**This Week’s Storylines**
PILING UP THE POINTS
The Amerks have collected 11 out of a possible 12 points over their last six games, highlighted by a five-game win streak from Oct. 10 to Oct. 19. It was Rochester’s longest win streak since the team won five straight to open the month of April during the 2013-14 campaign. The Amerks enter the week in first place in the North Division standings and tied for first overall in AHL with 11 points through their first eight games of the season.
OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION
After outscoring the opposition 24-13 over their recent five-game win streak, the Amerks currently lead the AHL in goals scored with 32, including a league-best 12 on the power-play, and remain the only AHL team to surpass the 30-goal mark so far this season. Rochester also owns the seventh-best offense in the AHL, averaging exactly 4.00 goals-per-game.
ROC-STAR STATUS
The Amerks own three of the AHL’s top five point-getters coming into the week in forward Victor Olofsson and defensemen Zach Redmond and Lawrence Pilut.
Oloffson – leads the AHL in scoring and currently riding a six-game point streak that includes four multi-point efforts. The 23-year-old forward has recorded 13 points (5+8) during his last six outings and has been held scoreless just once through his first eight games of the campaign. Olofsson, who was named the AHL’s Player of the Week for period ending Oct. 14, currently paces all AHL skaters with 14 points (5+9) and is tied for fifth with five goals. Additionally, he leads the AHL with seven power-play assists while his 27 shots are tied for sixth-most among league leaders. With points in six straight games, he also owns the third-longest active point streak in the league.
Redmond – After enjoying a career-setting year in 2017-18, defenseman Zach Redmond has picked up where he left off this season as he shows 12 points (4+8) through his first eight games to lead the league in scoring amongst defensemen. Redmond also currently sits atop the league in power-play scoring with eight points (4+4) and is second among defensemen with 25 shots on goal. With points in seven straight games, he owns the second-longest active point streak in the league and the longest among blueliners.
Pilut – Despite missing the last two games due to injury, Lawrence Pilut is off to a hot start in his North American debut, ranking second behind only Redmond in points by a defenseman with 10 points (2+8) in six games. Pilut, last year’s SHL Defenseman of the Year, has recorded all but three of his 10 points on the power-play this season, including his two goals, which are tied for third-most among all AHL blueliners. He, too, enters the weekend riding a four-game point streak (1+7), which began with a three-point effort (1+2) against the Syracuse Crunch on Oct. 10.
IRON MAN SIMPSON
Rochester forward Wayne Simpson is the AHL’s current leader in consecutive games played with 195. The Boxborough, Mass., native appeared in all 76 games with the Hershey Bears and Providence Bruins over each of the last two seasons prior to joining the Amerks this summer. Through his first eight games with the Amerks, Simpson has tallied two goals and one assist, including a two-point effort (1+1) at Belleville on Saturday.
POTENT POWER-PLAY
By recording four goals with the man-advantage last Wednesday at Utica, the Amerks became the first team this season to reach double-digits in power-play goals. With 11 power-play goals over its last six games, and a league-leading 12 overall, Rochester boasts the top ranked power-play unit in the AHL with a 35.3% conversion rate.
HOME AGAIN
The Amerks are back at The Blue Cross Arena this weekend for back-to-back home games against the Utica Comets and Laval Rocket. Both games will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/AM 950 ESPN Rochester and can be viewed on AHLTV.
**This Week’s Schedule**
