TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS SHOW COMPETE LEVEL AGAINST ROCKET
Rochester’s power-play helps earn standings point north of the border
Mar 9, 2026Last weekend, the Rochester Americans (24-21-5-4) traveled North of the border for their final pair of games in the season series against the Laval Rocket. Despite the Rocket continuing to lead the charge toward a second straight division title, the Amerks kept pace with first place-Laval in both contests and squeezed out a standings point in a 4-3 shootout loss Saturday.
It's been a bumpy road for the red, white, and blue, but performances like these give hope things could be turning a corner.
RESILIENT RATZLAFF
After being reassigned to ECHL-Jacksonville in the middle of February, rookie goaltender Scott Ratzlaff was recently brought back up to Rochester and took the crease in Saturday’s matchup at Laval. The Irma, Alberta, native shined with 30 saves through 65 minutes and largely gets credit for the Amerks earning a point in the first place as Laval outshot Rochester, 17-4 in the third period.
The now 21-year-old then went toe-to-toe with Rocket netminder Käppo Kähkönen in the shootout, facing eight different attempts before Laval was eventually able to outlast the Amerks’ shooters.
It was the seventh AHL appearance that Ratzlaff has made this season. The first-year pro is 3-2-1and passed fellow rookie Topias Leionen for second-most minutes played on the team behind Devon Levi.
POWERRR PLAY
A day after the Amerks lost Isak Rosén in a trade between Buffalo and Winnipeg, their power-play showed no signs of weakening. In the second period alone, Rochester scored all three of their goals in the contest on the man-advantage.
Riley Fiddler-Schultz is up to 18 goals on the season after forcing one through on the power-play in the opening minute of the second period. Later in the frame, Olivier Nadeau and Konsta Helenius connected less than three minutes apart on the power-play, which finished the night going three-for-five.
The Amerks check in to the new week with their man-advantage operating at a 24% clip to lead the Eastern Conference and rank third overall in the AHL. Rochester is tied for first with 27 road power play tallies.
MUCK IT UP, MASON
Mason Geertsen garnered attention both nights the Amerks played in Laval, dropping the gloves – and his opponents – in back-to-back games to complete a 22-penalty minute weekend for the 11th-year pro.
In Friday’s 4-2 loss, Luke Tuch was on the receiving end of punishment being dealt by Geertsen, but that paled in comparison to the fairly one-sided scrap between the Amerks’ enforcer and Florian Xhekaj Saturday at the end boards.
Geertsen is up to six fights on the season and third on the Amerks in penalty minutes with 68.
COMING UP NEXT
With a five-point lead on the closest team behind them in the North Division, the Amerks continue their race to the finish line with 18 games over the final six weeks of the 2025-26 regular season. It gets going on home ice to start with Utica visiting Blue Cross Arena for the final time this season Wednesday evening.
After that, a possible playoff preview takes place Friday and Saturday as the Amerks and Toronto Marlies meet for a home-and-home series beginning in the Flower City Friday night.