Apr 28, 2024
The 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs continue tonight as the Rochester Americans (1-0) and Syracuse Crunch (0-1) meet in Game 2 of the North Division Semifinals at The Blue Cross Arena. Game time is slated for a 3:05 p.m. start and will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
The Amerks currently lead the best-of-five second-round series 1-0 following their 3-2 win in Game 1 on Friday night.
The Amerks jumped out to a two-goal lead before Isak Rosén capped a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Crunch in Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals Friday at The Blue Cross Arena.
The Amerks, who finished the regular season with a 13-2-1-1 record over its final 17 games, have won four straight postseason contests against Syracuse dating back to last year’s second-round series.
Along with Rosén, rookies Anton Wahlberg and Noah Östlund, who were two of the seven rookies to dress for the Amerks, both found the back of the net in their AHL postseason debuts. Östlund’s goal was his first goal in North America. Lukas Rousek, Viktor Neuchev, Zach Metsa, and Nikita Novikov totaled one assist each in the win.
Devon Levi (1-0) made 35 saves in his postseason debut to become the first rookie goaltender to win a playoff game for Rochester since Andrey Makarov did so on May 2, 2014. Levi was also the first netminder to earn the win in his playoff debut since Ryan Miller did so back on April 20, 2005.
After more than 326 all-time meetings during regular-season play, the second-round series against the Crunch marks only the sixth meeting in the postseason between the two teams and the second in as many years after Rochester completed a reverse sweep last spring.
Prior to that, the Amerks claimed three of the previous four playoff series dating back to 1996.
Rochester is 162-145-19 all-time against Syracuse, which included a 5-5-2-0 mark this season versus the Crunch. Five of the 12 matchups between the two teams were decided beyond regulation and eight of 12 were won by the visiting team.
The Crunch are in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the 18th time since joining the American Hockey League prior to the 1994-95 season.
Last spring’s memorable playoff run to the Conference finals was the first time in 19 years after completing the three-game series sweep over the Toronto Marlies in the North Division Finals. Rochester has qualified for the postseason…
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