TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS SALVAGE WEEK WITH WIN IN UTICA
Rochester goes 1-2-0-0 entering Thanksgiving week in North Division
Nov 24, 2025After a pair of disappointing finishes, the Rochester Americans (11-8-0-0) showcased resiliency Saturday night in Utica, managing a 4-3 win over the Comets to salvage their three-game week.
Following a 4-2 loss at Lehigh Valley and a 5-4 heartbreaker on home ice Friday against Bridgeport, the Amerks were clamoring for a win. Their depth showed up, goaltending stood its ground, and a new face helped assure Rochester a pair of standings points as the race continues to be a tight one as the first quarter of the season concludes.
Here are some takeaways from the Amerks’ penultimate week of November play.
GEERING UP
Rochester’s second goal in Utica was scored by newcomer Mason Geertsen, who cleared waivers and was subsequently reassigned from Buffalo the day prior. The 30-year-old’s goal was only his 20th over 448 career AHL games, and his first in 31 outings.
Geertsen packs a punch, more so in the literal sense than the offensive side of the game, accruing 842 penalty minutes across his 11-year voyage through the AHL. The Drayton Valley, Alberta, native has played for seven teams in the AHL, including 61 games with Utica in the 2022-23 season. On five separate occasions, Geertsen has produced over 100 PIM in a single season. The physical edge to his game has been rewarded twice before, with 30 NHL games, including five with the Sabres this season and the previous 25 coming in a New Jersey Devils sweater during the 2021-22 campaign.
In games Geertsen has scored, his teams have gone 9-6-3-1.
THE COMET KILLER
Saturday night saw Devon Levi churn out arguably his best performance of November this year. The 23-year-old made 33 saves, including 14 in the first period alone, to help Rochester hang on to top the Comets in the team’s 4-3 win at Adirondack Bank Center.
It was a refreshing sight as Levi had entered the night 2-3-0 on the month, allowing 20 goals-against over the previous five games. Levi’s 33 saves matched a season high from his Halloween win in Laval, and despite the struggles of late, the third-year pro enters the final week of November in a tie for first in the AHL with eight wins.
It was the perfect time for the All-Star goaltender to see his favorite team to play against. Over his three years in an Amerks jersey, Levi has never lost to the Comets, possessing an incredible 10-0-0 mark against the Devils’ AHL affiliate. In that span, Levi has produced a 2.67 goals-against average to go with a .921 save percentage against Utica.
CROWDED HOUSE
The Amerks are officially in the second quarter of their 72-game season having played 19 contests thus far. The battle for positioning in the North Division has always been competitive, and this year is no different, or if it is, it’s even more challenging than before.
At this time last season, there was a nine-point spread separating first through fifth place in the North Division. This year, that margin is cut down to six. The Amerks are currently tied with Syracuse for second in the standings at 22 points each, putting them just two in front of fourth-place Belleville and four points ahead of the Marlies in fifth.
November is tied with January for Rochester’s busiest schedule of the season, with the team playing 12 contests each month. As a result, the Amerks have played more games than every other team in the division, and moreover, every team in the Eastern Conference. The Amerks, Rockford IceHogs, and Calgary Wranglers lead the AHL with 19 games played.
COMING UP NEXT
For the first time this season, the Amerks are to sit idle for a weekend, as they’ll enjoy a rare Saturday and Sunday off entering December. Before then, however, Rochester opens up a three-game homestand with a Thanksgiving sandwich, pushing its holiday in-between games against the Cleveland Monsters Wednesday night and a Black Friday encounter with the Syracuse Crunch.
Cleveland has played fewer games (13) than any team in the AHL. This marks their first visit to Blue Cross Arena this season. The Amerks are 1-2-0-0 on the season against the Crunch. Friday will mark round four of 12 on the season with their intrastate adversary.