Amerks could clinch playoff berth this weekend

Despite going winless over their three-game trek through New England, the Amerks can potentially lock up a playoff spot as early as this weekend.
Coming into the week, Rochester maintains a 20-point lead on the fifth-place Laval Rocket in the North Division standings and need just three points to secure a postseason berth for the first time since 2014.
The top four teams in the Division are guaranteed a playoff spot with the Toronto Marlies and Syracuse Crunch the only two teams to have clinched.

Scoring leaders

1. C.J. Smith: 17G - 25A - 42 PTS
   2. Zach Redmond: 13G - 27A - 40 PTS
   3. Kevin Porter: 16G - 22A - 38 PTS
   4. Sahir Gill: 15G - 20A - 35 PTS
   5. Kyle Criscuolo: 15G - 19A - 34 PTS
      Seth Griffith: 13G - 21A - 34 PTS

Goaltending leaders

1. Linus Ullmark: 20-11-4; 2 SO; 2.44 GAA; .923 SV%
   2. Adam Wilcox: 10-6-2; 2.80 GAA; .905 SV%
   3. Jonas Johansson: 0-2-0; 4.87 GAA; .842 SV%

News and notes

• The Amerks return home to The Blue Cross Arena, where they have earned at least one point in the last four games (2-0-2-0 record over that span), to open a four-game homestand on Friday when they host the intrastate rival Binghamton Devils. After Friday's contest with the Devils, the Amerks will take on Springfield on Saturday before hosting Utica and Charlotte the following week. All four games begin at 7:05 p.m.

March 15: RCH 4 - BRI 6

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After jumping out to a 4-0 lead early in the second period of Thursday night's season finale with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (31-23-5-3), the Rochester Americans (30-17-10-6) were unable to hold the lead and allowed six straight unanswered goals to come out on the wrong side of a 6-4 score at Webster Bank Arena.
The regulation loss was just Rochester's sixth of the season away from The Blue Cross Arena as they hold a 16-6-8-3 record in those 33 road contests.
The Amerks, who have earned at least one point in 20 of their last 28 games dating back to Jan. 1, including six of the last eight, maintain a 22-point lead on the fifth-place Laval Rocket in the North Division standings. The top four teams in the division are guaranteed a playoff spot and Rochester needs just five points to secure a postseason berth.
Amerks forwards Hudson Fasching and Sean Malone each recorded a two-point (1+1) outing while Alexander Nylander also turned in a two-point performance as he added two helpers. Malone shows eight points (4+4) over his last 10 games while Nylander has tallied 11 points (3+8) over his last 13 contests, including a pair of two-assist games.
Stuart Percy scored his career-best sixth goal of the campaign to reach the 30-point mark for the first time in his pro career while Danny O'Regan netted his 10th overall and third with Rochester, which has taken seven of a possible 12 points through its first six games of March. Goaltender Adam Wilcox sustained his second straight loss as he finished the contest with 21 saves.

March 16: RCH 3 - PRO 5

The Rochester Americans (31-18-10-6) came up short against the Providence Bruins (37-20-3-2) at the Dunkin' Donuts Center Friday night as the Bruins recorded their seventh straight victory over the Amerks with a 5-3 win.
Despite the regulation loss, the Amerks, who have earned at least one point in 20 of their last 29 games dating back to Jan. 1, maintain a 20-point lead on the fifth-place Laval Rocket in the North Division standings. The top four teams in the division are guaranteed a playoff spot and Rochester needs just five points to secure a postseason berth.
Forwards Adam Krause, Alexander Nylander and Danny O'Regan all scored for the Amerks, who suffered back-to-back regulation road losses for just the second time all season. Nylander recorded his 12th point (4+8) over his last 14 contests while O'Regan has found the back of the net four times in his first five games with the Amerks since being acquired at the NHL's Trade Dealine from the San Jose Sharks organization.
Goaltender Jonas Johansson made his first appearance of the campaign when he replaced Adam Wilcox, who left the game 4:45 into the third period, but was tagged with the loss as he stopped nine of 10 shots he faced.

March 18: RCH 4 - HFD 6

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The Rochester Americans (31-19-10-6) saw the Hartford Wolf Pack (29-29-5-3) erase a pair of two-goal deficits and respond with three unanswered second-period goals as they handed the Amerks a 6-4 loss. With Sunday night's loss from the XL Center, it marks the third straight road game in which the Amerks were held without a point in regulation for the first time all season.
Despite the setback, the Amerks, who have earned at least one point in 20 of their last 30 games dating back to Jan. 1, maintain a 20-point lead on the fifth-place Laval Rocket in the North Division standings. The top four teams in the division are guaranteed a playoff spot and Rochester needs just three points to secure a postseason berth.
Rookie C.J. Smith recorded his first-career hat-trick as he took over the team-lead in both goals (17) and points (42) on the season while Alexander Nylander collected three assists for the Amerks. With Nylander's three helpers, he has 15 points (4+11) over his last 15 contests and finished the three-game trek with six points (1+5). Arvin Atwal tallied his second goal of the slate while goaltender Jonas Johansson made his first start of the campaign but was tagged with the loss.