**This Week’s Storylines**
**The Amerks remain just two points behind the Toronto Marlies for the top spot in the American Hockey League’s North Division with 54 points through 40 games to begin the third week January. By notching four points last week, the Amerks have compiled points in 27 of their last 31 games while notching 46 points dating back to Nov. 1.
**After posting an NHL career-high 44 saves in his season debut with the Sabres last Thursday, goaltender Linus Ullmark is back with the Amerks. He’s carried a majority of the workload between the pipes, winning 16 of his last 24 starts and showing a 14-3-4 record in his last 21 games. Recently named to his second straight AHL All-Star appearance, Ullmark enters Wednesday’s contest the AHL’s leader in saves (790) and in minutes played (1,608) while being tied for first in wins (17) and shutouts (2). The former Swedish Goaltender of the Year and reigning team MVP is also tied for fourth and seventh amongst all AHL goaltenders with a .928 save percentage and 2.28 goals-against average, respectively.
** Joining Ullmark at the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic is rookie forward C.J. Smith, who shows three points (2+1) over his last five games following a career-long seven-game scoring drought. The 23-year-old forward paces the team with 21 assists and 33 points while being one of just two skaters to appear in all 40 games thus far this season. He’s also tied for the team lead with 12 goals while his plus-10 on-ice rating is tops among team forwards. The Des Moines, Iowa, native currently ranks fourth in scoring among all AHL rookies, while his 21 assists are third-most between all first-year skaters and are 17th-most in the league.
** The Amerks own three of the top 20 point-producing defensemen in the AHL in Zach Redmond, Stuart Percy and rookie Brendan Guhle. Redmond, who leads all Amerks defensemen with 25 points (8+17) through 32 games, is tied for fourth in goals by a defenseman with eight, matching the career-high he previously set twice as a member of the St. John’s IceCaps. Additionally, Redmond’s 25 points place him fifth among all AHL defensemen in scoring. Guhle is second in scoring among all AHL rookie defensemen with 21 points (7+14) while his seven goals are third among first-year blueliners in the league.
**The Amerks embark on a season-long five-game road-swing beginning Wednesday night as they make their final trip of the season to Adirondack Bank Center for a rematch with the Comets at 7:00 p.m. Following the contest, Rochester makes its first trip in franchise history to Charlotte for a pair of tilts with the Checkers Saturday and Sunday at 6:00 and 1:00 p.m., respectively.
