TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS SPLIT FIRST PAIR OF GAMES OF THE NEW YEAR

Levi has bounce-back efficiency in Wednesday win over Syracuse

Jan 8, 2026

By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48

 

The Rochester Americans (17-11-3-1) opened 2026 with the conclusion of their three-game highway journey, enjoying video games in Toronto and Syracuse with the latter seeing the Amerks escape with a 3-2 victory.

 

After a 6-4 loss to the Marlies, Rochester’s bounce-back win was a lot wanted, as was the efficiency of their goaltender.

 

We bounce into that and extra on this version of the Taco Bell Wrap-up.

 

 

Devon Levi didn’t have the beginning he had hoped for to kick-off 2026, however the 24-year-old responded in an enormous means 4 nights later. After being pulled via 40 minutes of play in Toronto, Levi took the crease in Syracuse Wednesday night time, making 30 saves to fend off the Crunch in a 3-2 Amerks win.

 

Levi was examined with a breakaway save on Tristan Allard within the second interval and was put beneath duress for almost all of the ultimate 40 minutes, because the Crunch outshot Rochester, 24-13 via the second and third intervals mixed. It marked the eighth time this season that Levi has made at the least 30 saves, with the goaltender now displaying an 8-6-4 file in 18 appearances towards the Crunch (not together with playoffs).

 

The Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec, native picked up his 12^th win of the season, tying him for third within the AHL for wins, whereas he yields the second-most minutes performed within the league at 1293:21 and first within the AHL with 586 saves.

 

 

As the season continues, so, too, do the checklist of accidents and call-ups the Amerks proceed to battle via within the 2025-26 season. Entering Wednesday, the Amerks have been with out Carson Meyer, Vsevolod Komarov, and Topias Leinonen on account of accidents.

 

Additionally, the crew performed with out Josh Dunne, Noah Östlund, Zac Jones, and crew captain Zach Metsa because of the quartet remaining on recall to Buffalo.

 

Through 32 video games this season, the Amerks have but to ice the lineup the crew anticipated to have for opening night time again on Oct. 10, but they enter the weekend some extent out of second place within the North Division standings. Absences from the aforementioned gamers have created alternatives for others like Anton Wahlberg, Riley Fiddler-Schultz, Jagger Joshua and firm to step up and play elevated minutes and roles.

 

 

Fiddler-Schultz was one in all two Amerks to seek out the again of the online in each video games towards Toronto and Syracuse this previous week and logged three factors in whole. Fiddler-Schultz stays the one ahead to have skated in each sport for Rochester this season and is one in all two Amerks to take action general, with Jack Rathbone being the opposite.

 

On Saturday, the Edmonton native scored the lone second-period objective for Rochester to interrupt a 2-2 tie, then opened the scored beneath 4 minutes in at Syracuse with a shot that rang off the again publish and in whereas dashing down the left wing. Later within the contest, Fiddler-Schultz had one other scoring probability that rang off the publish. The 23-year-old has scored 5 of his eight targets on the highway this season and is on tempo to eclipse his 26-point (13+13) marketing campaign from a season in the past.

 

 

The Amerks make a pitstop again house earlier than enjoying 4 of their following 5 away from Blue Cross Arena. Friday night time sees the North Division-leading Laval Rocket make it to city as Rochester trails them by 5 factors for first within the north. Following that, the crew hops on a bus Saturday, the place they’ll start their enterprise to Belleville to face-off towards the Senators Sunday afternoon.

 

Friday is Segar Hat night time the place the primary 2,000 followers arriving at Blue Cross Arena will obtain a winter hat, courtesy of Segar and Sciortino.

 

Sunday’s sport towards the Senators is slated to start at 3 p.m. and marks Don Stevens’ remaining common season broadcast in Belleville from CAA Arena.