**This Week’s Storylines**
**The Amerks officially punched their ticket to the postseason with a 4-2 win over the Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday, the team’s first playoff berth since 2014. On Sunday evening, the Utica Comets became the fourth and final team from the North Division to lockup playoff spot joining the Amerks, Toronto Marlies and Syracuse Crunch.
**The Amerks, who have earned at least one point in 21 of their last 32 games dating back to Jan. 1, enter the week having appeared in 13 games that went beyond regulation since Jan. 1. Overall on the season, Rochester leads the AHL in games decided after the third period with 26, showing a 7-10 mark in overtime while going 3-6 in shootouts.
**Rookie C.J. Smith remains the team leader in both goals (17) and points (43) in 54 games this season. With his first-career hat trick last Sunday in Hartford, he became the first Amerks rookie to score a hat trick since Tim Schaller at Toronto on Apr. 5, 2014. The Des, Moines, Iowa native is currently seventh in scoring among all AHL rookies while his 26 assists are also tied for seventh-most between all first-year skaters.
** Zach Redmond, who reached the 40-point mark for the first time in his professional career earlier this month, comes into the week with points in five of his last six games after picking up his team-leading 29th assist of the season Saturday night against Springfield. In 59 games so far this season, the veteran blueliner has recorded career-highs in all offensive categories with 13 goals, 29 assists and 42 points, placing him tied for fourth among all AHL defensemen in overall scoring. He’s also tied for third in goals by a defenseman with 13, including seven that have come on the power-play. His seven power-play tallies lead the team and are tied for third among league rearguards. He also ranks fourth among defensemen with 156 shots.
**With nine points (3+6) over his last 12 games, forward Kevin Porter ranks third on the team in scoring with 39 points (16+23) in 60 contests this season. Rochester’s team captain is also second on the team in goals with 16 and is on pace to record the first 20-goal season of his pro career after scoring 19 during the 2013-14 campaign in his previous stint with Rochester. He also needs just one more point to pick up his second straight 40-point campaign.
**Alexander Nylander continues his hot stretch of late as he shows 15 points (4+11) over his last 17 games, including six points (1+5) over his last five. Nylander matched last season’s total with 18 assists in 20 fewer games this season and is on pace to break his career-high 28 points as he shows 24 (6+18) so far this year.
**The Amerks kick off another busy stretch of three games in four days with the first two contests coming at The Blue Cross Arena, where they have earned at least one point in the five of the last six games (3-1-2-0 record over that span). After Wednesday night’s matchup with the Utica Comets, the Amerks will host the Charlotte Checkers Friday night before wrapping up their season series with the Binghamton Devils on Saturday to close out the month. All three games begin at 7:05 p.m.
