Fiddler-Schultz scores twice, Metsa records three assists in seventh straight road win
Jan 3, 2025
Multi-point performances from Zachary Metsa (0+3) and Riley Fiddler-Schultz (2+0) helped the Rochester Americans (20-9-3-0) storm out to a three-goal second-period lead before ultimately paving the way to a 5-2 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds (13-15-2-1) in the first game of the new year Friday at MassMutual Center.
Rochester has now won 12 of its last 14 games and has earned at least one point in 22 of its last 28 dating back to Oct. 23 while maintaining possession of first place in the AHL’s North Division standings. Additionally, the Amerks have earned points in three straight road games in Massachusetts against the Thunderbirds dating back to the 2022-23 campaign and have won seven straight on the road while also becoming just the third team this season to reach the 20-win mark.
Along with Metsa and Fiddler-Schultz leading the Amerks with a multi-point effort, Brendan Warren and Brett Murray scored in the first and second periods, respectively, before Lukas Rousek capped the win with his fourth. Warren reached double figures in points on the season for the first time in his five-year career while Murray has netted an AHL-best nine of his team-leading 15 goals on the man-advantage, which is a new career-high.
Isak Rosen, Graham Slaggert, Olivier Nadeau, Tyson Kozak, Josh Dunne, and Nikita Novikov all notched an assist.
Goaltender Devon Levi (11-2-1) earned his fourth straight win and 10th of his last 11 outings with Rochester as he made 33 saves in his 14th appearance of the season. The netminder, who boasts a 15-2-2 record in 19 career road games with the Amerks, which includes a 7-0-0 mark this season, is tied for fourth in the AHL with 11 wins while his 2.19 goals-against-averages ranks eighth-best.
Less than three minutes into the opening period, Ty Tullio nearly tallied the game’s first goal as he scooped up a loose puck just outside the Springfield crease and fired a shot towards the net. Despite being turned aside, Novikov kept the puck from exiting the left point and snapped a pass to Fiddler-Schultz in the high slot. The Edmonton, Alberta, native used a Thunderbird…
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