GAMEDAY NOTES & QUOTES: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29
Lineup notes & quotes from Coach Appert ahead of tonight's game
Mar 29, 2023The Rochester Americans match-up against the Cleveland Monsters once again on Wednesday night at Blue Cross Arena. The Amerks beat the Monsters 5-2 on Sunday afternoon, and look to gain another two points in the North Division standings.
The Amerks will face only North Division opponents for the rest of the regular season, so every game is huge in the push to the playoffs. And while the Amerks control their own destiny with nine games left, it’s going to be a battle in the North Division.
“I know how good this Division is,” Amerks head coach Seth Appert said after skate today. “I’m not counting anybody out. We’re still in the same spot as we were last week.”
"We’re a little closer to second than we were a week ago… But we gotta keep our foot on the throttle and focus on what we can control.”
LINEUP NOTES
Aleksandr Kisakov will not be in the lineup tonight after playing on Sunday. “It’s part of the plan,” Appert explained. “[We’re] trying to get him more times to lift in the middle of the week, so we can continue to gain his strength looking toward the future.”
Goaltender Malcolm Subban was the first off the ice this morning, so it can be assumed that he’ll get the starting nod. He made 19 saves in Sunday’s victory over the Monsters, and also earned a shootout win last Friday night with 24 saves against the Hershey Bears.
Kisakov was one of the last three skaters on the ice, joined by forward Matej Pekar and defenseman Austin Strand, so Amerks fans could expect to see forward Kohen Olischefski return to the lineup tonight.
Appert mentioned yesterday on The Sports Bar that Mitch Eliot is out this week with an upper-body injury. After suiting up Sunday, it’s likely that Peter Tischke will be on the blue line again tonight.
Having so much depth was crucial in last week’s success. Every healthy player, at every position, suited up for the Amerks. And every one of those players made an impact.
“That’s what you want from your team: that togetherness and whenever a guy’s name is called, they’re going to come and step up. So that’s critically important.”
Something the Appert mentioned on his weekly radio show with Gene Battaglia and Mike Danger that might interest Amerks fans: forward Brandon Biro might return to the lineup next week.
WORTH MENTIONING
The Amerks look for their fourth-straight win tonight. The Amerks also have points in each of their last four home games, going 3-0-0-1 in that span.
Four different Rochester skaters posted multi-point efforts on Sunday.
Jiri Kulich tallied his 20th and 21st goal of the season, giving Rochester back-to-back seasons with rookie 20-goal scorers. Both JJ Peterka (28) and Jack Quinn (26) did so last season.
Brett Murray, who scored three goals over the weekend, has reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career.
Subban, who has started eight of the last 11 games for Rochester, has established a new career-high with 17 wins on the season.
Lukas Rousek made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. Rousek, who was also called-up on Saturday but did not play, scored his first NHL goal on his very first shot.
“You’re very proud of him for earning that opportunity,” Appert said on Tuesday. “But for him to then play so well, and take advantage of that opportunity and that moment that he earned was great to see.”
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
The Cleveland Monsters enter tonight’s game in sixth place in the North Division, trailing the Laval Rocket by one point for the final playoff spot after the Rocket victory on Tuesday night.
The Monsters are 6-3-1-0 in their last ten games, including the 5-2 loss to the Amerks on Sunday afternoon. Sunday’s loss just might make the Monsters hungrier on Wednesday night at Blue Cross Arena.
Forward Trey Fix-Wolansky leads the Cleveland squad with 67 points (26 goals, 41 assists), but he is currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Forwards Josh Dunne (19 goals) and Justin Richards (10 goals) round-out the leading scorers with 35 points each.
“On paper, they could easily be the best lineup in the North Division right now,” Appert said. But the fact that they’re sitting in sixth, according to Appert, is just the nature of the American Hockey League.
“You can’t look at their record, you have to look at their lineup… and their lineup is going to be dangerous down the stretch.”
Goaltender Daniil Tarasov started in net on Sunday, the 36th game he has appeared in for Cleveland this season. After 16 saves and two goals against in 25 minutes, Jet Greaves entered the game for the Monsters. It is unknown which netminder will get the nod tonight.
GAME NIGHT INFORMATION
The Amerks will wear their white jerseys at home tonight, instead of blue, as Cleveland packed their black uniforms for Bills Day on Sunday.
Tonight’s Jersey Mike’s Hot Players are Jiri Kulich, Mason Jobst, and Matt Bartkowski. Today is the annual Jersey Mike’s Day of Giving, so in support of that, if a Hot Player scores, the Amerks will be donating to Special Olympics New York in the amount of the player’s jersey number x10.
Please join the Amerks in support of the Day of Giving by ordering a meal from Jersey Mike’s, in store or on their app, as all of today’s sales will be donated to Special Olympics New York.