AMERKS OCTOBER 2024 REPORT CARD
Individual standouts lead to straight A’s to start 2024-25 season
Nov 7, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
October is officially in the books for the Rochester Americans. In the opening month of the team’s 69th season, the Amerks posted a .500 record, going 3-3-0-0, but the results within those results tell a story of a team much better than its win/loss columns suggest. We’ve seen it early on in November as momentum from October has carried over.
While the team picked up three wins last month, there were individual highlights that stood out above all else. Let’s dive in:
COACHING: A
The end of October marked the end of Michael Leone’s first month as a head coach in the AHL. The 34th head coach in franchise history saw his team play to a consistent identity that’s seen improvement each and every game.
“I don’t take it for granted,” said Leone when recapping his first month with the Amerks. “It’s a privilege to come to the rink every day and it’s still surreal for me. I love it here. It’s always easier when you have a great support staff and players who work really hard. I’m living the dream and I’m very thankful to be here.”
The Dearborn, Michigan, native is the second youngest active coach in the league. Leone previously served as head coach for Green Bay in the USHL over the last two seasons.
“I really respect Leo (Leone) and the career he’s had,” said Mason Jobst, whom Leone named as the 64th captain in Amerks history ahead of starting the season. “He’s his own man and does things his own way, which I really respect. So far, so good.”
GETTIN' ‘KOZY’: A
It took Amerks forward Tyson Kozak all of seven games to tie his previous career high of five goals in a season. He did that in each of the last two years in 41 and 55 games, respectively.
“We think he could be a 15-goal scorer,” said Leone earlier in October. “We believe in him. He’s the straw that stirs the drink on any line he plays on. He’s a young kid and he’s a big part of our identity as a team. I know he’s a checker and he kills penalties, but I think there’s more there offensively. I really do.”
Kozak scored in Rochester’s home opener against Belleville, then found the back of the net in each of the last three games in October. He leads Rochester with five goals this season.
“I feel pretty good,” said Kozak. “It feels pretty good to match my career highs this early into the season. I think the main thing has just been having confidence in myself. I’ve been feeling good with the puck and trusting my abilities.”
HOUSE OF HISTORY: A
The Rochester Americans are the fifth-youngest team in the AHL and second-youngest in the North Division with an average age of 23.85. Among all the youth, however, is 13-year pro Michael Houser, who on Oct. 26 helped secure a shootout win for the Amerks and in doing so collected his 200th professional win.
“It’s a big number,” said Houser. “I think what it really says is that I’ve been playing for a long time, and I’ve been fortunate enough to play with some really good teams. Most of my career I’ve been with really good teams that make you feel like you have a chance to win every night.”
Houser, 32, owns a 4-1-0 record to begin the season, showcasing a 2.15 goals-against average to go with a .922 save percentage. He has played for five AHL teams, but has spent the past five seasons under the Amerks’ umbrella.
“It’s been great. I’ve played for other teams before, but I’ve been here now for a while, and I just feel really comfortable. Whether it was here, or in Buffalo, or even in the ECHL when I would go down to Cincinnati or Jacksonville. I’ve enjoyed my time with this organization a lot.”
NOVEMBER SYLLABUS
The busiest month of the season comes right off the hop for Rochester, which plays 14 times across the 30-day month of November. The Amerks will split their games evenly, playing seven at Blue Cross Arena and seven on the road. Eleven of 14 will come against North Division competition, but for the first time this season, the Amerks will face a team from the Atlantic, beginning this Friday at home against Hartford. The team then has two Keystone State clashes with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on the road Saturday, before later hosting the defending back-to-back Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears on Nov. 22.
Rochester closes the month of November with a playoff rematch, as it’ll be the first time the Amerks and Syracuse Crunch get together since their five-game series from the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs that saw the Crunch end Rochester’s season. The two teams meet twice on consecutive nights Nov. 29-30.