-point performance (1+2).
In goal, former Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray stopped 23 shots, collecting his 10th win of the season as he continues to dominate at the AHL level.
THE AMERKS IRONMAN
Amerks forward Lukas Rousek is the only skater to have appeared in every game for Rochester this season. The fourth-year pro aims to be the first Amerk to play all 72 games since Josh Teves (2021-22) and the first forward to skate in every game in a season since Eric Cornel played 76 for the red, white, and blue during the 2018-19 campaign.
Rousek is fourth in team scoring with 41 points (6+35), with his 35 helpers leading all Rochester forwards. His point total ties that of last year’s for the former sixth-round selection by Buffalo in the 2019 NHL Draft. Over his 210 games in an Amerks jersey, Rousek has scored 33 goals to go with 109 assists for 142 points.
The Czechia-born winger is one of 19 AHL forwards to have appeared in every game this season to date. Interestingly enough, the overall games played leader in the league this season would be former Amerk Joseph Cecconi, who is already at 72 combined games played between Iowa and Ontario.
GOLD IN GOAL
Both the Amerks and Marlies showcase two of the top goaltenders in the AHL.
For Rochester, Levi enters the weekend having made 41 starts. His 2450:52 minutes are tops in the Eastern Conference and third in the league overall. His seven shutouts are tops across the AHL, while he is a top 10 goaltender in wins, save percentage, and goals-against-average.
On Wednesday, Levi became the first Amerks goaltender to reach 25 wins since Linus Ullmark wrangled 26 victories during the 2016-17 season. It also marks the second-most wins an Amerks goaltender has had over the last 12 years. Prior to Ullmark, David Leggio had won 38 games in 2012-13.
On the other side of the ice, Murray has shared the goal with two other netminders in Toronto, but has dazzled when given the chance. While the veteran’s 10-5-4 record isn’t super flattering, the Thunder Bay, Ontario, native boasts a 1.72 goals-against average over 21 games, coupled with a .934 save percentage.
The 30-year-old has surrendered fewer than three goals in 16 of his last 17 games, posting three shutouts along the way.
TRIPLE DIGITS
Murray scored his 100th goal as an Amerk Wednesday, becoming the 20th player in franchise history to reach triple-digit goal totals.
The Bolton, Ontario, native needs one more goal to tie former player and coach Randy Cunneyworth (101) on the franchise’s all-time goals list, while placing two goals behind Ken Priestlay (102) for 18th all-time in goals for the Amerks.
Murray is amid a career season with a personal-best 27 goals, ranking second on the team behind only Isak Rosén. He was one of three Amerks named to this year's AHL All-Stare Classic. The sixth-year pro has matched his career-best 49 points (23+26) set during the 2022-23 season. Murray is one point away from joining Rosén to reach the 50-point mark.
Rochester has had at least two players finish with 50 or more points each season since the 2017-18 slate, with the exception of the COVID-19 impacted seasons.
Despite his success this season, Murray has just one goal over his last nine games against Toronto dating back to the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
