Levi, depth scoring power Amerks to Game 1 victory

ROCHESTER – Blue Cross Arena had plenty to cheer about Friday as the Rochester Americans beat the Syracuse Crunch 3-2 in Game 1 of the AHL North Division Semifinals.

The fans erupted for Rochester’s three tallies, of course, as the Amerks surged back from a 2-0 deficit. They also voiced their love for goaltender Devon Levi, who made 25 saves in the win – many of which prompted chants of “LEVI.”

Consecutive years of excellence have made Levi a fan favorite in the AHL barn. The 23-year-old, after beginning his season with the Buffalo Sabres, joined the Amerks and went 25-13-4 with a .919 save percentage. In this year’s playoff opener, Levi’s only blemishes were a pair of early second-period goals.

“I thought he did a good job,” said Amerks head coach Michael Leone. “I thought he did a really good job clearing stuff out. Part of being a goalie (against) a heavy shot-volume team from the point is putting pucks in the corner, not in the slot. I thought he did a really good job of that, and he locked it down after [giving] up two and was really good.”

Along with Levi, Rochester boasts several names familiar in Buffalo. Jiri Kulich rejoined the club and notched three shots on goal. Isak Rosen and Noah Ostlund, who earned late-season opportunities with the Sabres, also generated some scoring chances.

Ultimately, though, the Amerks’ depth players were the difference makers Friday. Just 57 seconds after Dylan Duke gave Syracuse a 2-0 lead, Brendan Warren scored to get Rochester on the board. The 27-year-old, drafted by the Arizona Coyotes a decade ago, recorded career highs in goals (9) and assists (9) this regular season. Postgame, Warren said his confidence is at an all-time high late in his fifth year with Rochester.

And a minute after that, Ostlund generated a shot off the rush and had the Crunch’s defense scrambling, leading to a delay-of-game penalty. Rochester tied the game on the ensuing power play, with Konsta Helenius earning a primary assist. The 2024 first-round pick kept a puck in at the blue line before feeding an open Riley Fiddler-Schultz in the left circle.

Helenius later drew a tripping call, and his skating ability presented problems for Syracuse throughout Game 1. After finishing the regular season with five goals in his last five games, the Finnish forward enjoyed a strong start to his first Calder Cup Playoffs.

The undrafted Fiddler-Schultz, a healthy scratch for 14 games to begin the season, finished with 26 points (13+13) in 51 contests.

“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster this year, but (I’m) just so grateful that I’m in the position I’m in now,” Fiddler-Schultz said. “And to get that goal, that was quite a big moment.”

“You need selfless guys that are about the team, and he’s a great example of that; he showed up every day and worked, never complained,” Leone said. “It’s easier said than done, to do what he went through at the start of the year. Big-time moment. He stepped up in a big-time game.”

Defenseman Kale Clague, who played 36 games with the Sabres from 2022-24 and scored 10 goals in the AHL this season, rocketed in a slap shot for the third-period game winner.

From there, some sturdy late-game defense and timely stops by Levi helped secure the Game 1 victory. Postgame, Leone raved about his team’s bottom-of-the-lineup production.

"It’s hard,” he said, “for them to buy in and believe that they’re a huge part of it. And they are. I mean, look at tonight – we don’t have those guys, we don’t come out with the ‘W.’ And those guys know that they’re really important to our group. I believe in them, and they showed up tonight in a big way.

“… I know sometimes we look at the Kulichs and Rosens, but at the end, the guys at the bottom are the ones you need the most.”

That the Amerks received production from less-likely sources, and that they overcame a multi-goal deficit in such quick order, were promising signs to begin a playoff season with such high expectations.

“I think it just speaks to the resilience of this group,” said Fiddler-Schultz. “We’ve been through a lot this year, a lot of ups and downs, and that was just a testament today to how we can win games in any way. And we’re gonna need that for this long playoff run.”

Up next

The Amerks and Crunch are back at it for Game 2 on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. Keep an eye on Sabres.com’s series hub for results and highlights as the best-of-five round continues.