PHANTOMS OUTLAST AMERKS IN EIGHT-ROUND SHOOTOUT
Meyer scores lone goal in regulation, Levi makes 38 saves in 2-1 shootout loss to Lehigh Valley
Dec 13, 2025Goaltenders Devon Levi and Carson Bjarnason went save for save before the Rochester Americans (14-9-2-1) suffered a 2-1 shootout loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (13-9-1-2) at Saturday at The Blue Cross Arena.
Despite the loss in the shootout, Rochester’s first on home ice since Mar. 8, 2024, the club has earned points in six straight games and seven of the last eight overall dating back to Nov. 22.
Forward Carson Meyer opened the scoring with his sixth goal of the season from Riley Fidder-Schultz and Zac Jones in the first period. Two of Meyers’ six tallies have come against the Phantoms while four overall have been scored on home ice. Jones, who leads all AHL players 23 assists, extended his point streak to three games whereas Fiddler-Schultz has produced four points (1+3) over his last two games.
Goaltender Devon Levi (10-3-3) manned the pipes for the third game of his last four that required overtime frame while making his 17th appearance of the campaign overall. Levi, who has allowed one goal in back-to-back games, is tied for second amongst the league’s netminders in wins.
Jacob Gaucher scored his fifth goal of the season for Lehigh Valley, which shows a 2-4-0-1 mark since Black Friday. Bjarnason finished with 38 saves while also turning aside all eight Amerks shooters in the shootout.
FIRST PERIOD
Moments after Mason Geersten and Roman Schmidt dropped the gloves at center ice, the Amerks drew a holding infraction to earn the first power-play of the contest.
On the ensuing face-off after the penalty, Rochester kept the puck hemmed inside the offensive zone. Halfway through shift, Viktor Neuchev gathered it in the right corner before sliding it back to the point for Jones, who leads the AHL with a team-best 23 assists, at the point. The defenseman connected on a pass to Fiddler-Schultz across the ice before strategically sending a shot-pass in-between the dots for Meyer to steer past the glovehand of Bjarnason for his sixth of the campaign just 3:44 into the contest.
Rochester eventually cleared off a holding penalty of its own later in the period and got timely saves by Levi to take the 1-0 lead into the intermission break.
SECOND PERIOD
After nearly tying the contest during an Amerks’ power-play less than four minutes into the frame, Gaucher stuffed in a loose puck behind Levi for his fifth goal of the slate from Garrett Wilson and Oscar Eklind.
Although each club had an infraction over the final 12 minutes of play, the teams went into the final period knotted at 1-1 while Levi was the busier of the two goaltenders as he made 16 saves to four for Bjarnason.
THIRD PERIOD
During the final 20 minutes of regulation, Rochester had seven shots compared to Lehigh Valley’s 11, but the game required overtime as the score remained tied at 1-1.
OVERTIME
The Amerks drew a slashing penalty in the opening minute of the extra session, and despite outshooting the Phantoms 5-4, Bjarnson and Levi stood tall to send the contest to the shootout.
SHOOTOUT
While Rochester elected to shoot first in the shootout, Jack Rathbone, Matteo Costantini, Anton Wahlberg, Isaac Belliveau, Meyer, Jones and Fiddler-Schultz all were denied on their respective attempts.
Denver Barkey, Lane Pederson, Alex Bump, Anthony Richard, Cooper Marody, Alexis Gendron, Christian Kyrou all were unsuccessful in the shootout before Tucker Robertson sealed the victory in the bottom of the eighth round.
UP NEXT
The Amerks continue their four-game holiday homestand when they host the intrastate rival Utica Comets on Wednesday, Dec. 17 for a 7:05 p.m. contest. All the action from The Blue Cross Arena will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
LV: J. Gaucher (5)
ROC: C. Meyer (6)
Goaltenders
LV: C. Bjarnason – 25/26 (W)
ROC: D. Levi – 38/39 (SOL)
Shots
LV: 40
ROC: 26
Special Teams
LV: PP (0/3) | PK (4/5)
ROC: PP (1/5) | PK (3/3)
Three Stars:
1. ROC - D. Levi
2. LV - C. Bjarnason
3. ROC - C. Meyer