AMERKS REPORT CARD FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
Nov 30, 2022By Suzie Cool
November featured 11 games for the Rochester Americans, and the team truly didn’t disappoint.
After two months of play to kick-off the 2022-23 American Hockey League campaign, the Amerks are sitting pretty with a 10-6-1-1 overall record, which is good for second place in the North Division. Despite the original struggles Rochester saw on its blueline, thee Amerks are now back to full capacity when it comes to the defensive core, still finding ways to take away points at home and forwards Linus Weissbach and Brett Murray are beginning to emerge into their own.
Here's a look back at the Amerks five fast facts from their second month of AHL action during the 2022-23 season.
HOME COOKING STILL GOING STRONG
The Amerks have earned at least one point in eight of their first nine home contests so far this season, boasting a 7-1-1-0 mark within the friendly confines of The Blue Cross Arena.
Rochester opened the season with five straight home wins, marking the team's best start since 2006-07. Five of the seven victories this season in the Flower City have come when the team trailed entering the final 20 minutes of regulation while all seven wins have come by way of four or more goals. Additionally, Rochester has outscored its opposition 18-8 after the start of the third period and has outshot the visitors 88-74 in the final frame as well.
POWER-PLAY PROFICIENCY
Coming into the month of December, 16 of the Amerks' 60 goals this season have come on the power-play, which are tied for 12th-most among any team in the AHL. By going 16-for-63 while on the man-advantage, Rochester is seventh in the league with a 25.4% conversion rate.
However, home is where the power-play is strongest for Rochester. The Amerks' 13 power-play goals at home are fourth-most in the league this season, going 13-for-37 through those first nine home matchups.
WEISSBACH LEADING THE WAY
Weissbach has made quite the statement in just his second season in the AHL.
On the heels of his fourth multi-point effort of the season on Wednesday, and an assist last Friday night against the Bridgeport Islanders, the second-year forward currently shares the team lead with 14 points and is one back of the team-lead with seven goals through 18 games. The Amerks forward comes into the week with seven points over his last 12 appearances, including goals in three straight games over that span, while his seven goals are currently six off the league-lead.
MURRAY PLAYING WITH BIG MURR ENERGY
Last week, Murray had himself a week, totaling six points through the Amerks three games against Atlantic Division opponents.
On Wednesday against the Providence Bruins, Murray scored twice within a span of 1:51 in the third period before capping off last Friday’s 6-5 overtime win against the Islanders with his third point of the night with the Amerks overtime winner. Friday marked Murray’s third multi-point outing in four games and Wednesday was his first multi-goal effort since Nov. 19 of last season when he scored twice in a 5-4 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Murray is already within half of his career-high 15 goals he scored during the 2021-22 campaign in just 18 games to kick off the 2022-23 season. The fourth-year forward has recorded three multi-point efforts over his last five games as he shows three goals and five assists and is currently riding his second three-game point streak of the campaign.
GOALTENDING CAROUSEL
Prior to the Nov. 11 game against Cleveland, we saw both goaltenders Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Malcolm Subban fall ill to the flu. Then, netminder Michael Houser began to develop similar symptoms midgame, meaning Rochester newcomer Beck Warm would have to step in following a seven-hour drive from Cincinnati.
Warm went on to start in the game against the Belleville Senators the very next day (Nov. 12), making 32 saves on the 34 shots he faced in the shootout effort. Not bad for the quick turnaround, considering the measures it took for him to get to Rochester.
On top of that, the Amerks needed a capable netminder to back-up Warm in Belleville, so the team turned to local product Leif Hertz of Ontario Tech University.
Thankfully, all goaltenders are back to full capacity.
Houser and Subban are still in Rochester manning the pipes, while Luukkonen received his first call-up to the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 17. Warm returned to the Cincinnati Cyclones last week, and Hertz was released from his ATO following the Amerks game in Belleville on Nov. 12.
LOOKING AHEAD TO DECEMBER
In the month of December, the Amerks have another 11 games on tap with five home matchups all with 7:05 p.m. puck drops. The second and last week of December are jampacked with three-in-four action, with the team beginning the month on the road to take on the Cleveland Monsters while they’ll end the month, and 2022, taking on the Toronto Marlies north of the border.
Every Wednesday at The Blue Cross Arena features College night with discounted tickets and beverage prices for college students, while every Friday you can get $2 beers at the Genesee Brew House located in arena from 6-7 p.m. The Genesee Brew House is located at the top of the stairs if you enter the main atrium and our Pregame Happy Hour will feature live music, bands, and plenty of fun to get the Friday night party started.
Additionally, all games will be carried live on 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV, while the Dec. 9 (live), Dec. 23 (tape-delayed) and Dec. 28 (live) matchups will be carried on the CW Rochester.