GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS LOOKING FOR IMMEDIATE VENGEANCE ON CRUNCH
Five things to know as Rochester wraps up three-in-three weekend to close out the month of March
Mar 29, 2026By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
After leaving Syracuse with a sour taste in their mouths, the Rochester Americans (27-25-5-4) have a chance to bounce right back and get vengeance on the Crunch (39-20-3-2) Sunday afternoon as the scene shifts back for a rematch Blue Cross Arena.
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Here are five things to know ahead of Syracuse’s final visit to Rochester this season.
LET ONE SLIP
For just the second time this season, the Amerks suffered a regulation loss in a game they led entering the third period. After trailing 2-0 through the first three minutes of the game, the Amerks struck three times in the first to gain a lead they would carry all the way into the first six minutes of the third.
From there, Syracuse responded with a game-tying power-play goal, then again at 12:40 of the frame to pull ahead before sealing the deal with an empty-net goal to top Rochester by a 5-3 final.
Olivier Nadeau and Zac Jones scored on the power-play, while Riley Fiddler-Schultz banged through his team leading-21st goal of the season at even strength.
In a rare situation, both Jake Leschyshyn and Syracuse’s Matthew Peca were awarded penalty shots, with both goaltenders Scott Ratzlaff and Ryan Fanti making the saves. Ratzlaff corralled 27 saves in his 10th appearance of the season.
Entering the third period Saturday, Rochester sported a 20-1-2-2 record when leading after two periods.
DEVON GOES DOUBLE
For the second time this weekend, Devon Levi will get the call to the crease, hoping to reach 20 wins for a second straight season. The 24-year-old has already surpassed his season totals from last year in games and minutes played, with Sunday marking Levi’s 44th start of the season.
The Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec, native is seven saves shy of 4,000 for his pro career, along with 32 saves from 3,000 as an Amerk alone. On Friday, Levi posted 27 saves against a threatening Toronto Marlies team to snap an eight-game winless run for the former AHL All-Star.
Levi enters tonight's matchup with an 9-7-5 record in 21 appearances against Syracuse since making his debut with Rochester during the 2023-24 season. Levi posted his second career shutout against the Crunch in a 3-0 win on Jan. 14.
WARREN ON WATCH
Brendan Warren is on milestone watch, with the sixth-year Amerk one game away from 250 in the red, white, and blue. Warren’s debut as an Amerk came against (you guessed it) Syracuse on Apr. 21, 2021, where the former Arizona Coyotes draft pick scored his first AHL goal.
Warren has spent his entire AHL run with Rochester, including a career-best 18-point season (9+9) from a year ago. The Carleton, Michigan, native has produced 30 goals and 54 points over his six seasons with the team. Over the summer, Warren inked a two-year contract to keep him with the Amerks through the end of the 2026-27 campaign.
The 28-year-old is inching towards the top 40 all-time forwards for games played in franchise history.
ROUND 11
Sunday marks the final regular season visit to Rochester for Syracuse, though the Amerks will make another trip to the Salt City on Apr. 8 to wrap up the 12-game season series.
Following last night, the Amerks are 4-5-0-1 through 10 games in the season series. Rochester has won at least five games each of the last four seasons against Syracuse and seven of the last eight years against the Crunch. In five games at Blue Cross Arena this season, Rochester owns a 3-2-0-0 record against Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate.
Special teams have played a role in this series, with Rochester scoring six power-play goals in comparison to Syracuse’s nine.
The Amerks have lost consecutive games to the Crunch when scoring three goals, despite previously winning 46 of 64 when scoring three or more dating back to the 2016-17 season.
Syracuse has claimed each of the last four meetings between the two teams.
IM(PECA)BLE
With two assists Saturday, veteran center Matthew Peca hit a milestone, reaching 400 points for his AHL career. The former Springfield Thunderbirds captain was acquired by Syracuse ahead of the AHL trade deadline and has made an instant impact to begin his second stint with the Crunch.
In seven games with the Crunch since returning to Syracuse, Peca has amassed nine points (1+8) and has back-to-back multi-point games on the weekend.
Of the 28 different AHL teams he has played against, Peca has produced his second-highest point totals against Rochester, registering 14 goals and 32 assists across 40 career games facing the Amerks.