ROCKET PULL AWAY IN THIRD, AMERKS DROP SECOND STRAIGHT
Komarov scores his first of the season, Villalta makes 29 saves in 3-1 loss to Laval
Nov 13, 2026The Rochester Americans held a 1-0 advantage through the first 45 minutes only to see the Laval Rocket pull away in the third period with three unanswered goals on their way to a 3-1 win Friday at Blue Cross Arena.
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With the loss, the Amerks saw their three-game home win streak snapped and fall to 7-6-0-1 on the season heading into Saturday’s rematch against the Rocket.
Laval, which improved to 7-1-0-0 on the road this season, has now won each of the last seven meetings between the two teams dating back to last season, and four straight in Rochester. The Rocket remain within one point of Grand Rapids for first place across the AHL and are 12 tied with the Griffins with 12 wins through their first 16 games.
Vsevolod Komarov provided the lone goal for Rochester in the second period with assists from Carson Meyer, who returned from a three-game injury absence, and Riley Fiddler-Schultz. The goal was Komarov’s first of the season and first since March 22 of last season, upping his career total to seven goals in 136 appearances for Rochester.
Fiddler-Schultz, meanwhile, has recorded four points (2+2) over his last five games since Oct. 30. The fourth-year pro has seven points (4+3), all of which have come on home ice, while appearing in all 14 games this season.
Matt Villalta, who carried a shutout into the third period, made 29 saves on 31 shots he faced. The veteran netminder remains second in the AHL in minutes (716), saves (276) and wins (6).
After being held scoreless through the first two frames, Laval turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead in just over a 12-minute span on a goal from Jared Davidson and a pair from Sam Poulin. Davidson, the beneficiary of a costly turnover, made it a 1-1 game 6:08 into the third period before Poulin converted on the power-play at 11:14 and added an empty-netter in the closing minutes to secure the win for Laval.
Rocket goaltender Kevin Mandolese made 25 saves in the win while also adding an assist on Poulin’s second goal of the game. The Montreal native, who’s in his first season with Laval, is off to the best of his pro career since breaking into the AHL ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, boasting a near-perfect 5-0-1 record with one shutout through his first six games.
After posting a 25-save shutout in his season debut against Utica on Oct. 17, Mandolese has stopped 129 of the 140 shots he’s faced since, good for a 1.83 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. He’s held the opposition to two or fewer goals in five of his six appearances so far this season.
UP NEXT
The Amerks and Rocket meet for the second time in less than 24 hours as the North Division rivals wrap up a two-game set with a rematch on Saturday, Nov. 14 on Military Salute Night at Blue Cross Arena. Game time is slated for a 7:05 p.m. start and will be carried live on The Sports Leader, WGR Rochester (95.7 FM/950 AM), and streamed on AHLTV on FloHockey