5-3 win sends North Division Finals series to Place Bell evened at 1-1
May 16, 2025
Jiri Kulich scored a go-ahead power-play goal 12:07 into the third period, helping lift the Rochester Americans to a 5-3 win over the Laval Rocket in Game 2 of the North Division Finals Friday night at Blue Cross Arena.
GAME SUMMARY PHOTO GALLERY POST-GAME REPORT
With the win, the Amerks have evened up their best-of-five series at one apiece as the series now shifts to Laval at Place Bell for Games 3 and 4 Wednesday and Friday, respectively. Game 5, if necessary, would also take place north of the border.
“It was a really good response,” said Amerks head coach Michael Leone. “I thought we were just skating and we played with pace. We pressured the puck. They maybe had 10 five-on-five shots. We really leaned on them and credit to the group. They brought it tonight. Unbelievable effort from everyone on both sides of the puck. Really proud of them.”
Kale Clague joined Kulich with scoring power-play goals, while Lukas Rousek scored his first goal of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs and Isak Rosén netted a pair of goals in the victory.
Devon Levi wasn’t busy often, but managed 16 saves to secure his fourth win of the postseason, defeating Jacob Fowler, who had previously been 3-0 in goal for Laval in the playoffs. The Rocket netminder made 31 saves in defeat.
Clague continues to yield the hot hand for Rochester’s offense, despite anchoring the blueline. The seventh-year pro scored his fifth goal in as many playoff games this spring 5:58 into the contest.
Just six seconds into their first power-play of the night, the Amerks won a draw and the puck quickly found its way to Clague at the top of the zone. Shuffling to his right, Clague wound up and hammered a slap shot through traffic and the glove of Fowler for his second straight game-opening goal.
Mason Jobst and Rosén both had quality scoring chances that Fowler managed to turn away later in the frame. While on another power-play, Jobst was planted at the net front to receive a pass from Anton Wahlberg, but the Amerks captain drove the puck square onto Fowler. Later in the period, Rosén skated free for a breakaway, aiming to go five-hole on Fowler, but the Rocket goaltender squeezed the legs shut.
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