AMERKS DECEMBER 2023 REPORT CARD
Breaking down the Amerks' performance during the month of December.
Jan 2, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans put a bow on 2023 with a 3-2 shootout win in Utica to enter the New Year on a high note.
After a 4-7-0-1 month, it’s difficult to say things are nothing but sunshine and rainbows, but there were certainly some very big positives coming out of December. Let’s hope that leads to an improved month in January.
POWER-PLAY: B
With five man-advantage goals in its last eight games, Rochester’s power-play boasts a 21.5% efficiency, which ranks seventh in the AHL. Perhaps more importantly, the Amerks’ man-advantage ranks first up-and-down the North Division. On the road, Rochester’s power-play has found even more success, converting at a 22.8% clip.
Keep in mind this has all come in part without leading scorer Jiri Kulich for parts of the month, as Kulich departed last week to represent his country at the U20 World Junior Championship in Sweden. Aside from Kulich, Brandon Biro has been a top producer on the power-play, converting four times on the man-advantage.
Without question, the depth of the organization kept things afloat. This was the spot that shined the brightest for Rochester through its 10-game November slate.
DIGGING DEEP: B
Depth has been a topic throughout the season for Rochester to this point, and it was showcased again throughout the final month of the calendar year. The Amerks had to play several games without the likes of not only the aforementioned Kulich and Biro, but also Isak Rosen, Brett Murray, Brendan Warren, Tyson Kozak, Nikita Novikov, Zach Metsa, and Ethan Prow. That’s a massive amount of quality players out of the lineup, yet the Amerks found a way to win four games, including three difficult matchups on the road, where Rochester fared quite well with a 4-2-0-1 record in the month.
The absences resulted in several variations of Amerks lineups, yet the team found ways to continue being productive. In particular, there was a three-game road trip in the middle of the month where Damien Giroux went from a healthy scratch to being cast onto a line with Michael Mersch and Mason Jobst. The trio thrived, with Giroux scoring two goals and three points, while the line combined for seven points (2+5) over three games.
Bonus points: In a season with ever-changing dynamics to the lineup, defensemen Riley Stillman and Kale Clague have earned their flowers. The duo has been paired together practically all season and match one another in penalty minutes (28) and games played (27).
THE FANS: A+
There’s been one constant over the 68 years of Rochester Americans hockey: the fans.
Each time the team has needed it most, thousands of passionate, loyal, die-hard Amerks fans invade the building and make Blue Cross Arena a tough place to play for the opposition.
Sometimes it isn’t easy being a committed fan. We all know the toll of riding and dying with your favorite team, but we also know just how good it feels to see that support payoff when the team is on the highest of highs. That is still to come this season, but we all know it will.
In the final home game of 2023, Rochester saw a season-high 9,092 seats filled with Amerks red, white, and blue at Blue Cross Arena. Five of the last six games in downtown Rochester have seen over 6,200 fans attend to support their Amerks, who have an average home attendance of 5,791 this season. Your support is noticed, appreciated, and will be rewarded.
GOLD STAR STUDENTS: LUKAS ROUSEK
When the head coach says a player has played the best stretch of their career, you’ve got to award them a gold star. That’s what Seth Appert has said of late about third-year Amerk Lukas Rousek. The 2019 Sabres draft pick enters 2024 with a six-game point streak (3+4), tying a career-best. Overall, Rousek amassed nine points in December (3+6). He is third in team scoring with six goals and 19 points.
JANUARY SYLLABUS
Six of Rochester’s 10 January games come on home ice, though the most marquee game of the season comes on the road in Charlotte on Jan. 13 for the Queen City Outdoor Classic when the team faces the Checkers. The Amerks will play six games within their division and four against the Atlantic. The action starts this Friday when Cleveland comes to town for the front half of a home-and-home weekend set.