AMERKS EMBARKING ON BUSIEST STRETCH OF THE SEASON THIS WEEK
Feb 15, 2023By Suzie Cool
We’re halfway through February and the Rochester Americans are currently embarking on their heaviest stretch of the 2022-23 campaign yet. The importance of reserving energy over this chaotic stretch is more important now than ever for the Amerks currently.
“It's (energy) going to be critical this week, how you manage the games and that you're not wasting energy,” stated Amerks head coach Seth Appert when asked how that one word will play a major factor over the next six days. “We have four-in-six this week and then starting a week later we have a six-in-nine. So, it's a big stretch of games and we’re at that point of the season where every game is critically important right now.”
Just like Appert mentioned, the Amerks have four games over a six-day span, unfortunately, Rochester falling 2-1 to the Cleveland Monsters last night to kick off the heavy stretch ahead. However, the good news is that the Amerks have plenty of games coming up to turn things around in the second half of the season.
This week kicks off the first of two straight weekends full of three-in-three action for the Amerks.
On Friday and Saturday, the Amerks are taking on the first-place Toronto Marlies in a home-in-home series before returning to the Flower City on Sunday to face-off against the Syracuse Crunch for a 3:05 p.m. puck drop. Two North Division opponents that are sitting at first and third place in the standings, respectively.
Along with all the North Division action happening on the ice, there’s a lot going on at The Blue Cross Arena this upcoming weekend off the ice.
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT – FRIDAY, FEB. 17
First up, the Amerks are hosting PGA Championship Night in partnership with the Professional Golfers Association of America this Friday, Feb. 17.
The first of its kind, PGA Championship Night will celebrate the unique crossover between golf and hockey with on-ice activations and other in-game elements themed to both sports. The night will also feature co-branded merchandise while fans will also have the opportunity to take pictures with the Wanamaker Trophy, presented annually to the winner of the PGA Championship, one of four major championships in men’s professional golf.
KIDS DAY – SUNDAY, FEB. 19
The Amerks then complete their first of back-to-back three-in-threes with a matinee Kids Day celebration on Sunday, Feb. 19 presented by NY’s 529 College Savings Progran.
Sunday’s game will feature a total Kids Takeover, where youth fans will have the opportunity to serve in various game-day roles, such as public address announcer, in-game host, off-ice official, honorary coach and equipment manager, while one lucky fan will have the chance to join Amerks Hall of Fame broadcaster Don Stevens to call the day’s action from the broadcast booth.
All kids’ tickets (ages 3-12, no ticket required for 2 and under) for the game start as low as just $10 with the purchase of an adult ticket. Kids Day tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.amerks.com/kidsday.
After this weekend the Amerks continue their chaotic schedule through the final week of February and into March.
Over a nine-day span, Rochester will play six times and have a lengthy eight-day road trip. This upcoming road swing marks the longest trip for the Amerks this season and features their last trip to the Northeast to take on the Springfield Thunderbirds and Providence Bruins one last time this season before heading north of the border to take on the Laval Rocket and Belleville Senators.
March is also the busiest month of the 2022-23 campaign for the Amerks as they take on 15 games over the span of 31 days. The month kicks off amid their eight-day road swing, features two three-in-threes, seven homes games, a trip to Pennsylvania and 10 North Division matchups.
As we take a look at the remainder of Rochester’s 2022-23 season, it’s looking like it’s not going to be easy from here on out. However, all sights are always set on the task at hand and right now, the Amerks are focused on this week, and this week alone, taking it one game at a time and trying to climb back up those North Division standings.
“We’re going to need everybody this week. We have 15 healthy forwards right now and eight healthy defensemen, and we're going to need all of those guys at some point this week to give us good minutes,” finished Appert when discussing the busy week ahead.