GAMEDAY NOTES AND QUOTES: AMERKS PREP FOR ‘MISERABLE’ GAME AGAINST CRUNCH
Jan 31, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans (20-14-3-1) close out their four-game homestand looking to gain ground on the Syracuse Crunch (23-13-2-2) in the North Division standings.
“I think a lot of the teams below them (Syracuse and Cleveland) have games in hand on them like we do as well,” said Amerks head coach Seth Appert. “I don’t think there’s much breakaway and I don’t think it’s going to be very easy to break away from this pack in the standings. In a lot of the other divisions there’s bigger separation from the top to the bottom. We don’t have that in our division. Only five teams make the playoffs and it’s going to be a dog fight. Points are at a premium.”
Rochester has won four of its last five games and is coming off a 7-4 win on Saturday against Laval, while Syracuse saw its five-game win streak snapped at the hands of Utica that same evening.
“They’re miserable (to play against) and that makes these games great. They’re physical, their defensive core is massive, they’re a hard team to play against, and they’re probably the most structured team in our division. I’ve said this before and I’ll reiterate it: playing Utica and Syracuse as many times as we have over the years has made us a better team. It’s hardened us. We’ve been really young, and it’s forced our young, skilled players to play with more toughness and competitiveness and that goes a long way in the playoffs.”
LEVI IN ROCH
Appert confirmed at Wednesday’s morning skate that Devon Levi will make his fourth start of the season with the Amerks. Levi has a 2-1-0 mark on the season with a 2.97 goals-against-average and a .903 save percentage as an Amerk. The 22-year-old was reassigned to Rochester while the Sabres remain idle until Feb 6 during the NHL Al-Star break.
“He’s given us a chance to win all three games he’s started. That’s what you want from your goaltender. You want them to give you a chance to win with their performance and how they start the game, and we fully expect he’ll give us that tonight.”
In Buffalo, the Montreal, Quebec, native owns a 9-7-2 record in 20 appearances this season.
FOCUSED ON THE PRESENT
In less than a week, Amerks forwards Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen will be San Jose bound where they’ll represent the Amerks and the North Division at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic. While it’s topical, the focus for the dynamic duo is on Wednesday and not this weekend.
“I can’t wait to be there,” said Kulich. “That said, it’s still regular season hockey tonight. The All-Star game will just be a fun moment to enjoy, but we have work here first.”
“I think I haven’t really thought about it that much,” said Rosen. “We’ve got three games before then and when we come back from break, we’ve got a pretty heavy schedule. I’m just going about it day-by-day trying to focus on the next game.”
The duo has seen massive highs this season but have gone a touch quieter than usual of late. Since returning from Buffalo, Rosen has just two goals and seven points in 18 games. Kulich returned sooner than his best friend but left once more in December to captain Czechia to a bronze medal at World Juniors. Since returning from tournament play, Kulich has two points, both assists, in seven games.
“I think I’ve been struggling a little bit to help my team with offense and get on the scoresheet,” said Rosen. “It hasn’t really bounced my way like it was at the start of the season and then I’m getting myself in a spin cycle a bit, thinking more than I probably should. I just got to keep going here. It’s going to come. You got to be positive every day and be better every day. You need to work hard to get that confidence back.
“I feel kind of unlucky,” said Kulich. “I don’t want to say that, but there’s been times I’ve had great scoring chances and earlier in the season I’d score two goals on three shots and now I haven’t scored. I have to keep working and play simple. I think every game I’m getting closer and closer, but I have to keep doing my thing and hopefully it’s coming.”
GETTING A GAUGE ON GAGE
Joining the Amerks duo out west will be fellow North Division All-Star Gage Goncalves, who currently leads Syracuse with 35 points (7+28) just past the midway point of the season. The fourth-year pro has 122 points across 181 games with Syracuse and is on pace to pass his career-best season from a year ago where the Mission, British Columbia, native scored 13 goals and 54 points.
“He’s become a really good player,” said Appert. “He got called up for the first time this year (to Tampa Bay). I remember like two years ago thinking he would be interesting to see grow because he’s got the talent. Last year in the middle of the year I thought he took a massive step and was a very good player for them down the stretch and into playoffs and he’s just continued on that path this year.”