Rochester Americans Game Preview: Wednesday, October 30 vs. Providence Bruins
Published on October 30, 2019 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
TONIGHT'S GAME OVERVIEW
- The Rochester Americans (5-2-1-1) close out the first month of the 2019-20 campaign tonight as they host the Providence Bruins (5-3-0-2) at The Blue Cross Arena for the only time this season. The contest will be second time in three weeks that the two Eastern Conference teams have met as Rochester fell in the previous meeting back on Oct. 12 by the score of 3-2 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Tonight's game will be carried live on live on The Sports Leader AM 950/95.7 FM ESPN Rochester as well as AHLTV.
LAST TIME OUT
- Despite a season-high of 50 shots on goal, including 26 in the first period, the Amerks suffered their first overtime loss of the season to the Springfield Thunderbirds at the MassMutual Center on Sunday.
- By earning a point in the 2-1 overtime loss, the Amerks have earned 12 out of a possible 18 points throughout their first nine games of the season.
- Forward Tage Thompson scored his fourth goal of the season at the start of the second period, while Rasmus Asplund and Sean Malone each tallied an assist. Goaltender Jonas Johansson (2-1-1) stopped 35 of the 37 shots he faced in his third straight appearance.
ROAD AHEAD FOR ROCHESTER
- The Amerks open the month of November on Friday, Nov. 1 when they welcome the Binghamton Devils to The Blue Cross Arena at 7:05 p.m. Friday's matchup against the Devils begins a stretch in with the Amerks will play 10 of their next 11 games against North Division opponents. The contest will be carried live on The Sports Leader AM 950/95.7 FM ESPN Rochester as well as AHLTV.
EARNING POINTS EARLY ON
- Rochester have earned 12 out of a possible 18 points through its first nine games of the season and enter tonight's matchup having collected points in five of its last six games overall. All but two have been one-goal games, including three wins beyond regulation. The Amerks are one of only two AHL teams (Hartford) this year to appear in at least five games that have been decided in overtime and are one of just two teams (Colorado) to have won two games in overtime as well as a shootout.
FITZGERALD FAMILY REUNION
- Tonight's game will see the reunion of Casey and Ryan Fitzgerald as Providence makes its lone visit of the season to the Flower City. Formerly teammates at Boston College for two seasons, the brothers find themselves on the opposite sides of the ice for the second time in less than a month. Ryan, who recorded an assist in the previous get-together between the two teams, was Boston's fourth-round pick in 2013 while Casey was Buffalo's third-round selection in 2016.
THOMPSON TORMENTING THE OPPOSITION
- Despite being held off the scoresheet three times so far this season, Tage Thompson has totaled 19 points (12+7) over his last 20 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 10 goals in just 17 career regular-season games with Rochester, surpassing the total he set over a 30-game stint with the San Antonio Rampage during his rookie season in 2017-18. The third-year pro leads the team with four goals and eight points through his first nine games of the season and enters the week leading the AHL with 41 shots.
RED-HOT REDMOND: THE SEQUEL
- The start of the 2019-20 season is a different chapter in the same story for veteran defenseman Zach Redmond, who's currently tied for fifth in scoring amongst all AHL blueliners with seven points (1+6) after averaging nearly a point-per-game through his first eight games of the season, including the game-tying goal with 13 seconds remaining in Rochester's shootout win at Hartford back on Oct. 13. The reigning Eddie Shore Award winner and two-time AHL All-Star has notched eight points (1+7) in his last 13 games dating back to last season. His six assists are tied for fourth in the league among blueliners.
"JUST SCORING" DEA
- Coming off his first four-point effort since Apr. 6, 2019 Saturday night in Syracuse, forward Jean-Sebastien Dea is tied with Thompson for the team lead in goals (4) while his seven points are tied for second. Dea, who's one of eight skaters to play in all nine games for the Amerks thus far, bookended a wild third-period rally for Rochester, scoring 10 seconds into the final frame and again with 13 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime before earning the secondary assist on Lawrence Pilut's game-winner.
SCOUTING THE BRUINS
- Providence comes into the matchup with a 5-3-0-2 record through its first 10 games, which is good for second in the AHL's Atlantic Division. The Bruins have scored the most goals (32) in their Division and come to Rochester with the second-best road record in the league with a 4-1-0-1. Providence has also outscored the opposition 22-13 through its first six road contests this season.
- Forward Peter Cehlarik is one of four Providence skaters with eight points while he leads all Bruins with six goals through his first six games of the season.
- The Bruins have used a three goaltending trio to start the season with Max Lagace appearing in six of their first 10 games. Lagace shows a 3-1-1 record with a 2.40 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. The fifth-year netminder, who last season backstopped the Chicago Wolves to the Calder Cup Finals against Charlotte, is the only AHL goaltender this season to record a pair of shutouts.
SERIES NOTABLES
- Tonight is just the 10th meeting between the Amerks and the Bruins over the last seven seasons. Rochester has gone 1-6-2-0 during that span, which includes a pair of overtime losses in each of the first two meetings during the 2017-18 season. Prior to Rochester's 2-1 win on Dec. 8 of last year, the last time the Amerks defeated the Bruins was Jan. 18, 2009.
- Amerks forward Tyler Randell is set to face his former club after he began his AHL career with the Bruins. Randell, who was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the sixth-round (176th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft, appeared in 231 games with Providence, tallying 43 points (18+25).
- Forward Dalton Smith also had a brief 17-game stint with Providence during the 2015-16 season.
- Amerks rookie defenseman Casey Fitzgerald is the younger brother of Bruins forward Ryan Fitzgerald.Amerks head coach Chris Taylor was a member of the Providence Bruins during the 1998-99 season.
American Hockey League Stories from October 30, 2019
- Rocket Serves Wolf Pack First Regulation Loss - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Comets Grind out Win over Binghamton to Stay Undefeated - Utica Comets
- Devils Comeback Falls Short Against Comets, 3-1 - Binghamton Devils
- Barracuda Get Second-Straight Shutout, Beat Condors 5-0 - San Jose Barracuda
- Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Luke Schenn, Cory Conacher, Alex Volkov from Syracuse Crunch - Syracuse Crunch
- Condors Shut out in San Jose - Bakersfield Condors
- Sound Tigers Reaffirm Commitment to Wounded Veterans with Purple Heart Night - Bridgeport Islanders
- Game 9 Preview: Chicago at Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Amerks Hit the Books for 15th Straight Season - Rochester Americans
- Givani Smith Assigned to Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Admirals Offer Free Tickets for Veterans Friday Night - Milwaukee Admirals
- Quinte West Hawks Peewee AE Team Named 'All In' Winners - Belleville Senators
- Koivula Earns First NHL Recall - Bridgeport Islanders
- Rochester Americans Game Preview: Wednesday, October 30 vs. Providence Bruins - Rochester Americans
- Pierog Recalled from Worcester - Bridgeport Islanders
- Man Up, Man Down - Tucson Roadrunners
- Wolves Catch Roadrunners - Chicago Wolves
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
