Toronto Marlies @ Rochester Americans Game Thread – April 24th, 2026

🔥GAME DAY THREAD 🔥

📅 Date: Tonight, Friday, April 24, 2026
🕢 Puck Drop: 7:05 PM ET
📍 Location: Blue Cross Arena — Rochester, NY
🏒 Matchup: Rochester Americans vs. Toronto Marlies
🎟️ Round: Calder Cup Playoffs — First Round, Game 2

Win or go home.

The Rochester Americans return to Blue Cross Arena tonight facing elimination after a tough 5-0 loss in Game 1. Toronto Marlies took control of the series behind a dominant performance, and now Rochester has to respond with its season on the line.

This is a best-of-three series — there’s no room to ease into it. It’s urgency from puck drop.

👀 Storylines to Watch

The response.
Game 1 wasn’t close. Toronto controlled play and capitalized early, putting Rochester in a hole they never escaped. Now it’s about how the Amerks answer — structurally, physically, and mentally.

Back against the wall.
There’s no Game 4, no long series to recover. Rochester either forces a decisive Game 3 or their season ends tonight.

Home ice energy.
If there’s one advantage Rochester still has, it’s this building. The Amerks need a fast start to get the crowd into it and flip the tone after Game 1.

🥅 Goaltending Spotlight

After giving up five in the opener, Devon Levi has to be better — but it’s not just on the goalie. Defensive structure in front has to tighten up fast if Rochester wants a chance to extend the series.

⭐ Key Players

🔵 Amerks to Watch

Konsta Helenius – The Amerks leading scorer, Helenius will need to find the back of the net in this game.

Anton Wahlberg – One of the top Centers on the Amerks, he will be a key player.

Devon Levi – The former top goalie prospect had a rough Game 1, he must improve tonight.

🟡 Marlies to Watch

Artur Akhtyamov – One of the best goalies in the AHL.

Alex Nylander -Formerly one of the Buffalo Sabres top prospects, arguably one of the best playmakers on the Marlies.

Benoit-Olivier Groulx – The top goal scorer for the Marlies this season, was quiet in game 1.

🔑 What to Watch Tonight

The first 10 minutes.
Rochester has to start better. Falling behind early again likely ends it.

Physical edge.
Playoff hockey ramps up here — the Amerks need to make this game harder to play than Game 1 was.

Discipline.
You can’t chase the game and take penalties. That’s how series end fast.

Finishing chances.
Even a tight game comes down to capitalizing. Rochester didn’t in Game 1 — that has to change.

🧾 Bottom Line

This is it.

The Rochester Americans are at home, facing elimination, trying to keep their season alive after a rough opener. The Toronto Marlies have all the momentum — but one strong response flips everything and forces a winner-take-all Game 3.

No more buildup. No more runway.

Win tonight, or it’s over.

Let’s go Amerks. 🏒🔥

1st Period:

20:00 – Rochester wins the opening faceoff and the game is underway.

16:00 – In the opening four minutes Rochester has played with intensity and has put some dangerous shots on net.

14:51 – Levi makes a nice save for Rochester after Ryan Tverberg had him dead to rights in a 1 on 1.

13:34 – Levi makes another save on a breakaway.  Rochester is applying good pressure but they must stop leaving Levi on an island in transition.

13:32 – Carson Meyer gets a penalty for Rochester for tripping. We will get our first look of the game at the Rochester Penalty Kill.

11:32 – Rochester successfully kills the penalty.

7:35 – Both teams are finding dangerous looks on net, but both goalies are standing tall thus far.

6:45 – Penalty on Toronto’s Henry Thrun for tripping. We’ll get our first look of the night at the Rochester Power Play.

6:40 – Konsta Helenius scores 5 seconds into the Power Play for Rochester. Rochester leads 1-0

4:06 – Levi has been shaky at moments tonight, but has stood tall everytime he’s been left on an island…. which is more often than you’d hope.

3:02 – Carson Meyer scores for Rochester on  a one timer from the right circle. Rochester leads 2-0

1:34 – Levi makes a save with his skate while he was sitting on the ice.

1:23 – Rochester’s Jaggar Joshua gets a penalty for cross checking. We’ll get our second look of the game at the Rochester Penalty Kill.

0:00 – The first period has concluded, first period summary coming up.

First Period Summary:

Rochester came out of the gate playing with a lot of pace and intensity after getting shut out game one against Toronto. Despite not finding the net in the first 13 minutes of the period, Rochester put several high danger shots on net and kept the Toronto defense on it’s heel in their zone. Toronto did have a couple of solid possessions in the Rochester zone with some high danger shots on net, but Devon Levi stood tall in net. Levi was left out to dry on an island at least 3 times, if not more, in the period and found a way to stop the puck from going in every time. It wasn’t a perfect period from Levi, he got out of position a few times, but it was an effective period. Rochester needs to keep this intensity in the second period and do a better job in transition defense if they wish to extend this lead.

2nd Period:

20:00 – The opening faceoff of the second period is won by Rochester and the period is underway.

15:41 – It’s been a relatively tame start to the second period, neither team finding any dangerous looks on net.

14:01 – Toronto’s Michael Pezzetta has been penalized for slashing. We will get our second look of the night at the Rochester Power Play.

12:01 – Toronto successfully kills the penalty.

11:16 – This period has had a very physical feel to it, the checks have some aggression behind them.

6:23 – Rochester has had some solid looks at the goal, Ahktyamov has just been rock solid this period.

4:40 – Devon Levi with a phenomenal save, after giving up 5 goals in Game 1 he has been very good tonight.

4:00 – A pair of offsetting penalties for Rochester’s Gavin Bayreuther and Toronto’s Benoit-Olivier Groulx, both for roughing. It will be a 4 v 4 for 2 minutes.

1:23 – Toronto has turned up the intensity towards the end of this period, but Levi has continued to thwart the Marlies.

0:00 – The second period has concluded. Second period summary coming up.

2nd Period Summary:

The second period was a little less action filled as both teams slowed the pace down from the first. What it lacked in pace, it made up for with aggression, this game took a very chippy feel around midway through the period. Toronto outshot Rochester in the second period in both total shots and dangerous shots on net. The Rochester offense still looked solid, able to maintain solid possession and found a few solid shots throughout the period. It appears as the longer this game goes on, the more confidence Devan Levi is gaining. It was a really solid period from Levi in net, denying Toronto several good looks. The next goal is a HUGE one, Rochester needs to ensure they score it.

3rd Period:

20:00 – The opening faceoff is won by Toronto and the third period is underway.

14:03 – The start of this period has been controlled by Toronto in terms of possession, they have only had one truly dangerous shot on net however.

11:41 – Vsevolod Komarov scores for Rochester. Rochester leads 3-0

10:16 – Devon Levi continues to be sensational tonight.

10:16 – Rochester’s Jagger Joshua has been penalized for hooking. We will get our third look of the night at the Rochester Penalty Kill.

8:16 – Rochester successfully kills the penalty.

6:16 – Olivier Nadeau missed on a 2 v 1 breakaway to the net.

2:00 – Toronto has pulled the goalie.

1:06 – Ryan Johnson scores on the empty net for Rochester. Rochester leads 4-0