Five things to know as Amerks gear up for first of two meetings on the week against Sens
Jan 11, 2026
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans (17-12-3-1) play four of their next five games away from home ice, beginning with a Sunday matinee on the road against the Belleville Senators (14-18-5-0).
Here are five things to know before the Sunday face-off.
Despite a season-high 49 shots on goal, the Amerks fell short by a 3-2 final Friday at home against the Laval Rocket, who hung on to escape the Rochester rally. The game ultimately boiled down to Laval scoring three goals in a 1:54 span early into the second period. After that, the Amerks saw goals from Zac Jones and Isak Rosén, but were unable to find the equalizer despite outshooting Laval, 49-23.
Devon Levi made 20 saves in his 23rd start of the season, tying him for first in the Eastern Conference in starts. A day after Rochester’s loss, Jones was recalled again to the Buffalo Sabres.
Friday was not kind to the Senators, but the back half of their home-and-home series against Toronto was the team fare much better, topping the Marlies by a 6-3 final Saturday night. As a result, Belleville enters Sunday just four points outside playoff positioning.
Sunday is the fifth of eight meetings in the season series against Belleville, with Rochester yielding a 3-1-0-0 record against Ottawa’s AHL affiliate so far in the 2025-26 campaign. Today’s divisional matchup marks the third of four in Belleville between the two clubs after the Amerks have claimed the first two by a combined 10-2 score while going 4-for-12 on the power play over that time.
Rochester has won nine of its last 13 games against Belleville dating back to the 2023-24 season. The Amerks are 10-7-0-1 over the last five seasons in Belleville, earning at least one point in 12 of the last 19 matchups over that span. Conversely, Rochester sports a 7-8-1-2 mark in the Flower City, which includes a 6-4 defeat in the Flower City in November followed by a 3-2 victory last month.
The Amerks will face the Sens twice over a five-day span, with a rematch looming in the distance Friday night in what will be Rochester’s final visit to Belleville this season. After today, the Amerks return home to host Syracuse on Wednesday before then playing three games in fewer than 96 hours, with matchups against Belleville and Utica Friday and Saturday, respectively, followed by a Monday matinee in Syracuse.
The Amerks continue the trend of recent seasons by playing the role of road warriors. While the team shows a 6-6-2-1 record at home, the Amerks possess an 11-6-1-0 mark on the road, picking up points in six of their last seven games outside the Flower City.
After notching an assist in Friday’s game, Amerks forward Riley Fiddler-Schultz is up to nine points (4+5) over his last nine games with Rochester. The third-year Amerk is the only forward to have appeared in every game for his team this season, ranking fifth on the roster in points with 17 (8+9).
Fiddler-Schultz has goals in each of his last two road games and has posted goals in consecutive contests for the third time in his career.
Against Belleville, the 23-year-old has found a bundle of success. In the Amerks last visit to CAA Arena back on Dec. 10, Fiddler-Schultz registered a three-point night (1+2) and has three goals over his four games against the Sens this season. Fiddler-Schultz has operated at a point-per-game pace for his career against the Senators with six goals and 11 points in as many contests against them.
FOR WHOM THE BELLE TOLLS
Belleville ended its three-game losing streak on home ice Saturday with a 6-3 win over Toronto, thanks in large to a pair of goals scored by Senators forward Arthur Kaliyev, who enters Sunday tied for the AHL league lead in points with 39 (23+16). His 23 goals are five clear of second in the Eastern Conference, with three of those coming against the Amerks this season.
The Senators have scored the third-most goals in the AHL this season, but are allowing more goals against than any other team at 135. With former two-time AHL Calder Cup Champion Hunter Shepard being recalled by Ottawa, the Sens have had to rely on Mads Søgaard and Jackson Parsons to man the crease. Both goaltenders have a goals-against average well above 3.00 and a save percentage under .900.
Belleville has surrendered the first goal in 23 of their 37 games this season. They are 5-15-3-0 when doing so.
