By Suzie Cool / Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Another month down and another 12 games knocked off the Rochester Americans regular season schedule as we head into the New Year. The month of December was a big one for the Amerks, who reached the 20-win mark, saw head coach Chris Taylor earn the honor of coaching the North Division All-Star team at the upcoming 2020 AHL All-star Classic later this month, the combo in the crease advance to six shutouts on the year and the list continues to grow as the season creeps closer to the midway point. Here are your top 10 takeaways for the Amerks during their final month of the calendar year.
1. TAYLOR LEADING THE NORTH DIVISION ALL-STAR TEAM
The upcoming 2020 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Ontario International Airport is being held on Jan. 26-27 at Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif and Amerks head coach Chris Taylor has clinched the honor of serving as coach of the North Division All-Star team.
Currently in his third season as Rochester’s head coach, Taylor has earned his first AHL All-Star coaching selection after guiding Rochester to a 20-8-2-2 record and 44 points in 32 games this season. The Amerks are tied for the lead in the North Division and rank third overall in the American Hockey League with a .688 points percentage and are one of just five teams to reach the 20-win mark.
Taylor becomes Rochester’s first All-Star coach since John Tortorella in 1997.
2. REACHING WIN NUMBER 20
It only took 30 games for Rochester to post 20 wins, reaching the mark by way of a thrilling, last-second 4-3 victory over the Belleville Senators on Friday, Dec. 27. Having lost back-to-back games for the first time all season, it marks the fewest number of games to reach 20 wins since the 2006-07 Amerks needed 27 games.
3. EASTERN CONFERENCE REGULATION LOSSES
Rochester’s eight regulation losses are the fewest in the Eastern Conference and are tied for fourth-fewest in the entire league. Prior to their New Year’s Eve game against the Utica Comets, the Amerks had yet to lose back-to-back games all season.
4. HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
In the month of December, the Amerks had 12 games to cross off their regular season schedule and seven of those tilts happened right here in the Flower City, with five of them ending in winning fashion.
From Dec. 4-11, Rochester was home for four consecutive games at The Blue Cross Arena, going 3-1 over that span. During that four-game homestand, the Amerks kicked off the month with back-to-back shutout victories over the Toronto Marlies and Charlotte Checkers, before finishing up their time on home ice against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the first of only two matchups between the clubs this season.
Rochester then returned home for another three-game stint as they were home for the holidays. On Friday, Dec. 20, netminder Andrew Hammond notched his fourth shutout of the season against the Binghamton Devils before the Amerks fell to the Utica Comets the following prior to going into the annual Christmas break.
Upon their return, the Amerks faced off against one of the quickest teams they’ve seen all season in the Belleville Senators. In the first matchup of the year between the two clubs, the Amerks came out on top 4-3 in a nail biter of a game. With just two seconds to go in regulation, Lawrence Pilut had a laser of an assist to forward Taylor Leier, who used his left shoulder to deflect home the game-winning-goal with just seconds to spare.
5. SHUTTING OUT THE COMPETITION
Anchored by the elite goaltending tandem of veteran Andrew Hammond and third-year pro Jonas Johansson, the Amerks own the top defense in the league, having allowed only 74 goals through the first 32 games of the season, the fewest in the AHL after finishing up the last month of the calendar year. The duo has also combined for six shutouts and are tied for 11th among all AHL goaltenders with 10 wins each on the season.
6. HAMMOND COMING IN HOT
Diving deeper into the dynamic duo that makes up the Amerks netminders, Hammond (10-6-2) comes into the New Year ranked second among all netminders with four shutouts on the season after a 5-0 win over Laval on Dec. 14, a new career-high.
With four shutouts through just 19 games this season, he’s on pace to match the franchise record for most shutouts in a season (8) set by Ryan Miller during the 2004-05 campaign.
7. JOHANSSON FINDING CONFIDENCE IN ROCHESTER
Having won eight straight appearances, Johansson shows an AHL career-best 10-2-2 record this season and that comes with the confidence and comfort he’s finding here in Rochester.
Entering this week, he has the second-best goal-against average in the league (2.00) and save percentage (.933) among all goaltenders in 15 games. Dating back to Nov. 13, the third-year netminder boasts a perfect 8-0-0 record with two shutouts, a 1.74 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage while allowing just two goals or less in six consecutive starts over that span.
8. WATCHING FROM THE STANDS
Rochester opened the month of December with back-to-back shutout performances for the first and only time of the season so far.
Although back-to-back shutouts seemed to be what the buzz was all about at that time for the Amerks squad, it actually was something that happened off the ice that made one of those chilly December nights all the more memorable. More specifically, for just one of the Rochester goaltenders – Jonas Johansson.
Not only did Dec. 6 against the Charlotte Checkers mark his first AHL shutout of his career, and his 100th pro win, but it was also the first time that his mom had seen him play here in the Flower City. The last time Ulrica Johansson had tried to make a visit to her son was back during the 2017-18 season when Johansson was primarily with the Cincinnati Cyclones, and to his surprise, would be assigned to Rochester upon her visit.
This time, though, Mom’s timing seemed more than perfect and almost surreal. Upon her arrival she’d get off a plane and watch her first-ever hockey game while in the United States, sharing in a special moment with her son accomplishing something he’s only been able to obtain 11 times throughout his entire professional career.
9. DALTON SMITH EARNS CONTRACT WITH SABRES
Earlier this week, the Buffalo Sabres announced that the team signed forward Dalton Smith to a two-way contract for the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign.
Smith, 27, has played each of past three seasons with the Amerks, recording 14 points (4+10) and 240 penalty minutes in 114 games, including four points in 21 appearances with the Amerks this season.
In his AHL career, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound forward has totaled 54 points (26+28) in 340 career contests between Rochester, Providence, Lehigh Valley, Syracuse and Springfield while also racking up 646 penalty minutes.
Smith made his NHL debut on Tuesday at KeyBank Center against the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he saw time on four shifts and registered a total of 1:26 time on ice.
10. RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR TIED FOR THE TOP
Unfortunately, the Amerks final matchup of the decade would end in a 3-2 loss against the Comets on New Year’s Eve at the Adirondack Bank Center.
Despite the setback, however, the Amerks show a 15-5-1-1 record over their last 22 games dating back to Nov. 1, earning points in 17 games over that span, and share the top spot in the AHL’s North Division standings with Utica going into New Year. Additionally, Rochester has picked up points in 22 of the last 29 contests overall, going 18-7-2-2, while also earning 44 out of a possible 64 points through its first 32 contests of the season.