AMERKS WEEK 8 ROUND-UP
Brandon Biro is back, the importance of organizational depth, former Amerks rookies having success in NHL
Dec 5, 2022With the arrival of December came a four-day trip to take on the Cleveland Monsters, the return of third-year pro Brandon Biro and proof that the Rochester Americans can rely on their depth for balance offensive production on any given night. Amerks head coach Seth Appert dives in the Amerks last week of play and reflects on some of his favorite Rochester rookies from the past.
Here’s a look at the top takeaways from Week 8 of the 2022-23 season.
BRANDON BIRO IS BACK
“He’s just playing such good hockey, so that coming back in, it was like he had never left,” started Appert when asked how Biro’s game this season set him up for a seamless return to the lineup.
Prior to last Thursday’s game against the Monsters, Biro had been out for six games with a lower-body injury. In his first two games back, the third-year pro managed to produce three points highlighted by his first multi-goal effort of the 2022-23 campaign.
“He's so committed to his style of play right now,” continued Appert when talking about Biro. “He's just playing hard. He's attacking the game. He's not letting the game come to him. He's attacking the game and he's dictating the game, and he has a lot of confidence, physically and with the puck. So, he just stepped right back in, and he looked like he left before he left.”
Before being sidelined, Biro was leading the Amerks roster with his 12 points through the team’s first 13 games of the year. The Rochester forward set a goal to make an immediate impact once the 2022-23 season opened and it looks as if he’ll continue his torrid start despite the few games he spent away from the ice.
DEPTH, DEPTH AND MORE DEPTH
The great thing about Amerks currently is the fact that any player, on any given night, can go off, truly showcasing the depth that the Buffalo Sabres organization currently has.
“It’s a good thing,” began Appert when asked how he approaches everyone on his team having the ability to step up offensively. “We believe that we don't have a first line and a fourth line and everything in between. We think we have lines that are all really good lines that can score.”
One night Biro can go out and produce a two-goal effort, the next alternate captain Sean Malone might register a natural hat trick. Anything is possible when it comes to the line combos that Appert and staff come up with.
“Right now, on paper, you might look at the (Aleksandr) Kisakov and (Anders) Bjork as a fourth line. Well, it's not a fourth line…those guys are playing really good hockey. So, we have the depth of scoring that you need to become a really good team. We're working towards that right now, but that’s important to have so that we're not relying on two, three, four guys every night.”
JJ AND QUINNER TEARING UP THE NHL
After the all-star seasons that former Amerks rookies JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn assembled in the AHL last year, it comes as no surprise to see their on-ice success translate to their first full seasons in the NHL.
“Nothing surprises me with the two of them. They look how they look last year here, and that doesn't surprise me,” explained Appert when asked what about Peterka and Quinn and how they’ve acclimated to the NHL.
After not posting a point through the Sabres’ first four games of the season, Quinn has found his groove at the next level, totaling six goals and eight assists for 14 points through 20 games. Additionally, Quinn has gone on to register two multi-goal outings through his last six games.
Peterka has appeared in 25 games with the Buffalo this season and has also gone on to produce six goals and eight assists for 14 points.
“They work so hard. They're so committed to their game. They're so committed to development. I figured that, for them, it would just be an adjustment period to the pace, the strength, what you can do and what you can't do,” continued Appert when talking about the former Amerks.
Both are most recently coming off a game where they posted goals against former Amerk goaltender Aaron Dell in Buffalo’s 6-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night. This made Appert smile when he reflected on Peterka repping an Amerks shirt under his gear following the game.
“It was funny, I saw the picture of JJ after the game wearing an Amerks shirt under his gear still and I laughed. It sounds funny but we talk to our young players about being immersed where your feet are, and that's what I give those two so much credit for. They loved being Americans, they were fully invested here in Rochester with their teammates and that allowed them to develop and eventually get to where they wanted to get to. Those are the things we try to preach to our young guys.”
LOOKING AHEAD TO THIS WEEK
This week, the Amerks are back on pace for another three games over a four-day span, this time against North Division opponents they’re all too familiar with.
On Wednesday, the Amerks host the Syracuse Crunch before another Friday night at The Blue Cross Arena against the Utica Comets. Saturday, Rochester heads north of the border to close out this week’s action against the Toronto Marlies.
Both home games are slated for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop, while Saturday’s matinee at the Coca-gets underway at 4 p.m. All the week’s action will be carried on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.