OBK CHANNEL

Category: Local News

  • Toronto Better With Thee Drake, Marlies Defeat Rochester Americans Back-To-Back Matchups

    By OBK SPORTS

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. — New Rochester Americans head coach Michael houser will get another shot at adding his second win to his professional coaching record and first in front of his team’s home crowd Wednesday when The Amerks return to the Blue Cross Arena to face Cleveland Monsters.

    Despite jumping out to an early lead, Rochester Americans came up short in Toronto, dropping the Saturday matinee by a final score of 3-2.
    (Photo: Micheline Veluvolu)

    The American hockey team has been gearing up for another exciting season, and their last two games have been thrilling matchups. In this post, we’ll break down the highlights and key takeaways from their recent performances.

    Big Picture: 

    Toronto Marlies defeated the Amerks back-to-back games over the weekend. Once on the road. Once at home. 

    **Game 1: Home vs Toronto Marlies

    Date: October 18, 2024

    Score: 2-4

    Location: Blue Cross Arena

    The Amerks allowed the other hockey team to score four unanswered goals – including three in the second period. Viktor Neuchev earned an assist on an Amerk goal. He has totaled two goals and four assists over his last six games. Also, two-of-four goal scorers from the opponent are former Amerks.

    **Game 2: Away vs Toronto Marlies

    Date: October 19, 2024

    Score: 2-3

    Location: Coca Cola Coliseum 

    In the second game, The Amerks clashed with Toronto, resulting in a loss. The team continued its trend of scoring first, showcasing its early-game prowess. Goaltender Michael Houser (1-1-0) made 20 saves in his second appearance of the campaign but took the defeat in the crease. 

    Key Takeaways:

    The team’s consistent early-game momentum and resilient performances underscore its determination.

    Anton Wahlberg has points in back-to-back games while Nikita Novikov has two points (1+1) in his last three.

    Goaltender and two-time Stanley Cup Champion Matt Murray  (Toronto Marlies) (2-0-0) picked up his second win of the season as he stopped 35 of the 37 shots he faced, including 25 through the first 40 minutes of play.

    ROCHESTER AMERICANS UPCOMING SCHEDULE & PREVIOUS RESULTS 

    (10/22/24 Updated)

    Friday, October 11 // Home vs Belleville Senators (Loss 2-3)

    Saturday, October 12 // Away at Utica Comets (Win 1-4)

    Friday, October 18 // Home vs Toronto Marlies  (Loss 2-4)

    Saturday, October 19 // Away at Toronto Marlies (Loss 3-2)

    Wednesday, October 23 // Home vs Cleveland Monsters 

    Saturday, October 26 // Away at Cleveland Monsters 

    Friday, November 1 // Away at Utica Comets

    Saturday, November 2 // Away at Utica Comets

    Wednesday, November 6 // Away at Cleveland Monsters 

  • The Rochester Americans split their weekend matchups 1-1, return home Friday October 18 for an AHL face-off at Blue Cross Arena

    By OBK SPORTS

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Amerks defeated Utica Comets 4-1 on the road Saturday, October 12, 2024, to secure their first win of the season.


    With the win Saturday at the Adirondack Bank Center, Rochester’s first of the campaign, the club concluded its opening weekend with a
    1-1-0(2-Points) mark and outscored its opponents 6-4 in its first two contests of the season.
    (Photo: Jeff Pexton / Utica Comets)

    Led by Isak Rosén and Viktor Neuchev, both forwards recorded two points, assisting and/or scoring on 75% of the team’s total goals.

    Unlike Friday’s matchup against the Belleville Senators, The Amerks managed to win the shot stat chart line getting double the shots as Utica Comets, their in-state rivals.

    The Amerks net protector Michael Houser stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced while the opponent goalie had to face 40 shots. 

    Max Willman scored Utica’s lone goal on the night in the second period from Dylan Wendt and Shane Bowers while Comets goalie Nico Daws (0-2-0) suffered his second straight defeat.

    The win is also Michael Leone’s first as head coach of the Amerks and a professional coach. 

    The Senators ruined Amerks season opener celebrations Friday night defeating the home team 3-2. 

    Amerks had 24 shots. Senators had 31 shots. 

    With Amerks players spending vast amounts of time enjoying the game with fans in Section 106 — Senators took advantage of the Americans mistakes scoring both their goals on man-down Powerplays. 

    ROCHESTER AMERICANS UPCOMING SCHEDULE

    (10/13/24 Updated)

    Friday, October 18 // Home vs Toronto Marlies 

    Saturday, October 19 // Away at Toronto Marlies 

    Wednesday, October 23 // Home vs Cleveland Monsters 

    Saturday, October 26 // Away at Cleveland Monsters 

    Friday, November 1 // Away at Utica Comets 

  • To Write Love On Her Arms Makes Orlando Heavy and Light Returns

    Jon Foreman did not let 30 stitches stop him from headlining the seventh annual “Heavy and Light” show presented by To Write Love On Her Arms Sunday night at the House of Blues.

    Foreman, who is the lead singer of Christian rock band Switchfoot, slashed his face during a morning surf last Monday in his hometown Encinitas, Calif. He fully recovered, however with more than 30 stitches — many of which are inside his upper lip — he was not able to sing for a couple of days and was forced to cancel Switchfoot’s album release party. This had the founder of To Write Love On Her Arms’ (TWLOHA) Jamie Tworkowski nervous that he would have to reschedule the yearly event.

    Prior to getting into the first song of his set “The Cure for Pain,” Foreman was given a care package by event attendee Allie Sinclar. The package contained a list of miscellaneous items as well as a small note to go along with it.

    Foreman took the stage backed by a cellist, Keith Tutten, and drummer, Aaron Redfield of Fiction Family and performed music from his solo projects as well as singles from his group projects including “Dare You To Move” which he performed with no microphone in unison with the crowd.  

    Grammy-nominated artist Mary Lambert opened up the musical acts with a combination of spoken word and song. Lambert mixed heavy songs with light commentary to keep the night at ease. The 24-year-old artist sang original pieces, including “She Keeps Me Warm,” which was the basis to Macklemore’s and Ryan Lewis “Same Love” chorus.

    When Lambert was not singing and playing the piano, she would reminisce on her past and the time she wrote her first spoken word piece about being a gay-Christian. She even managed to make her way back onto the stage to help Foreman perform “The World You Want.”

    Lambert was not the only artist on the bill to assist Foreman on stage following their set. Summer Set’s vocalist Brian Dales provided tunes for not one, but two songs during Foreman’s set. Dales and Foreman performed their own rendition of Lorde’s single “Royals,” and “This is Home” which appeared in a Disney film (I guess it’s only right to pay homage to the mouse when your in his home).

    The tour’s name hits the nail right on on the head. While musical sets by Tristan Prettyman and The Summer Set where what brought many out, it was their personal messages in between songs which kept people engaged.

    It was the stories from 20-year-old Kevin Breel, who discussed how the “hardest choice I ever made was staying alive” just hours after leading his high school basketball team to the State Championship in 2011. It was the spoken word pieces from poet Anis Mojgani, who showed listeners that everyone deserved to be loved.

    The event was live streamed for those who could not make it out to the show, and ended with a finale which contained all acts from the night singing “Lean on Me.”