GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS FACE CRUNCH IN LONE PRESEASON OUTING
Amerks travel to Syracuse for tune-up ahead of season opener
Oct 5, 2024The Rochester Americans will play their one and only game of the 2024 preseason Sunday afternoon when they visit the Syracuse Crunch at Upstate Medical University Arena.
The Amerks and Crunch meet once in preseason action before encountering one another 12 times over the course of the 2024-25 AHL regular season.
Rochester Sabres
The Amerks have an opportunity to enter the regular season as one of the more prepared teams across the AHL. That is in large part due to the bulk of Rochester’s roster having spent ample time in Buffalo as part of Sabres main camp and preseason. With Buffalo taking part in the NHL Global Series, half of the training camp roster went overseas, while the remaining group stayed in North America to play in preseason games domestically.
“We are two weeks ahead of everyone else,” said forward Isak Rosen, who appeared in four preseason games for Buffalo. “We’ve been playing in NHL arenas for two weeks. It was a great experience for the team and great to get those weeks together before the season actually starts.”
A total of 26 players on Rochester’s training camp roster participated in NHL preseason games for the Sabres.
“It’s an experience we had that brings everyone together,” said Amerks defenseman Zach Metsa. “We talked a lot about brotherhood last year. I think this is a step in the right direction toward that to start this year and kick-off our season. Camp technically starts now, but it’s been going for a week or so since we essentially became the Sabres in North America.”
Once Buffalo’s roster got split into two teams, the Sabres who remained stateside went 3-1-0 across preseason action under incoming head coach Michael Leone.
New beginnings for Poolman
Among the many new faces to the Amerks this season comes experienced blueliner Colton Poolman, whom the Sabres signed at the start of free agency in July.
“It’s been great,” said Poolman on making the adjustment. “Everything’s been great, and it’s been a good, fresh start. They (Buffalo) had reached out and they liked my game. We talked and it sounded like a good fit on both sides, so here we are.”
Poolman, 28, enters his fifth professional season and his first outside the Calgary Flames organization. The East Grand Forks, Minnesota, native logged 213 AHL games under the Flames banner, posting six goals and 39 points.
“I am that older guy and just going about my business. I try to bring what I can to this team and to try and help the young players when I can. I try to take care of the puck on my own end and get pucks to our playmakers. I’m simple and do what I can to help the team win.”
Murray without Mersch
The Sabres re-signed forward and longtime Amerk Brett Murray during the offseason. Murray enters his sixth season in the red, white, and blue, having posted 157 points (73+84) over his 259-game tenure, having spent the bulk of his last four season on a line with then-team captain Michael Mersch, who announced his retirement ahead of training camp this season.
“I love the guy,” said Murray, who combined with Mersch for 289 points from 2021-24. “He’s tried to FaceTime into the locker room a few times already, so he’s not here physically, but you can still feel the mark he left on this organization and the guys in that room.”
Murray, 26, scored 17 goals as part of a 32-point campaign a season ago, while also appearing in two NHL games.
“Guys are playing hard and playing physical, and that’s the right way to play,” said Murray when asked about the start of Amerks training camp. “They do a great job here in Rochester of making it seem that this is just as important as if we’re playing in the NHL. That’s important to us. It’s exciting to get going.”
Murray’s last game in Syracuse came in early May, where the power forward completed a comeback victory for the Amerks in Game 4 of the North Division Semifinal with his overtime game-winning-goal.
Leo’s den
The biggest move of the offseason for the Amerks came off the ice, with Leone being named the 34th coach in Amerks history. The new bench boss led the Sabres who remained in North America to a 3-1-0 record through four NHL preseason games, then opened Rochester’s training camp Wednesday with a focus on his team playing to a similar identity to that of the Sabres: Hard, smart, and fast.
“It was a long camp in Buffalo, but it’s exciting to know we have a head start,” said Leone. “We had some really good practices. Some of the habits and details that we talked about the guys did a really good job of implementing. There’s a lot of skill on the ice, but I just like how hard we work on the ice and compete.”
Sunday marks Leone’s first time behind the bench as head coach of the Amerks, albeit in preseason fashion. The 36-year-old out of Dearborn, Michigan, had spent the previous two seasons as head coach and general manager for Green Bay in the USHL.
“He’s going to be stern, but there’s enough positive reinforcement in there to motivate you,” said Metsa when asked about Leone. “If you get a firm talking to, you earned it. Anything you get from him will be earned and I think that’s exactly what you want out of a coach.”
Opening Night
Following Sunday’s preseason outing, the Amerks will turn their attention to the team’s home opener, as the 69th season of Rochester Americans hockey begins Friday, Oct. 11 at Blue Cross Arena against the Belleville Senators.