Rochester hosts Belleville tonight
The Amerks have picked up points in 21 of their last 26 contests
by Rochester Americans @AmerksHockey / Amerks.com
The Rochester Americans (19-6-2-2) return from the Christmas break tonight as they host the Belleville Senators (18-11-1-0) for the first time this season at 7:05 p.m. at Blue Cross Arena.
The game will be carried live on The Sports Leader AM 950/95.7 FM ESPN Rochester as well as AHLTV. The North Division matchup is also the AHL's Game of The Week, available for viewing on FaceBookWatch. Tickets are on sale at Amerks.com.
The Amerks went into the annual break showing a 14-3-1-1 record over their last 19 games dating back to Nov. 1, earning points in 16 games over that span, and holding a three-point cushion atop the AHL's North Division standings.
Additionally, Rochester has picked up points in 21 of the last 26 contests overall, going 17-5-2-2, while also earning 42 out of a possible 58 points through its first 29 contests of the season.
Scoring leaders
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Jean-Sebastien Dea | 27 | 10 | 10 | 20 |
| 2. Andrew Oglevie | 28 | 10 | 9 | 19 |
| 3. Zach Redmond | 26 | 4 | 15 | 18 |
| Kevin Porter | 25 | 6 | 12 | 18 |
| 5. Brett Murray | 24 | 4 | 12 | 16 |
| Lawrence Pilut | 24 | 3 | 13 | 16 |
Goaltending leaders
| Player | GP | W | L | OTL | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Hammond | 17 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 2.32 | .912 | 4 |
| Jonas Johansson | 14 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1.92 | .935 | 2 |
News and notes
- In Rochester's last eight home games dating back to Nov. 22, the club has outscored its opponents 25-12 while recording four shutouts.
- Rookie forward Brett Murray comes into the matchup with two goals, seven assists and a pair of multi-point efforts over his last 14 games. He ranks 15th in scoring among all AHL rookies with 16 points (4+12) in 24 games.
- Despite a pair of power-play goals and a shorthanded tally, the Amerks saw the Utica Comets score late and steal a 4-3 win last Saturday at Blue Cross Arena. It was the first get-together between the two teams in Rochester after playing the first three games of the season series in Utica.
- Forward Taylor Leier booked his first two-point outing of the season with two goals while blueliner John Gilmour scored for the third time in his last four contests. Goaltender Andrew Hammond (10-4-2) suffered his second straight regulation loss of the campaign despite making 22 saves.
Pittis to be inducted into Amerks Hall of Fame
The team will induct forward Domenic Pittis into the Amerks Hall of Fame as the Class of 2020.
Pittis was unanimously selected for induction by the Amerks Hall of Fame Committee and will take his rightful place in the prestigious club on Friday, Jan. 31 when Rochester hosts the Syracuse Crunch at 7:05 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena on Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino Legends Night.
Set to become the 65th member of the exclusive club, Pittis quickly evolved into one of the franchise's most prolific scorers during his three seasons in Rochester, reaching the 20-goal mark twice and recording at least 65 points on all three occasions.
In 204 career games with the Amerks, Pittis produced 246 points, placing him among the top 20 forwards all-time in franchise history, and ranking 17th all-time with 171 assists. He also added 70 points (16+54) in 57 postseason appearances while leading the Amerks to the playoffs in each of his three seasons, including back-to-back trips to the Calder Cup Finals in 1999 and 2000.
Coming up
The Amerks hit the road for the final two games of the calendar year beginning on Saturday, Dec. 28 with their third trip of the season to the southern tier for a North Division showdown with the Binghamton Devils at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.
After the 7:05 p.m. contest, Rochester will visit the Adirondack Bank Center to finish off 2019 as they face-off with the Utica Comets at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Both games will be carried live on The Sports Leader AM 950/95.7 FM ESPN Rochester as well as AHLTV.