Cleveland, OH

Amerks Hang on to Secure 3-2 Win in Cleveland

Published

1 year ago

December 23, 2024

Amerks Hang on to Secure 3-2 Win in Cleveland

December 22, 2024 – American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release

(Cleveland, OH) – Zachary Metsa scored the game-winning-goal moments after Cleveland’s teddy bear toss tally, while Devon Levi and Rochester’s defense stood tall to secure a 3-2 win over the North Division rival Monsters Sunday afternoon at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

The win is Rochester’s fifth consecutive victory on the road, along with its sixth win over the past seven games. The Amerks improved to 16-9-3-0, giving them 37 points on the season and tying them with Cleveland for second in the North Division as the AHL starts its annual holiday break.

FIRST PERIOD

The Amerks jumped on the attack early with several scoring chances before breaking through under five minutes into the game. Brett Murray and Viktor Neuchev exchanged possession with the puck right in front of the net. Neuchev took a shot from the right side that was kicked free by Cleveland’s Zach Sawchenko. The bouncing puck was scooped up by Murray, who knocked it through multiple bodies and into the back of the goal for his team-leading 13th goal of the season.

For the first time, Josh Dunne scored against his former team. Dunne, who centered a hard-working line with Brendan Warren and Graham Slaggert, circled the zone with his linemates as Rochester maintained pressure throughout the shift. It culminated at the 10:11 mark of the first, when Warren slid a puck across to Metsa, who took a shot from the right point that Dunne tipped through traffic, eluding Sawchenko and doubling Rochester’s lead with Dunne’s fifth goal of the season.

SECOND PERIOD

Rochester dominated in shots with a 21-6 difference in the middle period, but Stanislav Svozil broke through first for Cleveland, taking a shot from the right wing with traffic taking the eyes away from Levi, making it 2-1 with 6:22 to play in the period. The goal served as the teddy bear toss goal for Cleveland, forcing the game into delay while thousands of stuffed animals were collected and donated.

After the festivities ended, the Amerks jumped right back into the action, scoring 35 seconds later with Metsa blasting a one-timer by Sawchenko. Metsa’s shot from the right point was unintentionally tipped by Cleveland defenseman Corson Ceulemans, surprising Sawchenko and putting the Amerks back up by a pair of goals, heading into the third period with a 3-1 advantage.

THIRD PERIOD

Cleveland notched the lone third-period goal in the dying seconds of the game when Daemon Hunt managed to solve Levi with 7.5 seconds remaining and the net pulled for the Monsters to have a 6-on-5 advantage. Nikita Novikov took a matching roughing penalty with Cleveland’s Owen Sillinger with 2:56 to play. The penalty was the lone infraction called against the Amerks as the red, white, and blue never allowed Cleveland a power play, marking the first time this season Rochester did not have to kill a penalty.

STARS AND STRIPES

With 23 saves, Levi picked up his ninth win of the season and his eighth in the last nine starts. The 22-year-old ranks eighth across the AHL 2.14 goals-against-average … Murray’s 13th goal of the season is his sixth in the last five games and 11th in the last 20 … The sixth-year pro is tied for the eighth-most goals in the AHL … Rochester extended its point streak in Cleveland to six games, going 5-0-1-0 in their last half dozen visits to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

UP NEXT

Rochester enters the AHL’s annual holiday break, with the team taking off Dec. 23-26. The Amerks return to play on Friday, Dec. 27 to begin a home-and-home weekend against the Utica Comets (6-14-1-2). The weekend begins at Blue Cross Arena with puck-drop slated for 7:05 p.m. Friday night and will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.

Goal Scorers

CLE: S. Svozil (3), D. Hunt (1)

ROC: B. Murray (13), J. Dunne (5), Z. Metsa (2-GWG),

Goaltenders

CLE: Z. Sawchenko – 30/33 (L)

ROC: D. Levi – 23/25 (W)

Shots

CLE: 25

ROC: 33

Special Teams

CLE: PP (0/0) | PK (3/3)

ROC: PP (0/3) | PK (0/0)

Three Stars:

1. ROC – Z. Metsa

2. ROC – J. Dunne

3. CLE – S. Svozil

• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board…

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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Cleveland, OH

Iran strikes spark debate among Northeast Ohio residents

Published

6 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Iran strikes spark debate among Northeast Ohio residents

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cleveland Liberation Center and nearly 100 other organizations rallied in Cleveland Sunday to protest the U.S. strikes on Iran, demonstrating significant grassroots opposition to the military action.

The recent U.S. military strikes on Iran and the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have ignited passionate discussions across the nation, and Northeast Ohio is no exception.

While state political leaders express support for President Donald Trump’s actions, local activists are raising urgent questions about the impact on American communities.

Dallas Eckman, a public school teacher and volunteer coordinator with the Cleveland Liberation Center, is taking a clear stance against the recent attacks.

“We need to step up as Americans and say violence is not going to be the way we solve out world’s problems,” Eckman said.

The frustration runs deeper for Eckman, who sees a disconnect between military spending and domestic priorities.

“It’s absurd that for me as a public-school teacher I am struggling to get funding for chrome books and books. I can wake up one morning and see we have spent millions and millions of dollars to bomb another country,” he explained.

Eckman questions whether these military actions actually benefit working people in Cleveland.

“Which does nothing for the working people here in Cleveland. It does nothing to make my schools safer. It does nothing to improve the road right outside the liberation center,” Eckman said.

Eckman’s concerns are shared by many in the region.

Despite local opposition, several Ohio’s political leaders are backing the Trump administration’s decision.

Senator Bernie Moreno released a statement expressing his support, stating, “President Trump sought for months to avoid conflict and negotiate with Iran to prevent them from rebuilding their nuclear program. I fully support his decision.”

Secretary of State John Husted also voiced his approval.

“For 47 years, the Iranian regime had ample opportunity to be a productive member of the global community — instead, it chose to export death, terrorism, extremism, and instability against America and our allies,” Husted said.

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Cleveland, OH

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets prediction, pick for Sunday 3/1/26

Published

18 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets prediction, pick for Sunday 3/1/26

Cooper Albers takes you through his preview, prediction and pick for Sunday’s NBA matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets.

Eastern Conference rivals close their regular-season series on Sunday, as the Brooklyn Nets host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center.

The Cavaliers (37–24, 4th East) have dropped back-to-back games without Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, albeit against far superior competition. They’ll aim for the three-game sweep of Brooklyn without Mitchell, while Harden remains questionable.

The Nets (15–44, 14th East) are mired in a brutal seven-game losing streak, including a 112–84 thumping in Cleveland on February 19.

Here’s a look at the Injury Report:

Cleveland Cavaliers

Out: Donovan Mitchell (Groin), Max Strus (Foot), Dean Wade (Ankle)
Questionable: James Harden (Thumb), Keon Ellis (Finger)

Brooklyn Nets

Out: Egor Demin (Heel), Drake Powell (G-League Assignment)
Questionable: Nic Claxton (Thumb)

Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. Cleveland enters as a hefty 11.5-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Brooklyn sits as a +410 underdog. The game’s total is set at 222.5 points.

Cavaliers vs. Nets Preview

Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

The Cavaliers went all in at the NBA trade deadline, sending Darius Garland to Los Angeles for superstar guard James Harden. The gamble seemingly paid off, as the former MVP has fit seamlessly into the lineup alongside Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland went 6–1 after Harden’s debut, its lone loss coming against the defending champs in Oklahoma City.

But the momentum quickly stalled when both Harden and Mitchell hit the sidelines to nurse injuries. Cleveland has dropped back-to-back games in the star duo’s absence against Milwaukee and Detroit. And while Harden is listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest with a thumb fracture in his non-shooting hand, Mitchell remains out with a groin strain.

The Cavs are just 2–4 without Mitchell this season. If Harden stays out, they’ll likely keep relying on their accomplished frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Cleveland also features a solid veteran backup point guard in Dennis Schroder, along with a reliable sharpshooter in Sam Merrill.

Brooklyn Nets Preview

Brooklyn has won five games in 2026. Five.

Were any of these wins particularly impressive? Hardly. They beat a Nikola Jokic-less Denver Nuggets, the spiraling Chicago Bulls twice, the lowly Washington Wizards, and the tanking Utah Jazz.

The Nets rank dead last on both ends of the floor since January 1, disappointing even by their standards. They’ve lost seven games in a row, punctuated by a 37-point walloping in Boston on Friday night.

Michael Porter Jr. will continue trying to carry an increasingly strained offense without rookie standout Egor Demin. Brooklyn will also lean on its burgeoning frontcourt, comprising Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton (questionable).

Cavaliers vs. Nets Pick, Best Bet

Keep an eye on the injury report for this one. If Harden remains sidelined, Cleveland may lack the offensive firepower to pull away. But if the former MVP suits up, expect him and the Cavs to carve up Brooklyn’s porous defense and comfortably cover the 11.5-point spread.