GAME PREVIEW: ROCHESTER ROLLS INTO ROAD MEETING AGAINST UTICA
The Amerks enter a three-game road trip following a 7-1 victory over Syracuse on Friday night
Oct 10, 2026By Griffin Della Penna | @GriffinDP_
It’s another intrastate matchup on deck for the Rochester Americans to complete the weekend following a 7-1 victory against the Syracuse Crunch at home on Friday night.
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The Amerks will have the short road trip East to Utica to open a three-game road swing versus the Utica Comets. Puck drop at NBT Bank Arena is set for 6:00 p.m. and will be available on WGR Rochester and AHLTV on FloHockey.
Utica has played the fewest games in the entire league, defeating Providence on the road 2-1 over a week ago on Oct. 2. The last time the Comets hosted Rochester for their home opener was back in 2021, where Utica picked up the 6-2 win.
Rochester has dominated the head-to-head series over the last four years, winning 30 of 43 meetings against Utica and outscoring them 151-123 during that span.
Here is everything you need to know as Rochester looks to sweep the weekend versus New York state opponents:
MILESTONE MOMENTS
The Rochester offense was clicking on all cylinders inside Blue Cross Arena on Friday night, as six Amerks recorded multi-point efforts.
Forwards Jason Polin (2+1) and Matteo Costantini (1+2) both set new career-highs with three points apiece. Polin scored his first two goals as an Amerk in the second period on the power-play, while Costantini had a goal and an assist in the first period to build a 2-0 lead.
Veteran Conor Sheary produced his fifth AHL game with three assists and Matthew Peca (0+2) finished with his 58th multi-assist game as a pro. Trevor Kuntar (1+1) and Vsevolod Komarov (0+2) rounded out the group with at least two points versus the Crunch.
Aidan McDonough netted his first goal for Rochester, along with Carson Meyer and Red Savage getting also scoring for the first time this season in the second period.
716 & CANISIUS CONNECTIONS
Amerk defenseman Dennis Gilbert faces off against a fellow Buffalo native and former junior hockey teammate Saturday night in Utica captain Ryan Schmelzer. The duo were members of the 2013-14 Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the OJHL and have combined for 704 AHL games. Even though they both have been pros for nine seasons, they faced off against one another for just the first time ever last season when Gilbert suited up for Belleville against Utica.
Schmelzer remained in the 716 following juniors, playing four seasons at Canisius College from 2014 to 2018. One of his coaches during that time was new Amerks assistant Scott Moser following the end of his playing career with the Golden Griffins. Schmelzer and Moser were part of one of the most successful stretches of Canisius Hockey, appearing in the Atlantic Hockey Final Four in three of for years, including a regular-season conference title in 2016-17.
POWER-PLAY SUCCESS
After beginning the season 2-14 on the man-advantage, Rochester recorded three power-play markers in the second period alone against Syracuse last time out. Head Coach Michael Leone mentioned Friday morning that he had confidence in his first unit that features five forwards instead of a puck-moving defenseman controlling up top. Friday showcased what the dynamic group is capable off, with Polin, Peca, and Sheary producing two points each on the first power-play unit.
Following a 3-for-7 performance, Rochester jumped up to a 23.8% success rate on the power-play, good for ninth in the AHL. Conversely, Utica is still searching for its first goal on the power-play after going 0-for-2 against Providence in the season opener.