GAMEDAY NOTES & QUOTES: CONFERENCE FINALS | GAME 5
May 31, 2023The Rochester Americans are in a must-win match-up against the Hershey Bears in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals tonight in Hershey. The Bears lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 after a third period comeback on Monday night in Rochester.
Despite staring down elimination, the mood in the Amerks locker room is positive. “Nobody likes where you’re at in the series,” Amerks head coach Seth Appert said this morning, “but I thought we had a really good meeting yesterday. I thought we had a really productive meeting this morning.”
“You can see they’re in a good head space.”
The positivity has been earned through the adversity the team has conquered throughout the late stretch of the season. “You can’t fake that belief and confidence,” Appert said. “You have to earn that. This group has earned that.”
We need to string together a full 60 minutes to get the Game 5 win in Hershey tonight. pic.twitter.com/bpmvVVMz43
— x-Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey) May 31, 2023
The Amerks have had their backs against the wall before. They faced elimination in three-straight games against the Syracuse Crunch in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. They won all three games. And then they won three more to sweep the Toronto Marlies.
The Hershey Bears are a formidable opponent: big, physical, and very strong defensively. They’ve adjusted to the fast Amerks offense and have been able to shut down the Rochester leading scorers, especially on the power play. But Appert sees offense being left on the table.
“We do think there’s more offense to be found,” he said. “We’re putting ourselves in positions to get that, and then we’re leaving things on the table. We’ll need to make adjustments and do a better job on that.”
Appert, and assistant coach Michael Peca, have been focused on helping the power play convert on the few chances they’ve been given. “When you’re not having a lot of opportunities, and you’re a little out of sync, a lot of times the crispness of the passing or of the seam plays doesn’t exist,” Appert explained.
“But simplicity is key: shoot the damn puck, really.”
The Amerks have maintained a singular focus for all of the postseason: just win one game. It’s not about being down 3-1 in the series, it’s about winning one game in Hershey, which the Amerks have already done.
“It’s important that you leave yesterday’s baggage there, and allow yourself to be free of mind today,” Appert said of his message to the group. “It’s a new day.”
LINEUP NOTES
Appert said that he expects defenseman Ethan Prow, who missed Game 4 due to injury, to return to the lineup tonight. “He’s a captain, he’s one of our best players. We’re a better team when he’s in, so that’s the plan to have him back tonight.”
Mitch Eliot replaced Prow in the lineup on Monday and Filip Cederqivst was reinserted after being scratched for two games. Cederqvist assisted on both of Rochester’s Game 4 goals.
Linus Weissbach scored both goals in front of the net, which is what Appert wanted to see out of the group: dirty goals in front of the net with tips, screens, rebounds. “We have two of the best net-front players in the league in Michael Mersch and Brett Murray, so we gotta do a better job of delivering pucks to them,” he said.
Appert changed up the lines during Game 4, separating Mersch and Murray, who have been on a line with Mason Jobst for much of the postseason. “We tried to spread out our heaviness a little bit more to give some of the other guys help in puck battles and things of that nature,” he explained.
When asked about the lines tonight, Appert responded with a smile: “We will see.”
GAME INFORMATION
Tonight’s game will be broadcast on MSG Network, carrying the WPMT Fox43’s feed from Hershey, for fans across New York state. For fans everywhere, the game can be streamed on AHLTV, and day passes are available for $8.99. The game will also be on The Fan Rochester with Don Stevens and Brian Duff on the call.
Tickets to a potential Game 6, which would be played on Friday in Rochester, are on sale now. Fans at the game will receive an Eastern Conference Finals poster, courtesy of The UPS Store.
A potential Game 7 would be Monday, June 5 back in Hershey.