The Rochester Americans host a Hartford Wolf Pack team carrying five straight losses into the finale of an eight-game road trip Friday at Blue Cross Arena.
The Amerks will seek their third straight victory at 7:05 p.m. Nov. 6, entering at 6-4-0-1 against the 6-7-1-0 Wolf Pack, according to the team's game preview.
Coverage begins at 7 p.m. on WGR Rochester, with streaming available through AHLTV on FloHockey. The game is Youth Hockey Night, with Amerks Hall of Famer and new Jr. Amerks general manager Domenic Pittis appearing as a special guest.
The Amerks beat Cleveland 4-1 Wednesday for their first victory on a day other than Friday this season. All five of their previous wins came on Fridays. The Cleveland result also gave Rochester consecutive wins for the first time this season.
Friday's game ends a four-game homestand and is the middle contest in a stretch of three games in four days. Rochester visits Utica on Saturday.
Polin powers Rochester's scoring
Jason Polin has seven goals and four assists in 11 games, putting him at a point per game. He has recorded three multi-goal games, including two-goal performances in consecutive wins over Lehigh Valley and Cleveland.
Three of his goals have come on the power play during the current homestand. His five power-play goals and nine power-play points are each tied for second in the AHL, according to the team.
Polin had three multi-goal games in 134 games across three seasons with the Colorado Eagles. His career-best regular-season total there was 21 points, on 10 goals and 11 assists in 46 games.
The former Western Michigan standout and Hobey Baker Award finalist also had three goals and six assists in 17 playoff games last spring. Rochester has used him among its top six forwards and in a net-front role on the power play.
The Amerks have outscored opponents 25-14 at home, a plus-11 margin that ranks third in the league behind Grand Rapids at plus-16 and Manitoba at plus-12. Their 14-4 first-period scoring advantage gives them the AHL's best opening-period goal differential at plus-10.
Hartford finishes a difficult road trip
Hartford has played a league-high 14 games and is completing an eight-game road trip. The Wolf Pack won the trip's first three games before losing five straight, including a 4-1 defeat at Hershey on Wednesday.
Hartford averages 2.43 goals per game, ranking 29th in the AHL, and 26.1 shots per game, ranking 26th.
Rochester swept last season's two meetings, winning 4-3 in a shootout on the road and 6-3 at home during March's Bills Day game.
Boyko could face former organization
Talyn Boyko could get an opportunity in goal against his former organization, though Rochester's preview did not confirm a starter. At 6-foot-8, he became the tallest player to appear for the Amerks when he made 24 saves in a 4-2 win over Syracuse last month.
The New York Rangers selected Boyko in the fourth round of the 2021 draft. He appeared in 10 games for Hartford across two seasons, going 2-4-2.
Boyko also played on loan with KalPa in Finland, finishing with a combined 13-10-4 record and 2.57 goals-against average in regular-season and postseason play. Rochester general manager Stacy Roest signed him in September.
Matt Villalta has appeared in nine games, the most of any AHL goaltender entering Friday's matchup. The back-to-back games against Hartford and Utica give Rochester another busy weekend following Wednesday's win.
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