The Rochester Americans staved off elimination on Friday night, blanking the Toronto Marlies 4-0 in Game 2 of their opening-round series at The Blue Cross Arena. With the win, Rochester evened the best-of-three matchup at 1-1 and improved to 7-3 in elimination games since the start of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.
ORANGE GAME WEEK: Syracuse football returns home to host Louisville Saturday night (preview) Rochester bounced back in a big way after being shut out in Game 1, turning in a complete performance at both ends of the ice. Goaltender Devon Levi led the effort with 29 saves, recording his third career postseason shutout and first of the 2026 playoffs. The Amerks also continued home success against Toronto, winning its fourth straight game against the Marlies on home ice across regular season and postseason play.
Offensively, the Amerks received contributions throughout the lineup. Konsta Helenius opened the scoring and added an assist, while Ryan Johnson tallied a goal and a helper of his own. Anton Wahlberg chipped in with two assists as Rochester built steady pressure over the course of the game. Carson Meyer and Vsevolod Komarov also found the back of the net, with each player recording their first professional playoff goal.
Rochester capitalized on special teams, converting once on the power play and killing off all three Toronto opportunities. Meanwhile, the Marlies struggled to generate consistent offense despite outshooting Rochester 29-24, with Easton Cowan leading Toronto with five shots.
The Amerks will look to carry the momentum into a winner-take-all Game 3 against the Marlies on Sunday, April 26 at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.
