**This Week’s Storylines**
PILING UP THE POINTS
The Amerks have collected 17 out of a possible 20 points over their last 10 games, which included points in eight straight to close out the month of October. It was Rochester’s longest point streak since the team went on a 10-game point streak from Nov. 22 to Dec. 13 last season. The Amerks enter the week in first place in the North Division standings and tied for third overall in AHL with 17 points through their first 12 games of the season.
OFFENSIVE MINDED
The Amerks have outscored the opposition 41-25 over their last 10 games and enter the week tied with Chicago for the most goals scored with 45, including 13 on the power-play. Rochester also has the 10th-best offense in the AHL, averaging 3.75 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.
Olofsson – named the CCM/AHL Player of the Month for October after leading the AHL in scoring through the first month of the season, he’s currently tied with Redmond for second overall in the league with 16 points (6+10) in 12 games. Oloffson has recorded points in eight of his last 10 games, including a seven-game point streak (5+9) to close out the month of October, and has been held scoreless just three times all season. Olofsson, who was also named the AHL’s Player of the Week for period ending Oct. 14, is tied for fourth among league leaders with 10 assists, including an AHL-best eight of on the power-play.
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 16 points (8+8) through his first 12 games to lead the league in scoring amongst defensemen. Redmond also currently sits atop the league in power-play scoring with nine points (5+4) as five of his eight goals this season have come on the man-advantage. Redmond, who had an AHL-best nine-game point streak to end the month of October, appeared in his 400th pro game Friday against Hershey before recording his 200th pro point with his second goal of the night in Saturday’s rematch against the Bears. With eight goals already on the season, Redmond is on pace to become the first Amerks defenseman to reach the 10-goal mark in the fewest amount of games to start the season since T.J. Brennan during the 2012-13 campaign. Brennan, a two-time Eddie Shore Award winner and a five-time AHL All-Star, had nine goals by his 16th game that year and scored his 10th in just his 25th appearance of the season. Additionally, Redmond is also on pace to surpass his own career-mark of 15 he scored last season, having already scored more than half through just 12 games this season.
Pilut – Pilut is off to a hot start in his North American debut, ranking second behind only Redmond in points by a defenseman with 15 points (2+13) in 10 games. Pilut, last year’s SHL Defenseman of the Year, has recorded all but seven of his 15 points on the power-play this season, including his two goals, which are tied for fourth-most among all AHL blueliners. He enters the week with points in seven of his last eight games, including three three-point efforts over that span.
BUSY BETWEEN THE PIPES
Scott Wedgewood has got the nod between the pipes in six of the previous eight games. After dropping his first two games of the season, the sixth-year netminder won five straight to close out the month of October, matching the career-best mark he set while backstopping the Albany Devils during the 2015-16 campaign. He enters the week tied for fourth in wins (5) and 10th in minutes played (440).
IRON MAN SIMPSON
Rochester forward Wayne Simpson is the AHL’s current leader in consecutive games played with 199. 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 12 games with the Amerks, Simpson has tallied two goals and three assists, including a two-point effort (1+1) at Belleville on, Oct. 20.
POTENT POWER-PLAY
With 13 power-play goals through its first 12 games, Rochester boasts the sixth-best power-play unit in the AHL with a 24.5% conversion rate.
AMERKS IN BUFFALO THIS WEEK
For the seventh straight year, the Amerks make the annual trek down the New York State Thruway to play in the home of the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, Nov. 7 as they host the Cleveland Monsters in a North Division showdown at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo. The 7:05 p.m. contest will be the first of eight scheduled meetings between the two teams this season and can be heard live on The Sports Leader AM 950/ 95.7 FM ESPN Rochester as well as AHLTV.
MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT FRIDAY
The Amerks and Veterans Outreach Center have once again partnered to host Military Appreciation Night on Friday, Nov. 9 when the Amerks face the Syracuse Crunch at 7:05 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena. The team’s Military Appreciation Night festivities feature the latest series of Mystery Pucks, where a limited number of Military-themed Amerks pucks, signed by various players, will be available for purchase for $10 in the Upper Concourse. The Amerks will again wear special Military-themed jerseys along with matching socks as a tribute to the U.S. Armed Forces. Fans will have the opportunity to purchase the jerseys through a silent auction held during the game on the upper concourse of The Blue Cross Arena. Following the game, the winners of the auction will be able to take the ice and be presented with a “jersey off the back” from the Amerks players. Proceeds from the jersey auction, as well as from the sale of special Military Appreciation Night Mystery Pucks, will be donated to Veterans Outreach Center.
**This Week’s Schedule**
Monday, Nov. 5
Practice – 10:30 a.m. at The Blue Cross Arena
Tuesday, Nov. 6
Practice – 10:30 a.m. at The Blue Cross Arena
Wednesday, Nov. 7
Morning Skate – 10:00 a.m. at The Blue Cross Arena
Home Game vs. Cleveland Monsters – 7:05 p.m. at KeyBank Center in Buffalo
Thursday, Nov. 8
Practice – 12:00 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena
Friday, Nov. 9 – MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT!
Morning Skate – 10:00 a.m. at The Blue Cross Arena
Home Game vs. Syracuse Crunch – 7:05 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena
Saturday, Nov. 10
Day Off
Sunday, Nov. 11
Practice – 12:00 p.m. at Bill Gray’s Iceplex
Time and locations are always subject to change.
Warren S. Kosel Ryan J. Harr
Director of Public and Media Relations Public and Media Relations Coordinator
(585) 286-9928 (585) 286-9940
[email protected] [email protected]
