Amerks fall short against Comets

By: Mateo Ortiz

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Rochester Americans returned to action on Wednesday night as they hosted the Utica Comets for the fourth of ten scheduled meetings between the two teams this season. Struggles in the defensive zone as well as strong defensive play by the Comets led to a 3-2 loss for the Amerks.

Rochester had an early five-on-three advantage just six minutes into the contest to which they were able to capitalize on. Amerks right winger, Isak Rosen led off the scoring as he scored his tenth goal of the season just eleven seconds into the two-man advantage. Assists from Rosen's goal cam from center Konsta Helenius and defenseman Zac Jones who added to league leading assist total with his twenty-fourth on the season.

Amerks right winger #18 Isak Rosen celebrating with the Amerks bench after scoring the first goal of the game. Photo credit: Micheline Veluvolu / Rochester Americans

"We got good players on the ice," Jones said post-game. "You don't get that many assists without having that many guys who can put the puck in the net."

Jones also credited Rosen post-game and mentioned how important it is to have a guy like him down in Rochester.

"He's elite, It's a guy that every team when they pre-scout us, they know that he's on the ice and they got to be looking out for him. He's a shooter obviously he can make great plays with the puck, but as far as passing, that guy is lethal."

Head coach Michael Leone also credited Jones post-game.

"He's the guy who makes the power-play run, regardless of who's on it he's done on it".

Utica's first shot of the game did not come until the eleven-minute mark of the first period as the first half of the opening period largely took place in the Amerks offensive zone.

The Comets nearly evened the score at the fourteen-minute mark as forward Cam Squires had a breakaway opportunity but was ultimately stopped by Amerks goalie, Devon Levi.

The score was eventually evened however only a minute later as center Matyas Melovsky put one past the Levi after a poor outlet pass Rochester defenseman Issac Belliveau for his third goal on the campaign.

After the end of the first period, Utica did end up with the advantage in shots after their slow start, leading in the category 7-5.

The Comets quickly took the lead less than a minute into the second period as center Johnathan Gruden tallied his fourth goal of the season, Squires put up his second point on the night with the lone assist on the goal.

Four minutes later, the Amerks tied the game right back up at two, as defenseman Zac Jones added his second point of the night with his second goal on the season. Left winger Trevor Kuntar and right winger Carson Meyer both recorded their fifth assists of the campaign on the Jones goal.

Video credit: @AmerksHockey on X

Eleven seconds past the halfway point of the second, Utica retook the lead once again as defenseman Topias Vilen scored his first goal of the season on the power-play. Trevor Kuntar received a double-minor penalty for roughing two minutes before the goal, which led to the man-advantage and the goal. Center Thomas Bordeleau tallied his fourth assist of the season as well as Squires who put up his third point of the night.

Through forty minutes of play, Utica retained their lead in shots 17-16, along with maintaining their one goal lead in the contest.

At the halfway point of the third shots were evened up at eighteen apiece as shots were very hard to come by at the beginning of the final frame.

Amerks defenseman #8 Jagger Joshua skating alongside Comets defenseman #38 Topias Vilan. Photo credit: Micheline Veluvolu / Rochester Americans

Rochester was unable to capitalize on a couple chances late in the third period, which led to a 3-2 final score and loss for the Amerks.

Leone post-game credited Isak Rosen but was also slightly critical.

"He's a really good offensive player, there's still areas of his game that I want him to attack more, want him to skate, want him to get more involved when he's engaged a little bit more. If he wants to be an NHL player he's going to have to give us more in the sense of away from the puck fore-checking."

With the loss, the Amerks fall to (14-10-2-1) on the season. Both teams are tied at two-a-piece in the season series, they will meet again on January 17 in Utica for the fifth matchup of this series. Rochester returns to action on Friday night when they host the Belleville Senators, face off for Friday's contest is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Blue Cross Arena.