EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF TONIGHT'S HOME OPENER
Oct 13, 2022By Suzie Cool
All the details you need to know for the Rochester Americans Home Opener, presented by Kinecta Federal Credit Union – right here, right now.
The Amerks kick off their 67th season in the American Hockey League tonight against the Toronto Marlies with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop. While the Amerks open the 2022-23 campaign with a home-and-home against the Marlies, they’ll take on Toronto eight times over the course of the year.
“We don't know a ton, right now,” commented Amerks head coach Seth Appert when asked how Toronto’s team is looking to shape up this season. “They have the same coaching staff and, I’m sure, their style will be probably similar. In the American League, like our roster changes, their roster changes a ton. So early in the season, it's more about us than our opponent. We'll give our guys a framework of their style of play, but we'll focus on how we need to play.”
Last year, the Amerks posted a 2-3-0-1 record against Toronto, while both teams show an identical record of 8-6-1-1 against one another of the last five years. Thanks to the Marlies in 2021-22, though, the Amerks just inched into the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs as Toronto fell to the Belleville Senators in their final game of the regular season last year.
From then on, the Amerks went on sweep Belleville in the first round of the postseason, before ousting the Utica Comets in the North Division Semifinals. The Amerks then found themselves in the North Division Finals against the Laval Rocket, and the third round of the postseason, for the first time in over 18 years.
And, looking at Opening Night, the Amerks are looking to keep that playoff momentum and feeling rolling into a brand-new season with a fresh roster.
“We’re building off, certainly, last year's playoff run, and the fans were just unbelievable, and that was a special experience for us,” stated Appert when asked what the fans should look forward to upon Opening Night. “I know, and I'm sure that goes for them as well, that we have another young group of really talented prospects for them to watch, and then we also have a great veteran core that we've brought back that they fell in love with watching last year.”
Here's the Opening Night roster that Appert happens to be talking about:
FORWARDS
#10 Brandon Biro
#11 Lukas Rousek
#13 Linus Weissbach
#17 Sean Malone
#18 Isak Rosen
#21 Kohen Olischefski
#25 Jiri Kulich
#26 Mason Jobst
#28 Michael Mersch
#44 Tyson Kozak
#45 Brendan Warren
#51 Aleksandr Kisakov
#71 Filip Cederqvist
#81 Brett Murray
DEFENSEMEN
#2 Oskari Laaksonen
#4 Jeremy Davies
#7 Ethan Prow
#16 Peter Tischke
#20 Lawrence Pilut
#27 Chase Priskie
#52 Mitch Eliot
#56 Kale Clague
GOALTENDERS
#1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
#29 Michael Houser
#47 Malcolm Subban
While we’re all excited about the product that we finally get to see hit the ice tonight, there’s a lot off the ice that will make you want to get to The Blue Cross Arena a little earlier than the time of puck drop.
First and foremost, our ROC the Block Party, presented by Kinecta, on Broad Street is BACK and beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Be sure to head out of work early so you can kick off the 2022-23 Amerks season celebration featuring the Back in Town Band playing live music, a bounce house and face painting for the kids, a number of food vendors that includes (but is not limited to) Eat Greek, Zweigles, The Meatball Truck Co. and more and select beer vendors. The party on Broad Street will go until 6:30 p.m. with doors opening for the game at 6 p.m.
Upon entering the arena tomorrow, the first 5,000 fans through the doors will receive Kinecta FCU and Amerks-branded thundersticks and 2022-23 magnet schedules, courtesy of Nissan. Additionally, like every Friday night Amerks game, you can get $2 beers at the Genesee Brew House located at the top of the stairs after entering the main atrium from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Amerks Pregame Happy Hour will feature live music, bands and plenty of fun to kick off Rochester’s 67th season in the AHL, however, please remember to drink responsibly.
It's almost time for some Rochester hockey, and WOW, we can’t wait to kick-off the 2022-23 season with the best fans in the American Hockey League tonight as the Amerks take on the Marlies at 7:05 p.m. See you soon, Amerks fans!