Five things to know as Amerks and Marlies meet north of the border for the first time sence opening weekend
Jan 2, 2026
The Rochester Americans‘ (16-10-3-1) three-game road trip takes them into the new year as the puck drops on 2026 with a Saturday matinee against the North Division rival Toronto Marlies (17-13-1-1) at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
Here are five things to know for the first game after flipping the calendar.
Rochester’s hopes of ending the year on a high note came to fruition Monday in Cleveland when defenseman Jack Rathbone scored the overtime winner to help the Amerks pick up a 4-3 win against the Monsters. The goal was Rathbone’s second career overtime game-winner and his third goal overall this season. On the other end of the ice, Scott Ratzlaff made his AHL debut, stopping 23 shots, including a grand try from Cleveland in a two-on-one sequence in overtime to secure the win.
Vsevolod komarov, Red Savage, and Isak Rosén each found the back of the net in regulation Monday night as the Amerks ended December with 12 out of a possible 18 points, picking up standings points in eight of their nine games before ending 2025.
Toronto has seen an abnormal schedule this week, playing Tuesday and Thursday, but the change in routine hasn’t resulted in a change of luck. The Marlies skate into the weekend having won four straight, including a New Year’s Day overtime win against Syracuse thanks to former Amerk Alex Nylander.
Both Rochester and Toronto own 36 points to sit in a tie for third place in the North Division standings, but the Amerks own the regulation wins tiebreaker and have two games in hand on the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate.
After a single-digit total of games in December, the pace picks up for the Amerks to start the new year with the team playing 12 games in January to match November as the two busiest months of the season for Rochester.
The Amerks will split their dozen contests evenly with six at home and six away from the Flower City, though the red, white, and blue will play only two of their first eight games of January at Blue cross Arena. Today marks the lone occasion the Amerks face Toronto this month,but besides a pair of games against Hershey at the end of January,every other opponent for the Amerks will come from within the North Division,including a trio of games spread across 12 days against th
Amerks Face Marlies in Rematch Following Toronto’s Hot Streak
The Rochester Americans face off against the Toronto Marlies on January 3,2026,continuing a rivalry that has seen closely contested games in recent years. This marks the third of six scheduled matchups between the two teams this season.
Rochester goaltender, Dustin Levi, a native of Dollard-des-ormeaux, Quebec, has a history of strong performances against Toronto. On February 19, 2024, Levi recorded a career-high 52 saves in a 2-1 overtime victory over the Marlies at Scotiabank Arena. https://www.theahl.com/news/amerks-edge-marlies-in-ot He also secured a 4-3 win against Toronto on October 10, 2025, to open the 2025-26 season, making 24 saves. https://www.rochesteramerks.com/news/amerks-open-season-with-4-3-win-over-marlies As the new year begins, Levi leads all Eastern Conference goaltenders in minutes played (1,193) and saves (540) through 20 starts, boasting an 11-5-4 record.
The Marlies have recently found their stride, winning four consecutive games and going 7-3-0-0 in their last ten, tying them with the Amerks for third place in the division. Notably, all four of toronto’s recent wins have been by a single goal. Toronto currently leads the AHL with 12 one-goal victories this season and maintains a perfect 12-0-0-0 record when leading after the second period.
Leading the charge for Toronto is Bo Groulx, the son of former Amerks head coach Benoit Groulx. Groulx,a fifth-year pro,is on track for a career season,having scored 14 goals in 31 games.
Toronto has utilized five different goaltenders this season, with Artur Akhtyamov bearing the bulk of the workload, posting an 11-6-0 record and winning five of his last six starts.
Historically, matchups between Rochester and Toronto have been tight, with six of the last ten games decided by a single goal. As 2020, the Amerks hold a 12-12-2-2 record against the Marlies.