Americans Host Monsters in ASL Night Opener
Rochester hosts Cleveland Wednesday in the first of eight meetings between the teams this season.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Hockey
The Rochester Americans, 5-4-0-1, host the Cleveland Monsters, 6-4, at Blue Cross Arena on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. It is the first of eight meetings between the two clubs and Rochester's inaugural ASL Night.
Why it matters
Rochester is working through a thin lineup after injuries, having used 11 forwards and seven defensemen in its 6-3 win over Lehigh Valley. Leone has ruled out seven players, including Carson Meyer, Sheary, Savage and McCarthy, for the matchup against Cleveland.
Rochester has a 5-1 record when scoring first and a 2-4-0-1 mark in one- or two-goal games, while Cleveland is 4-0-0-0 in those contests. Rochester's 12-4 first-period goal advantage will be tested against a Monsters club that has yet to show whether that edge holds through the full 60 minutes.
The players
Stacy Roest
Roest is the general manager of the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, and oversees roster moves including the professional tryout signed this week.
Leone
Leone is the head coach of the Rochester Americans, responsible for deploying the lineup while the club works through injuries.
Ryan Sandelin
Sandelin is a defenseman who signed a professional tryout with the Rochester Americans on Tuesday as the club filled gaps created by injuries.
The details
Rochester scored twice on the power play in its win over Lehigh Valley and signed defenseman Ryan Sandelin to a professional tryout on Tuesday amid the injuries. The Americans open the home portion of the eight-game series against Cleveland with a lineup that General manager Stacy Roest has been working to fill.
Timeline
Friday: Rochester beat Lehigh Valley 6-3.
Tuesday, Nov. 3: Rochester signed Ryan Sandelin to a tryout.
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 7:05 p.m.: Rochester hosts Cleveland at Blue Cross Arena.
Oct. 17: Rochester lost a 2-0 lead in Syracuse.
The Big Picture
Rochester's series with Cleveland is one of several repeat-opponent pairings built into the American Hockey League's divisional schedule. Such matchups give both clubs frequent chances to answer each other's results across a single season.
Rochester's injury-thinned lineup makes Wednesday's lineup announcement a practical signal for fantasy and betting interest in the Americans' depth players. Fans attending the first ASL Night can expect the season's early results to shape how Rochester's forwards and defensemen are used against Cleveland.
The takeaway
Rochester's ability to protect leads against Cleveland, where it has been 2-4-0-1 in one- and two-goal games, may decide whether a short-handed roster can convert early advantages into points.
Further reading
For more on the club's season, see Hockey coverage from across the region.
