Amerks move on with three-game sweep of Syracuse

The Rochester Americans advanced in the Calder Cup Playoffs with a three-game sweep of the Syracuse Crunch, which concluded with a 4-0 win in Game 3 on Thursday.

Last May, Syracuse sent Rochester home with a Game 5 victory in this round. It was a different story this year, as the Amerks outscored the Crunch 11-2 with scoring from up and down their lineup.

Defenseman Kale Clague scored in each game and added two assists. Jiri Kulich, a mainstay with the Buffalo Sabres this season, tallied three points (1+2), as did 2024 first-round pick Konsta Helenius. Forwards Mason Jobst and Brendan Warren each notched a pair of goals.

The Amerks' best performance, though, came from goaltender Devon Levi. He stopped 89 of 91 shots (.978 save percentage), including all 65 in back-to-back shutouts in Game 2 and Game 3.

• From Thursday: Amerks believe they'll go as far as Levi takes them

In the best-of-five North Division Finals, Rochester will face the winner of Cleveland versus Laval; that series began Wednesday, with Laval taking Game 1.

Stay tuned to Sabres.com for news on the matchup and schedule as Rochester continues its hunt for the Calder Cup. In the meantime, here's how the Amerks took down Syracuse.

Game 3 - May 1 | Rochester 4 - Syracuse 0

Devon Levi made 30 saves for his second straight shutout and captain Mason Jobst scored two goals as Rochester finished off the three-game sweep on the road Thursday.

The Amerks led 1-0 after 20 minutes thanks to two successful penalty kills, nine Levi saves and an unassisted breakaway goal from Jobst. The 31-year-old center stickhandled to draw Syracuse goalie Brandon Halverson out of his net, then pulled back to his forehand and pushed the puck in for his first goal of the playoffs.

Ditto for another 13 second-period shots by the Crunch, three of which came during an early power play; Levi turned them all aside.

With a series victory in sight, the Amerks pulled away in the third period. Goals from defenseman Kale Clague – he scored in each game of the series, this one assisted by Konsta Helenius and Tyson Kozak – and Jobst – his second of the night, with Jiri Kulich notching a helper – extended Rochester's lead to 3-0. Brendan Warren added an empty netter with 1:18 remaining, and that was all for Syracuse.

Previous results

Game 1 - April 25 | Rochester 3 - Syracuse 2

• Read: Levi, depth scoring power Amerks to Game 1 win
• Watch: Highlights

Syracuse struck for a pair of goals in the opening four minutes of the second, but it took just 57 seconds for the Amerks to answer. Forward Brendan Warren won a loose puck in the slot and beat Crunch goalie Brandon Halverson to get Rochester on the board at 4:26.

A minute later, a Noah Ostlund rush chance led to a Syracuse delay of game penalty. Late in the power play, Konsta Helenius kept a puck in at the blue line and threaded a pass down low to an open Riley Fiddler-Schultz. Fiddler-Schultz, the undrafted, 22-year-old forward, roofed a top-corner shot to tie the game 2-2.

And 3:55 into the third period, moments after another Amerks power play expired, defenseman Kale Clague unleashed a clapper from the left point to give Rochester its first lead of the night, 3-2.

Three goals was all the support needed for Devon Levi, who made 25 saves to earn a Game 1 victory.

Game 2 - April 27 | Rochester 4 - Syracuse 0

• Watch: Highlights

Devon Levi posted a 35-save shutout as the Amerks seized a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Offensively, after depth scoring led the way in Game 1, Rochester's top players filled the scoresheet in this one. That included a two-point (1+1), four-shot performance from Jiri Kulich.

Konsta Helenius opened the scoring midway through the first period. Engaged in a physical net-front battle, the forward kept his balance, tracked a rebound and buried it for his second point in the playoffs (Helenius tallied a primary assist in Game 1). Tyson Kozak notched the secondary helper.

With just 14 seconds remaining in the second period and Rochester beginning a power play, Josh Dunne won a faceoff to Kale Clague, who fed Kulich for a one-time rocket from the right circle; 2-0, Amerks.

Clague and Isak Rosen (empty net) scored in the third to secure the 4-0 victory.