**This Week’s Storylines**
EARNING POINTS EARLY ON
With Saturday’s road win at Utica, the Amerks have earned 16 out of a possible 24 points through their first 12 games of the season, putting them one point of the North Division lead heading into the month of November. Additionally, Rochester comes into the week having won two straight and three of its last five games, with all three wins coming against North Division opponents. Coming off their six-goal outburst in Saturday’s impressive 6-0 rout over the Comets, the Amerks remain one of just four teams this season to reach the 40-goal mark. Only the Springfield Thunderbirds (44) and Providence Bruins (41) have scored more goals than Rochester.
SHOOTING GALLERY
One of the biggest factors attributed to Rochester’s early season success is the fact that the Amerks have outshot their opponents in every game so far this season, including a season-high 50 shots in Springfield on Oct. 27. The Amerks come into the week leading the AHL in total shots (425) and are averaging 35.42 shots per game, the most behind only the Iowa Wild. Rochester, which owns two of the top four shooters in the league inTage Thompson (53) and C.J. Smith (47), currently remains the only team this season to have outshot the opposition in every game to start the 2019-20 campaign.
THOMPSON TORMENTING THE OPPOSITION
Despite being held off the scoresheet four times so far this season, Tage Thompson has totaled 22 points (13+9) over his last 23 games with the Amerks dating back to last season, including the two goals he scored in the first round of the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Marlies. More impressively, Thompson has scored 11 goals in just 20 career regular-season games with Rochester, surpassing the total he set over a 30-game stint with San Antonio during his rookie season in 2017-18. The third-year pro leads the team and is tied for 10th among the AHL’s top point-getters with 11 points and is tied for the team-lead in goals (5) through his first 12 games of the season. He also leads the league with 53 shots on goal.
RED-HOT REMOND: THE SEQUEL
The start of the 2019-20 season is just a different chapter in the same story for veteran defenseman Zach Redmond, who’s currently tied for 12thin scoring amongst all AHL blueliners with seven points (1+6) after averaging nearly a point-per-game through his first 10 games of the season. The reigning Eddie Shore Award winner and two-time AHL All-Star has collected eight points (1+7) in his last 16 games dating back to last season. His six assists also tie him for 11th in the league among blueliners.
“JUST SCORING” DEA
Coming off his third-period tally last Friday night against Binghamton, forward Jean-Sebastien Dea holds a share of team-lead in goals (5) while his eight points are tied for second through the first 12 games of the season. Dea, who had his first four-point effort since Apr. 6, 2019 during Rochester’s 7-6 overtime-win in Syracuse back on Oct. 26, has recorded 15 points (8+7) over his last 17 AHL contests dating back to last season.
WORKING OVERTIME
Rochester’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds back on Oct. 27 was the fifth game so far this season that went beyond regulation for the Amerks, the most behind only Hartford. The Amerks, who tied an AHL record during the 2017-18 season with 29 overtime games, are 2-1 in the bonus period this season and show a 1-1 in the shootout.
