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AMERKS FORGED A BROTHERHOOD UNDER APPERT

Jun 1, 2022

By Warren Kosel

 

A distraught Seth Appert took his usual position behind the podium prepared to address the media, something he’s done every day since the start of training camp.

 

As he peered up in anticipation of the first question, an obvious sense of disappointment took over the second-year head coach, but not because the Rochester Americans saw their season come to a heartbreaking end in a triple-overtime loss to the Laval Rocket in Game 3 of the North Division Finals the night before.

 

It was because at that very moment, he knew it would be the final day that his team would be together before going their separate ways.

 

For the past several weeks, Appert admitted that he didn’t want the season to end, and it wasn’t because he was at the helm of the team’s most impressive postseason runs in almost two decades. It was simply because he didn’t want to stop coaching this particular group of players who arrived in Rochester back in September as individuals and by season’s end forged an unbreakable bond.

 

WATCH: SETH APPERT YEAR-END INTERVIEW

 

As the question came in from Suzie Cool, the team’s multimedia journalist, Appert was nearly at a loss of words, which if anyone knew Appert, was uncharacteristic of Rochester’s bench boss.

 

He was asked to reflect on how the last few weeks allowed him more time to continue coaching the Amerks and, unsurprisingly, his response was just as expected.

“I’m probably more disappointed that I didn’t get more (time) than happy that we got extra,” said Appert, who guided the Amerks to the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 2004. “That’s just the way coaches think. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to coach this group. I loved coaching this team. They had this incredible blend of fun mixed with really hard work and competitiveness that most teams can’t mesh the two. I’m incredibly proud of them.”

 

A season that began with such promise was soon met by extended periods of adversity. A flurry of call-ups and injuries decimated the Amerks lineup while the team was also forced to navigate through the continued challenges of COVID. But something Appert alluded to time and time again over the course of the season was that shared adversity fuels growth and brings teams together.

 

But the Amerks ultimately overcame it all, and combined with their commitment to reinstating a winning culture in Rochester, were rewarded by clinching the last available playoff spot on the final day of the 2021-22 regular season.

 

And then came the memorable postseason run which was sparked by an improbable but equally impressive come-from-behind win in Game 1 of the play-in round against the Belleville Senators, the very team responsible for opening the playoff door for Rochester. Facing a 3-0 deficit, the Amerks stormed back with three third-period goals before sealing the comeback in overtime.

 

The Amerks duplicated the effort in Game 2 to complete the sweep and set-up a second-round meeting with the Eastern Conference champion Utica Comets, who were eventually chased out of their own building in a five-game series with Rochester.

 

And then the third-round series against Laval, and with it the support of a playoff-starved community that got behind its team. Back-to-back sellout crowds, including one of 10,741, packed in The Blue Cross Arena not because the team was fun to watch, but because they wanted to be part of something special.

 

And then suddenly it was over. Rochester’s magical postseason run ended as dramatic as it began, on home ice, in an overtime thriller, in front of a capacity crowd.

 

As depressing and disheartening the end of the season was for the Amerks, it was by far not the biggest thing weighing on the minds of the player and coaches. The consternation was that this group would never be a team again.

 

WATCH: JASON KARMANOS YEAR-END INTERVIEW

 

The players one by one filed into the locker room after the customary handshake line with Laval and Appert stood at the center. After offering a few words of encouragement to lessen the heartache of the season coming to a close, he told the players he loved them and expressed his gratitude to each one of them.

 

Appert’s gesture triggered a mass embrace among the Amerks players as each one stood up from their respective stalls and walked around the room to exchange hugs and words of gratitude to one another. A team that literally saw its season come to an unfortunate end was still as close as ever in that final moment, a trait that speaks volumes of the team’s make-up.

 

“I said to the group that we’re certainly disappointed in the loss, but I’m probably more choked up that I won’t get to coach this group again,” Appert told the media following the Game 3 loss to Laval. “This is a great group that went through so much adversity and never gave up on each other. I’m more probably more disappointed that this particular group of men will never get to be a team again.”

 

Amerks forward Brett Murray was visibly emotional when he addressed the media following the game. He stood at the podium struggling to find the words to accurately describe just how special it was to be part of this team all season.

 

“It’s tough to really talk about it so quickly, but you don’t see a lot of teams sort of bond and come together the way we did through adversity and throughout the entire season from being in second at one point to just slipping into the playoffs and winning two playoff series. This is an extremely special group and I was happy to be a part of it the entire time.”

 

JJ Peterka, who led all rookies in goals and points through the first three rounds of the playoffs, entered the media room still dressed from the waist down, an obvious indication that he wasn’t ready for the season to end, and he needed time for the loss to sink in. When asked why he still had his skates on, he said half-heartedly “because that would mean the season is over and no one wants to go home.”

 

Amerks captain Michael Mersch, who missed the final five games of the postseason due to injury, spoke on locker cleanout day about the closeness of the group.

 

“It’s not very often you see a team as close as ours. They made my job as a captain so easy and it was just an absolute pleasure to be out there and battle with them every day. Coming to the rink every day and getting better with a group of guys that you really care about made this season so special for me.”

 

Despite everything they accomplished this year, nothing was more important than the team itself, and if the success of a team can be measured by its closeness as a group, then the Amerks achieved greatness this past season.

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