Prospects Pipeline | Latest on the Amerks & updates on prospects in the NCAA

The Rochester Americans closed out a stretch of seven games in 11 days with a 2-1 overtime loss to the league-leading Hershey Bears on Saturday.

Isak Rosen scored the lone goal for the Amerks, who have recorded at least one point in 12 of their last 16 games dating back to Jan. 17.

Rochester currently sits in fifth place in the North Division standings with 56 points through 50 games (24-18-6-2).

Lukas Rousek leads the Amerks with 37 points (9+28) in 45 games this season while fellow prospects Brandon Biro and Rosen are tied for third on the team with 12 goals and 17 assists each in 2023-24. Jiri Kulich, who is day to day with an upper-body injury after missing the last five games, has tallied a team-high 17 goals in his 35 games played.

Goaltender Devon Levi has posted a 6-3-3 record in 12 games and has started in nine of Rochester’s last 12 contests since being loaned to the Amerks on Jan. 28. He has recorded 32 or more saves in six consecutive games, including a 52-save performance in Rochester’s 2-1 overtime win in Toronto on Feb. 19.

Rochester returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Syracuse. Puck drop from Blue Cross Arena is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Here’s a look at the Sabres’ college hockey prospects and where their teams stand as they near the end of the regular season.

Matteo Costantini, F – Western Michigan University

30 GP, 7 G, 17 A, 24 PTS

Constantini (fifth round, 2020) is in his junior year at Western Michigan University after playing two seasons at North Dakota, where he was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team in 2021-22.

The St. Catharines, Ontario native has appeared in every game for the Broncos so far this season, recording 17 assists and 24 points in those contests.

WMU is currently ranked 11th in the nation in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and 12th by USCHO.com, with two back-to-back sets left in the regular season. The Broncos sit in fifth in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference standings with a 9-11-0 conference record.

Aaron Huglen, F – University of Minnesota

30 GP, 9 G, 8 A, 17 PTS

Huglen (fourth round, 2019) is currently in his junior year at the University of Minnesota and has tallied nine goals and eight assists in 30 games in 2023-24.

The forward earned his first Big Ten weekly award on Feb. 13 when he was named the Big Ten’s Third Star of the Week after recording two goals and an assist in Minnesota’s sweep of Penn State in Minneapolis on Feb. 9 and 10.

Minnesota is ranked eighth in the USCHO.com hockey national poll, posting a 19-8-5 overall record and a 12-6-4-1 conference record while sitting in third in the Big Ten standings. The Gophers take on Michigan on Friday and Saturday to close out their regular season.

Gavin McCarthy, D – Boston University

32 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS

McCarthy has appeared in 32 games in his freshman year at Boston University after being drafted by the Sabres in the third round (86th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft this past summer.

The defenseman has registered three assists and 23 shots in his rookie season while playing with his brother and the team’s captain, Case McCarthy.

The Terriers boast a 22-8-2 record, including a 16-4-2 conference record, ranking second in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll with two games remaining in the regular season. They will visit Providence on March 7 before returning home for Senior Night on March 9.

BU currently ranks second in the Hockey East standings with 51 points, which is just one point behind Boston College.

Jake Richard, F – University of Connecticut

26 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 PTS

In his freshman season at the University of Connecticut, Richard (sixth round, 2022) has posted 13 points in 26 games, including a power-play goal in the Huskies upset win over nationally-ranked Providence on Feb. 3.

Richard has tallied four points (2+2) in his last 10 games after opening the season with seven points (2+5) in his first seven games in the NCAA.

• READ MORE: Richard transitioning well to college hockey at UCONN 

Stiven Sardarian, F – University of New Hampshire

26 GP, 5 G, 7 A, 12 PTS

Sardarian (third round, 2021) is in his sophomore season at the University of New Hampshire after being named the team’s Most Improved Player during the 2022-23 campaign.

The forward has recorded 12 points (5+7) in 26 games for the Wildcats, including two points (1+1) in his last four games.

New Hampshire currently ranks sixth in the Hockey East standings and sits at 17th in the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls.

The Wildcats face off against No. 1-ranked Boston College in a home-and-home set on Friday and Saturday.

Maxim Strbak, D – Michigan State University

29 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 PTS

Strbak was drafted by the Sabres in the second round (45th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft and has appeared in 29 games for Michigan State, registering two goals and nine assists for 11 points.

The right-handed defenseman also participated in the 2024 World Junior Championship, recording one goal and six assists in five games for Team Slovakia.

The Spartans have posted a 21-8-3 record in 2023-24, including a 15-5-2 record in the Big Ten. They rank sixth in the national polls by USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine.

Michigan State is in first place in the Big Ten standings with 49 points, two points ahead of No. 2 Wisconsin. The team will close out the regular season against Wisconsin on Friday and Saturday.