By: Victor Menendez
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- In their first of three games over the next three days, the Rochester Americans crushed the Bridgeport Islanders 6-0 on Friday night. Six different goal scorers contributed for Rochester in the victory.
The Islanders came into the game at the bottom of the AHL standings, but Amerks head coach Michael Leone understood the importance of not overlooking your opponent.
"Two weeks ago, they went into Laval [first in the AHL standings] and won 5-2," Leone said. "Anybody can beat anyone in this league. You just have to be ready every night. We respect our opponent but when we go into every game it's more about how we play and how we need to keep getting better."
The Amerks wasted no time taking an early 1-0 lead. Less than 2 minutes into the contest, defenseman Zachary Metsa fired a wrist shot from the right circle past Bridgeport goalie Henrik Tikkanen to give him his sixth goal of the season and Rochester its first of the game.
Video credit: @AmerksHockey on X.
After killing off a cross-checking penalty taken by Amerks defenseman Jack Rathbone, center Mason Jobst would add to the Amerks lead. Just over eight minutes into the frame, Jobst took a pass from center Konsta Helenius and snuck a wrist shot by Tikkanen to give him his 17th goal of the year.
Video credit: @AmerksHockey on X.
Rochester went on the power play with just over four minutes left in the period. It looked like the Islanders had killed it off with under 10 seconds remaining in the man-advantage until Amerks center Riley Fiddler-Schultz raced down the ice largely uncontested and found the five-hole of Tikkanen to give Rochester its third goal of the frame and Fiddler-Schultz his 10th of the season.
Video credit: @AmerksHockey on X.
Despite heading back to the locker room up 3-0, the Amerks were outshot 14-13 in the first 20 minutes of play. Rochester goalie Devon Levi made several key saves in the frame to keep the Islanders out of the net. "Levi! Levi!" chants rang throughout Blue Cross Arena. Levi would go on to make 28 saves in the game and pick up his AHL-leading sixth shutout of the year.
"I love playing at home," Levi said. "Playing in this building is always a blast. You've got the fans on your side. I feel like regardless of what day it is they always bring the energy."
After a mostly uneventful first 10 minutes of the second period, Amerks defenseman Kale Clague took an interference penalty to put Bridgeport on the power play. Being down a skater didn't stop the Amerks offense. After the Islanders turned the puck over in the neutral zone, winger Noah Ostlund had a breakaway opportunity and took full advantage, beating Tikkanen blocker-side for his 16th goal of the year and the Amerks fourth of the game.
Video credit: @AmerksHockey on X.
Rochester took another penalty less than a minute later, and yet again, the Amerks scored shorthanded. Center Josh Dunne took a wrist shot from the left boards and Tikkanen's rough night continued as he let what should've been a fairly harmless shot trickle by him to give Dunne his 10th goal of the year and put Bridgeport down five.
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Tikkanen was removed after the goal, being replaced by Hunter Miska.
Rochester continued its onslaught on the new goaltender less than three minutes later. Amerks center Graham Slaggert slapped a bouncing puck at Miska after it was saved and got the rebound and fired a wrist shot past the stumbling Islander goaltender to put Rochester up six and give him his 11th goal of the season.
Video credit: @AmerksHockey on X.
The Amerks outshot Bridgeport 18-9 in the second frame, taking a commanding 6-0 lead into the final period.
Outside of a few frustration penalties from Bridgeport, the third period was mostly quiet. The Amerks put 10 shots on goal while Levi added five more saves to his shutout.
With the win, the Amerks improve to 38-18-3-3 on the season. They remain in second place in the North Division behind the Laval Rocket. Bridgeport falls to 14-43-4-3 and stays at the bottom of the AHL.
The Amerks next game will be tomorrow as they travel to Syracuse to take on the Crunch. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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