TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS NAB THREE POINTS AGAINST CLEVELAND
Jan 8, 2024The Rochester Americans (15-12-3-1) began 2024 with a two-game weekend series against the North Division leading-Cleveland Monsters. After a 3-1 win on home ice Friday, Rochester rallied on the road in Cleveland to force overtime Saturday with a 6-5 final that went the way of the Monsters.
The Amerks now head into Outdoor Classic week with 34 points, good for fourth in the North Division.
COMRIE STEPS UP
After starting the season in Buffalo, goaltender Eric Comrie arrived in Rochester earlier last week after being assigned from the Sabres. In his AHL season debut, Comrie led the Amerks to a 3-1 win Friday, turning aside 33 of 34 shots faced. The Edmonton, Alberta, native was credited with his 92nd AHL win and 115th of his professional career.
“I felt really good throughout the whole night,” said Comrie following Friday’s win. “I felt the preparation was good all week. We had a good week of practice. We were working hard right from the get-go. The guys bought in to what we wanted to do this weekend and it was fun to see. Seamus (Kotyk) did an awesome job with me doing some great detail work and the coaching staff as a whole did a great job of getting the players ready. I just tried to have fun out there and enjoy it.”
“He was really solid,” said Amerks head coach Seth Appert. “I thought he made the game really simple for himself and therefore it made the game simple for us (as a team). He kept the chaos to a minimum. Him being so ready with it being his first game in a month speaks to his work ethic, which is impeccably high.”
ROUSEK RULES
In his third season as an Amerk, forward Lukas Rousek has hit his stride, carrying a career-best eight-game point streak into the upcoming pair of games in Charlotte.
Since Dec. 20, Rousek has scored three goals while adding six assists for nine points over the past eight games. His point streak is tied for the longest active streak in the AHL. The Sabres’ 2019 sixth-round pick posted an assist in both Friday and Saturday’s game against Cleveland.
ROOKIE PAIR PRODUCTION
On a team led by experienced forwards like Rousek, Brandon Biro, and Michael Mersch, first-year pro Viktor Neuchev was a standout on offense over the weekend. The Russian rookie scored his third goal of the season Friday on a breakaway, ending a 12-game goal-less drought, then followed-up with a two-assist night on Saturday, earning Neuchev his first multi-point game as a pro.
“We’ve seen so many good things out of him the last six to eight weeks,” said Appert. “How hard he’s working, how much time he’s putting into his craft. Neuchev is bought into the process to become what it’s gonna take to be a good hockey player in North America. Usually, players get better and they get rewarded when they invest time into themselves. Credit to Viktor. We had a pretty hard meeting with him six to eight weeks ago and his response has been exceptional.”
On the blueline, rookie Zach Metsa had a highlight night Saturday in Cleveland. The former Quinnipiac University captain scored two goals and finished with a three-point night (2+1) for the first time in his young professional career.
This comes following the rookie defenseman missing four weeks due to injury in December. Metsa has recorded points in each of his two games since returning, while Neuchev carries a three-game point streak into the new week.
COMING UP NEXT
Rochester ventures down to North Carolina where they will first face-off with the Checkers under the roof of Bojangles Coliseum Friday. Afterwards, the teams will meet for the fourth and final time this season, this time, doing so outdoors beneath the lights of Truist Field in Charlotte come Saturday in the 2024 Queen City Outdoor Classic.