TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS CONTINUE TO ENJOY SUCCESS ON THE ROAD
Rathbone’s overtime-winner keeps Amerks within a point of second place
Jan 12, 2026By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
After a win in Syracuse last Wednesday, the Rochester Americans (18-12-3-1) split a pair of games against their Canadian counterparts, dropping a 3-2 final to Laval Friday before coming back – and preventing a comeback – to top Belleville by a wild 6-5 final in overtime Sunday evening.
Here are some standout notes from the two-game set as we inch toward the second half of the 2025-26 campaign.
SHOOTING GALLERY
The Amerks aren’t shy about shooting the puck as the team combined for a staggering 77 shots on goal over the past two games, with the majority coming in Friday’s loss to Laval. Despite the Rocket pulling out of Blue Cross Arena with a 3-2 win, the Amerks were all over Laval, outshooting them, 49-23. It wasn’t just a season-high for the Amerks, but also marked the first time Rochester put up 49 shots on goal since Oct. 24, 2024, when the team filled the net against Cleveland in a 6-1 victory.
Had the Amerks gotten just one more shot on goal Friday, it would have been the first time the team hit the half-century mark since Oct. 27, 2019, when Rochester put 50 shots on goal against Springfield in a 2-1 overtime loss.
Zac Jones, who returned on Friday and was subsequently recalled by the Buffalo Sabres again promptly following the game, scored against the Rocket and leads all AHL defensemen in several categories, including shots with 89 on the season. As a team, the Amerks are averaging 30.41 shots per game, which is sixth best in the AHL and second in the Eastern Conference.
FIDDS ON FIRE
Riley Fiddler-Schultz has been playing his best hockey of the season over the last several weeks and continued that over the past two games. The third-year pro posted an assist Friday against the Rocket, then scored the Amerks’ opening goal Sunday afternoon in Belleville to extend his point streak to four games, tallying five points over that span (3+2).
The Edmonton, Alberta, native has goals in each of his last three road games and has scored five of his past seven goals away from the Flower City, dating back to his overtime winner Nov. 14 in Hartford.
Since Dec. 10, Fiddler-Schultz has produced 10 points (5+5) over the last 10 games. He and Jack Rathbone, who netted the Amerks’ overtime-winner yesterday against the Senators, are the only Amerks to have played in every game this season.
DID IT FOR DON
Prior to the start of Rochester’s historic 70th season, Amerks longtime Hall of Fame play-by-play voice Don Stevens announced that this, his 40th season behind the mic for the Amerks, would be his last.
On Sunday, Stevens broadcasted his final regular season game from CAA Arena in Belleville. Prior to the contest, the iconic voice was honored with a jersey presented to him by the Senators to commemorate his 40 years with Rochester. The game concluded in epic fashion with Rathbone’s overtime-winner, allowing Stevens to make one final epic call in Belleville.
Stevens continues to broadcast all home games and will travel to a select number of road games for the remainder of the 2025-26 to make final stops in several cities he has called home away from home for decades.
COMING UP NEXT
One of Rochester’s busiest stretches of the season is taking place at the midway point, as the club will play four games in six days. It all starts on home ice Wednesday against the Crunch. Following that, the Amerks open up a three-game road trip back in Belleville Friday night, then venture to Utica Saturday before wrapping things up on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an afternoon matinee in Syracuse on Monday.
Friday marks the end of the first half of the 2025-26 season as Rochester will play its 36th game of the campaign. With 40 points, the Amerks are fourth in the North Division sitting a point ahead of fifth place-Cleveland and a point back of both Toronto and Syracuse, who hold a share of second place.