AMERKS LOOKING TO COME TOGETHER OVER EXTENDED ROAD TRIP
Oct 26, 2021By Suzie Cool
It’s been a while since the Rochester Americans hit the road for an actual road trip, however, this week that all changes as the team makes it way north of the border to continue its four-game swing. The Amerks are in Belleville on Wednesday to face-off against the Senators before taking on the Laval Rocket on back-to-back days as part of a two-game set.
After facing the same three teams, all of which are within a doable driving distance, during the 2020-21 campaign, it’s been since Mar. 6 and 7 of 2020 that the Amerks have spent multiple nights on the road. Coincidentally, Rochester was wrapping up a two-game sweep of the Senators that weekend prior to the official shut down of the 2019-20 season.
With things being back to pretty much normal, the players and staff are more than excited to finally get to road tripping with one another.
“I love being on the road,” stated Amerks head coach Seth Appert when asked how important a long road trip like this is this early in the season.
WATCH: SETH APPERT AFTER TUESDAY'S PRACTICE
“When people looked at our schedule and were like, ‘It’s a bummer you’re gone so much early,’ and I’m like, ‘No, this is awesome.’” Appert then went on to add, “It’s fun to go on the road. You get to know each other more, you get to go to dinner or whatever those things are and I think that really helps.”
Earlier today the Amerks hit the road to continue their four-game Canadian road swing. The team faced the Toronto Marlies on Saturday night in what turned out to be a rather lopsided 7-3 victory in favor of Rochester and this week they look to play Belleville tomorrow at the CAA Arena at 7 p.m. before they head to Laval to take on the Rocket in back-to-back matchups on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
Along with Appert, Amerks captain Michael Mersch is more than ready to get back on the road with his teammates. After not being able to see each other away from the rink last season, it’s nice for the team to be able to do things together like go out to dinner, watch movies and try to get a couple of wins along the way.
“I think it’s fun, especially if you can get some wins on the road early and you come together a little bit more, and guys get to know each other a little bit more as well. You get to watch movies on the bus on the way up there, go out to dinner and you have a roommate on the road, too.”
Mersch then added, “You get to know someone maybe that you wouldn’t know as well in a season like last year.”
WATCH: MICHAEL MERSCH AFTER TUESDAY'S PRACTICE
On top of getting a chance to know someone that the group may not have had the chance to last season, Appert feels that road trips and time at dinner is crucial when wanting to have real conversations and getting to know one another as human beings.
“Getting to go to dinner with whether it’s our staff, or whether the players are together or whatever that is, those are times that you can have real conversations and get to know people as human beings, which is important.”
All in all, it seems that as the bus was being packed up and the interviews were coming to an end, the Amerks just want to come home with a couple more wins on their first real road trip in almost two years.
“That feeling in the locker room, especially at the end of a trip if you’ve been successful, it’s a very unique feeling that I’ve probably only been around in a locker room,” said Appert. “That camaraderie and that bonding that you have of going through something hard together and having success doing it.”
WATCH: MASON JOBST AFTER TUESDAY'S PRACTICE
After the Amerks round out their Canadian road swing this weekend, we’ll see the squad back at home next week for a pair of home games. On Wednesday, Nov. 3 the Senators head to The Blue Cross Arena before the Amerks host the Marlies on Friday, Nov. 5 with both puck drops being slated for 7:05 p.m.