Rochester Americans Game Preview: Wednesday, November 13 vs. Syracuse Crunch
November 13, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
TONIGHT'S GAME OVERVIEW
- The Rochester Americans (7-3-1-2) continue their three-game homestand tonight as they welcome back the Syracuse Crunch (7-4-2-0) for a North Division showdown at The Blue Cross Arena. The 7:05 p.m. contest will be the third meeting of the season between the cross-town foes and the final of the 2019 calendar year as the remaining nine get-togethers will take place over the last four months of the campaign. Tonight's matchup will be carried live on The Sports Leader AM 950/95.7 FM ESPN Rochester as well as AHLTV.
LAST TIME OUT
- Despite building a pair of leads, including a two-goal cushion in the first period, the Amerks were unable to stay in front as the Binghamton Devils scored late in the third period before ultimately stealing a 4-3 win in the shootout last Friday night at The Blue Cross Arena.
- It was the sixth game this season that went beyond regulation for the Amerks, who have earned 17 out of a possible 26 points through their first 13 games of the campaign. Additionally, Rochester has picked up points in eight of its last 10 games overall, going 5-2-1-2 over that span.
- Forward Tage Thompson scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season while Curtis Lazar and Eric Cornel tallied their fourth and first goals, respectively.
- Goaltender Jonas Johansson stopped 25 shots, plus three of four attempts in the skills competition, but suffered the overtime loss to fall to 2-2-2 on the season.
ROAD AHEAD FOR ROCHESTER
- Rochester closes out its three-game homestand on Friday, Nov. 15 as they host the Cleveland Monsters at The Blue Cross Arena for Military Appreciation Night presented by Veterans Outreach Center. Both teams will wear special Military-themed jerseys and matching socks as a tribute to the U.S Armed Forces. Game time is slated for a 7:05 p.m. start and will be carried live on The Sports Leader AM 950/95.7 FM ESPN Rochester as well as AHLTV.
SHOOTING GALLERY
- One of the biggest factors attributed to Rochester's early season success is the fact that the Amerks have outshot their opponents in every game so far this season, including a season-high 50 shots in Springfield back on Oct. 27. The Amerks come into the contest ranked fourth in the AHL in total shots (456) and are averaging 35.08 shots per game, the most behind only the Iowa Wild. Rochester owns one of the top two shooters in the league in Tage Thompson (56) and currently remains the only team this season to have outshot the opposition in every game to start the 2019-20 campaign.
THOMPSON CONTINUES TO TORMENT THE OPPOSITION
- Despite being held off the scoresheet four times so far this season, Thompson has totaled 23 points (14+9) over his last 24 games with the Amerks dating back to last season, including the two goals he scored in the first round of the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Marlies. More impressively, Thompson has scored 12 goals in just 21 career regular-season games with Rochester, easily surpassing the total he set over a 30-game stint with San Antonio during his rookie season in 2017-18. The third-year pro leads all Amerks skaters with six goals and 12 points while his six assists are for the team lead through his first 13 games of the season. He also is second in league with 56 shots on goal and is averaging at least four shots per game.
THE BEST OFFENSE IS A GOOD DEFENSE
- The Amerks come into the week owning two of the AHL's top point-producing defensemen in Zach Redmond and Casey Nelson. The start of the 2019-20 season is just a different chapter in the same story for the 31-year-old Redmond, who's averaged nearly a point-per-game through his first 11 games of the season. The reigning Eddie Shore Award winner and two-time AHL All-Star has collected eight points (1+7) in his last 16 games dating back to last season. Much like his counterpart, Nelson, too, is playing at almost a point-per-game pace. His two goals are tied for 10th-most in the AHL amongst defensemen while his team-best plus-nine on-ice rating is tied for third. The fourth-year pro enters play tonight showing five points (2+3) over his last three games, including a career-high three-point effort (2+1) against Binghamton to open the month of November.
WORKING OVERTIME
- Rochester's 4-3 shootout loss to Binghamton on Friday was the sixth game so far this season that went beyond regulation for the Amerks, the most behind only Hartford. The Amerks, who tied an AHL record during the 2017-18 season with 29 overtime games, are 2-1 in the bonus period this season and show a 1-2 record in the shootout.
MALONE MOVING UP
- After being held without a point in his first four games of the 2019-20 campaign, Sean Malone has recorded three goals and three assists for six points in the last six games, a new career-high for the third-year pro. With points in each of his last six games, Malone has the second-longest active point streak in the AHL coming into tonight behind only Matt Puempel of the Grand Rapids Griffins. He's tied for eighth on the team with six points while being one of 10 Amerk forwards with two or more goals on the season.
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH
- The Crunch have reached the halfway point of six games over a nine-day stretch, collecting two wins in the first three games. Syracuse shows a record of 7-4-2-0 on the season, which is good for sixth in the AHL's North Division standings and one point behind the Amerks.
- Syracuse returns to Rochester fueled by veteran forward and West Seneca native Chris Mueller, who's tied for the team lead with 11 points (5+6) while appearing in all 13 games this season.
- Cameron Gaunce leads all AHL defensemen with 11 assists.
SERIES NOTABLES
- The Amerks have scored a power-play goal in 12 of the last 24 games against Syracuse, going 17-for-104 (16.4%) with the man-advantage over that span.
- After going 4-5-1-0 against the Crunch during the 2017-18 campaign, the Amerks have posted an 8-4-1-1 against Syracuse over the last 14 contests.
The Amerks are facing a familiar name in goaltender Scott Wedgewood tonight. Wedgewood went 28-16-1 with five shutouts in 48 games last season for Rochester, ranking second in the AHL in wins.
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