July 27, 2024 - 148 Games Today

Amerks' Season Ends in Game 5 Loss to Crunch

May 10, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release

(Rochester, NY) - In front of a sold-out crowd of 10,758, the Rochester Americans (2-3) fell by a 5-2 score against the Syracuse Crunch (3-2) in Game 5 of the North Division Semifinals Friday at The Blue Cross Arena.

GAME SUMMARY | PHOTO GALLERY | game highlights

With the defeat, the Amerks 2023-24 season officially came to an end as they went 2-3 in the best-of-five series.

Jeremy Davies notched his first goal of the series during the first period while Michael Mersch scored in the middle period for Rochester. Joseph Cecconi , Brandon Biro , Lukas Rousek and Jiri Kulich all added assists in the defeat.

Rookie goaltender Devon Levi (2-3) made his fifth appearance of the playoffs, stopping 15 of the 19 shots he faced. The netminder finished the series making 181 saves in five games, which included 60 in Game 3's double overtime contest in Syracuse.

Felix Robert (1+2) paced the Crunch with three points while Max Crozier (0+2), Alex Barré-Boulet (0+2), and Cole Koepke (2+0) also notched multi-point efforts. Declan Carlile (1+0) and Waltteri Merelä (1+0) capped the scoring. Goaltender Brandon Halverson (3-2) made 16 saves in the victory.

During the first period of the contest, Syracuse opened the scoring with a pair of goals in the opening 10 minutes while holding Rochester without a shot.

Facing a two-goal deficit, Rochester generated some offense before Davies cut down the left wing while Cecconi controlled the puck at the right point. As Davies skated in-front of Halverson, Cecconi sent a back-door feed for his defensive partner to tap inside the far post with 2:27 left in the period.

The Crunch doubled their lead midway through the second stanza at the 8:35 mark on Merelä's redirection from Robert.

The Amerks cut into the score again after Mersch snagged the puck in the left corner of the Crunch. The team captain centered it back to Biro atop the zone before the Penn State University product gave a quick pass to Kulich at the right face-off dot.

As Mersch dropped to a knee as he made his way towards the crease, Kulich fired a shot-pass for the veteran foward to direct into the net with 9:27 left in the second period.

Syracuse scored twice in the final six minutes of regulation to seal the 5-2 win, ending Rochester's 68 th American Hockey League season.

Goal Scorers

SYR: D. Carlile (1), C. Koepke (2, 3), W. Merelä (3), F. Robert (1)

ROC: J. Davies (1), M. Mersch (2)

Goaltenders

SYR: B. Halverson - 16/18 (W)

ROC: D. Levi - 15/19 (L)

Shots

SYR: 20

ROC: 18

Special Teams

SYR: PP (0/3) | PK (2/3)

ROC: PP (1/3) | PK (3/3)

Three Stars

1. SYR - C. Koepke

2. SYR - F. Robert

3. SYR - A. Barré-Boulet

AMERKS VIDEO CENTER

SETH APPERT POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/YHUYnMeDzNU

MASON JOBST POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/jF3PSFVV3ss

DEVON LEVI POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/Apf5-cjIFcA

MICHAEL MERSCH POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/tNIBHGX7LYg

ETHAN PROW POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/gViV-C9nPRA

--@AmerksHockey--

Warren S. Kosel Ryan J. Harr

Senior Director of Public and Media Relations Public and Media Relations Coordinator

(585) 286-9928 (585) 286-9940

warren.kosel@bluecrossarena.com ryan.harr@bluecrossarena.com

*** Part 1.1 - ASCII

[cid:image003.jpg@01DA9832.5EE05D80] MAY 10, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ________________________________ AMERKS SEASON ENDS IN GAME 5 LOSS TO CRUNCH ________________________________ (Rochester, NY) - In front of a sold-out crowd of 10,758, the Rochester Americans (2-3) fell by a 5-2 score against the Syracuse Crunch (3-2) in Game 5 of the North Division Semifinals Friday at The Blue Cross Arena.

[cid:image002.jpg@01DAA337.44A258F0]

GAME SUMMARY | PHOTO GALLERY | game highlights

With the defeat, the Amerks 2023-24 season officially came to an end as they went 2-3 in the best-of-five series.

Jeremy Davies notched his first goal of the series during the first period while Michael Mersch scored in the middle period for Rochester. Joseph Cecconi, Brandon Biro, Lukas Rousek and Jiri Kulich all added assists in the defeat.

Rookie goaltender Devon Levi (2-3) made his fifth appearance of the playoffs, stopping 15 of the 19 shots he faced. The netminder finished the series making 181 saves in five games, which included 60 in Game 3's double overtime contest in Syracuse.

Felix Robert (1+2) paced the Crunch with three points while Max Crozier (0+2), Alex Barré-Boulet (0+2), and Cole Koepke (2+0) also notched multi-point efforts. Declan Carlile (1+0) and Waltteri Merelä (1+0) capped the scoring. Goaltender Brandon Halverson (3-2) made 16 saves in the victory.

During the first period of the contest, Syracuse opened the scoring with a pair of goals in the opening 10 minutes while holding Rochester without a shot.

Facing a two-goal deficit, Rochester generated some offense before Davies cut down the left wing while Cecconi controlled the puck at the right point. As Davies skated in-front of Halverson, Cecconi sent a back-door feed for his defensive partner to tap inside the far post with 2:27 left in the period.

The Crunch doubled their lead midway through the second stanza at the 8:35 mark on Merelä's redirection from Robert.

The Amerks cut into the score again after Mersch snagged the puck in the left corner of the Crunch. The team captain centered it back to Biro atop the zone before the Penn State University product gave a quick pass to Kulich at the right face-off dot.

As Mersch dropped to a knee as he made his way towards the crease, Kulich fired a shot-pass for the veteran foward to direct into the net with 9:27 left in the second period.

Syracuse scored twice in the final six minutes of regulation to seal the 5-2 win, ending Rochester's 68th American Hockey League season.

Goal Scorers SYR: D. Carlile (1), C. Koepke (2, 3), W. Merelä (3), F. Robert (1) ROC: J. Davies (1), M. Mersch (2)

Goaltenders SYR: B. Halverson - 16/18 (W) ROC: D. Levi - 15/19 (L)

Shots SYR: 20 ROC: 18

Special Teams SYR: PP (0/3) | PK (2/3) ROC: PP (1/3) | PK (3/3)

Three Stars 1. SYR - C. Koepke 2. SYR - F. Robert 3. SYR - A. Barré-Boulet

AMERKS VIDEO CENTER

SETH APPERT POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/YHUYnMeDzNU MASON JOBST POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/jF3PSFVV3ss DEVON LEVI POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/Apf5-cjIFcA MICHAEL MERSCH POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/tNIBHGX7LYg ETHAN PROW POST-GAME: https://youtu.be/gViV-C9nPRA

--@AmerksHockey--

[cid:image004.jpg@01D9B3FB.333EFEF0] ________________________________ Warren S. Kosel Ryan J. Harr Senior Director of Public and Media Relations Public and Media Relations Coordinator (585) 286-9928 (585) 286-9940 warren.kosel@bluecrossarena.com ryan.harr@bluecrossarena.com

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*** Part 1 - ASCII

MAY 10, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AMERKS SEASON ENDS IN GAME 5 LOSS TO CRUNCH