GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS HOST COMETS FOR SUNDAY MATINEE
Five things to know as three-game homestand starts with Rochester vying for fourth straight win
Feb 15, 2026By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
After a successful pair of games in Utica over a seven-day span, the Rochester Americans (24-16-4-2) return to Blue Cross Arena for a three-game set, beginning with their third straight against the Comets (13-23-5-3) Sunday afternoon.
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Here are five things to know as the second half of this home-and-home shifts to downtown Rochester.
STARGAZING
On the other side of their All-Star Classic appearances, the trio of Zac Jones, Isak Rosén, and Konsta Helenius combined for six points (2+4) Saturday night in Utica, where the Amerks dispatched of the Comets in a 4-1 victory.
Rosén and Jones each collected a pair of assists, with Helenius recording his second multi-goal game of the season and first since Oct. 24 against Laval.
Carson Meyer and Riley Fiddler-Schultz each scored power-play goals, with the Amerks man-advantage going 2-for-6 on the night, while the team’s penalty kill came up perfect again, erasing all three Comet power-plays. Devon Levi carried a shutout into the third period for a second straight Saturday in Utica, but was spoiled by Xavier Parent ending the bid with under five minutes to play.
The Amerks have won back-to-back games against Utica and three straight contests overall. Prior to facing Rochester last week, the Comets had been on a seven-game point streak on home ice.
As the Amerks start a three-game homestand, Utica begins a three-game road trip.
DOING WHAT YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO
Beginning Feb. 4, the Amerks entered a stretch of play in which their five upcoming games would be against teams outside of playoff positioning. After dropping a contest to Belleville, Rochester has taken advantage of its schedule, pouring the offense on Springfield and Utica over the last three by outscoring them 13-2 and winning three games in a row.
Following Sunday, the hill slopes upward for the red, white, and blue, as they play seven in a row against teams above them in the standings, making today’s game all the more important to continue banking points.
Rochester’s Valentine’s Day win Saturday coupled with a Toronto loss allowed the Amerks to climb into fourth in the North Division standings, sitting a point behind Cleveland for third.
Of the Amerks’ 26 remaining games, 19 will be against North Division teams.
BACK TO RATZ
For a second straight home game, the Amerks turn to 20-year-old Scott Ratzlaff to make the start in goal. The Irma, Alberta, native had a perfect showing in his first appearance in front of the Rochester faithful, turning aside all 25 shots faced on Feb. 6 against Springfield to record his first professional shutout.
Ratzlaff will make his fifth start of the season in what is his sixth appearance as an Amerk after beginning the 2025-26 campaign with ECHL-Jacksonville. The rookie netminder has recorded over 20 saves in each of his four prior starts. His lone loss did come against Utica last month.
This will be the first time Ratzlaff faces a repeat opponent.
BELLY UP
While there is no official update on his injury status, Amerks defenseman Aidan Fulp was hit into the corner boards early into the third period of last night’s game at Utica and did not return to play. Dressing in his place Sunday will be Isaac Belliveau, who has made the most of his time when in Rochester’s lineup this season.
Belliveau was acquired during the offseason in a trade with the Penguins’ organization after splitting each of his first two professional seasons between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and ECHL-Wheeling. Since coming to the Sabres organization, Belliveau has been a mainstay in the AHL, playing in 21 games for the Amerks this season while logging a goal and four points.
The Quebec native was plucked in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft by Pittsburgh and appeared in 24 AHL games over the last two seasons.
COMETS CRASHING
Today marks the finale to a playoff-like series taking place in the regular season between Rochester and Utica, with this being the third straight time these two teams face-off. Despite the nature of the schedule mimicking that of a postseason series, the Comets are far removed from the idea of that becoming a reality.
Utica will punch its timecard at Blue Cross Arena Sunday afternoon sitting a whopping 19 points back of a playoff spot in the North Division. They are more points out of a playoff spot than any other AHL team.
While Utica has points in five of its last 10, consecutive seasons with a slow start has hindered the New Jersey Devils’ AHL affiliate. Utica’s biggest issue is its offense, with the team scoring a league-low 104 goals, averaging just 2.36 goals-per-game.
Sunday is the penultimate meeting of the season between the two teams, with the Amerks owning a 5-2-1-0 advantage in the season series. The intrastate rivals will meet for a final time Mar. 11 at Blue Cross Arena.