Amerks fall short despite late comeback
- Mateo Ortiz
- Nov 13
- 4 min read
By: Mateo Ortiz
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Rochester Americans were looking to get back to winning ways on Wednesday night against the Belleville Senators, after a disappointing loss Sunday night against the Hershey Bears.
Between the pipes for each team was Hunter Shepard for the Senators and Devon Levi for the Amerks. Shepard was looking for his third win on the season while Levi was looking for win number seven of his campaign.
Belleville led off the scoring on Wednesday evening as left winger Jameson Rees scored his first goal of the season in unassisted fashion at 6:09 in the first period.
Amerks defensemen Ryan Johnson received a holding penalty with 7:12 left in the first period. Belleville added onto their lead soon after the Johnson penalty as Arthur Kaliyev tallied his fifth goal of the campaign at the 13:45 mark of the first period. Belleville center Stephen Halliday solidified his lead in the assist category for the Senators as he recorded his eleventh assist on the season. Belleville center Philippe Daoust recorded his seventh assist on the season as well on the Kaliyev goal.
Rochester had three power play opportunities in the first fifteen minutes of the second period but were unable to capitalize on any of them. Along with a failed opportunity in the first period, the Amerks were 0-4 on the night through thirty-five minutes of play.
Belleville added their third goal on the night as Philippe Daoust broke into double-digits in points on the season as he tallied his third goal on the season at the 17:36 mark of the second period. Halliday added to his team leading assist total with twelve, while Belleville defenseman Carter Yakemchuk tallied his sixth assist on the season on the goal as well.
Through two the Amerks were outshooting the Senators 31-19, but Hunter Shepard was immaculate in net for Belleville stopping all of Rochester's thirty-one shots on goal. Devon Levi recorded sixteen saves on nineteen shots through two periods of play for the Amerks.
Before the first minute of play was completed in the third period Belleville scored their fourth goal of the night, this time at the hands of Belleville center Wyatt Bongiovanni who recorded his team-leading sixth goal of the season at the 59 second mark of the third. Stephen Halliday once again made his presence felt on a Belleville goal as he recorded his third assist of the night. Defenseman Jorian Donavan recorded his lone point of the night on the goal recording his sixth assist on the campaign.
The Amerks after being shut out through the first forty-six minutes and fifteen seconds of play went on a three goal run in a two-minute and twenty second span. Carson Meyer began the run for Rochester, recording his first goal as an American, a day after being waived by the Buffalo Sabres. Trevor Kuntar extended his points streak to three on the goal with his second assist on the season. Amerks captain Zach Metsa recorded his fifth assist on the night as well.
Forty-nine seconds later Anton Wahlberg rang in his third goal of the season to cut the Senators lead to two. Amerks defensemen Ryan Johnson, and Matteo Constantini recorded assists on the goal, Constantini tallied his first assist of the campaign, while Johnson recorded his fifth.
At the 8:34 mark of the third Rochester recorded their third goal of the night, this time by Riley Fiddler-Schultz to cut the Sens lead to one. Kuntar recorded his second assist on the night, while Amerks defenseman Nikita Novikov got on the score sheet with his second assist of the season.
Rochester's run was quickly ended however, as Arthur Kaliyev scored his second goal of the night at the 9:39 mark of the third and added an insurance goal for the Senators making it a 5-3 game. Daoust recorded his second assist on the night bringing his point tally to three. This ultimately ended Levi's night as he was pulled from the game by head coach Michael Leone for Topias Leinonen.
Leone said post-game that "He's got to be better, I mean I don't know what you want me to say. I know he's a very good goalie, but it's not about him it's about the team. If you don't play good enough you're just like a player".
With 3:28 left in the third Rochester once again cut the Senators lead to one as Amerks center Jake Leschyshyn scored to bring the deficit back down to one Viktor Neuchev and Ryan Johnson both
recorded their sixth assists on the season.
With 15 seconds left, the Senators put the game to rest with an empty net goal by Jan Jenik, leading to a 6-4 final score. Philippe Daoust capped off his night with another assist on the empty netter. Sens right winger Oskar Patterson was credited with the primary assist to get on the score sheet.
Hunter Shepard capped off his night stopping 38/42 shots and although he had some struggles in the third period, Leone had high praise for the sixth-year goaltender.
"All he does is win, he wins everywhere he goes," he said. "Every big game, and I know it's only game 14, but that kid is an absolute gamer."
With the loss, The Amerks fall to 8-6-0-0 on the season, they will look to rebound as they begin a three-game road trip, beginning on Friday night when they travel to Hartford, CT to take on the Hartford Wolf Pack at 7 p.m.
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