AMERKS TOP FIVE FACTS FROM THE MONTH OF MAY
Jun 1, 2022By Suzie Cool
The Rochester Americans exited the month of May the same exact way they entered it – in dramatic fashion. From seven-game point streaks, buzzer-beaters and overtime thrillers, the Amerks experienced it all in their 2022 postseason run.
Here’s a closer look at the Amerks’ five fast facts from the month of May.
1. OVERTIME FOR THE WIN?
After playing in 20 games during the 2021-22 regular season that went beyond regulation, it seemed only fitting that the trend would continue into the postseason.
The Amerks went 5-2 through their first seven games of the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs, with four of the five wins coming via overtime and all with the same 4-3 scoreline.
Never before in the 66-year history of the franchise had Rochester begun the postseason with four consecutive overtime victories.
The last time the Amerks played three overtime games in the same series was in 1983 with Rochester eventually going onto win its fourth Calder Cup. The 1983 playoffs were the last time the Amerks played in three consecutive overtime games (April 22-April 26, Games 2-4 of their second-round series against New Haven).
2. ADVANCING TO THE NORTH DIVISION FINALS
For the first time in 18 years, the Amerks advanced to the third round of the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs after closing out the top-seeded Utica Comets with a 4-2 win in Game 5 on Thursday, May 19 at the Adirondack Bank Center.
In doing so, the Amerks were the only fifth seed among the eight final teams in the Calder Cup Playoffs, while the Comets, who owned the best record in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, became the only top seed to be eliminated at that time. By defeating the Utica Comets, the Amerks reached the Division Finals for the 11th time in the 66-year history of the franchise.
3. DRAMATICS UNTIL THE FINAL BUZZER
With the way that the Amerks made their way into the 2022 postseason, it should come as no surprise that the exit was equally as dramatic.
To get into the playoffs, the Amerks relied on wins by the Belleville Senators and Laval Rocket over the Toronto Marlies during the last week of the regular season. It came until that final day of the 2021-22 campaign and one point for Rochester to eventually clinch the last available playoff spot.
While the Amerks went into Game 3 against the Rocket, they faced elimination and were down 0-2 in the best-of-five series. Rochester pulled ahead twice within the contest, however, the Rocket netted the equalizer with 1:07 left in regulation to force what would eventually become a season-ending loss in triple-overtime for the Amerks. It marked Rochester’s fifth game beyond regulation in the playoffs.
Former Amerk forward Jean-Sebastien Dea scored his second goal of the game 1:51 into the third overtime period as Laval earned the three-game sweep after claiming the first two games of the series on home ice earlier in the week.
Game 3 of the North Division Finals marked the first triple-overtime playoff game for Rochester since Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals against Providence on June 9, 1999 and just the third in franchise history.
4. ROOSTER GOES OFF
With at least one point in eight of the 10 playoff games, Amerks forward Arttu Ruotsalainen led the league with eight goals and 12 points through the first three rounds of the postseason. Ruotsalainen still remains one of only eight players to reach the 10-point mark, while he held the longest active point streak (7) in postseason play entering the series against Laval.
5. PETERKA'S PRODUCTION CARRIES OVER INTO POSTSEASON
After leading all AHL rookies with his 68 (28+40) points in 70 games during the regular season, Amerks forward JJ Peterka continued the trend into the postseason.
While being held to just two assists through the play-in series against the Senators, Peterka went off against the Comets in the North Division Semifinals. In five games against Utica, Peterka tallied four goals and three assists, including a game where he notched his third hat trick of the since April 1, earning the first three-goal game by an Amerk in the postseason since Jason Pominville in 2005.
Peterka appeared in all 10 playoff contests for Rochester, compiling 12 points (7+5). He still leads all AHL rookies in playoff goals (7) and points (12) despite Rochester’s season coming to an end a week ago.