GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS GO FOR WEEKEND SWEEP TONIGHT IN SYRACUSE
Oct 22, 2022TONIGHT'S GAME OVERVIEW
The Rochester Americans (3-1-0-0) and Syracuse Crunch (0-1-0-2) conclude their home-and-home weekend as the series shifts to the Upstate Medical University Arena tonight. The 7:00 p.m. North Division matchup will be carried live on 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.
Following last night's win, the Amerks are off to their first 3-0-0-0 start on home ice since the 2006-07 campaign when Rochester opened the season with nine straight home victories.
HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES SNAPSHOT
The Amerks claimed the first two meetings in 2021-22, but the Crunch responded with points in nine of the next 10, posting an 8-1-1-0 record over that span. Rochester finished the season-series with a 4-6-2-0 mark.
The Amerks scored a power-play goal in 19 of their last 34 games against Syracuse, going 31-for-116 (26.7%) with the man-advantage over that span. Additionally, Rochester has collected at least one point in 26 of the last 44 games against the Crunch dating back to the 2018-19 campaign.
JJ Peterka, one of five Amerks last season to earn a spot on Buffalo’s 2022-23 season-opening roster, led all Amerks skaters with eight points in 10 games against the Crunch in 2021-22.
Last season, both teams finished with 25 or more wins when leading after the second but Rochester came from behind last night to earn the win.
LAST TIME OUT
Forward Linus Weissbach matched a career-high as he logged a three-point last night on two goals and one assist, all in the third period, while Brandon Biro also produced a multi-point effort with a pair of helpers. While Brett Murray capped off the win with his second goal of the season, rookie forward Tyson Kozak scored his first professional marker to open the contest.
Isak Rosen, Anders Bjork, Filip Cederqvist and Jiri Kulich each picked up an assist on the night. Cederqvist and Kulich have two and three assists, respectively, through the first four games of the young season while Bjork has points (1+1) in back-to-back games since being reassigned by the Buffalo Sabres.
Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (3-1-0) made 17 saves to earn his third win in his fourth consecutive start to begin the campaign. Dating back to the 2021-22 campaign, Luukkonen boasts a 9-3-5 record in his last 17 starts. The Finnish netminder leads all AHL goaltenders in wins (3) saves (96) while being the only netminder to appear in four games.
POWER-PLAY PROFICIENCY
With a power-play goal last night, the Amerks have scored at least one power-play goal in each of their three home matchups, going 6-for-16 over that span for a 37.5% conversion rate that is third-best in the AHL
The six power-play goals are also the most among any team at home this season.
Dating back to March 18 of last season, Rochester has scored a power-play goal in 19 of its last 34 games against Syracuse, going 31-for-116 (26.7%) with the man-advantage over that span.
BJORK JOINS AMERKS AHEAD OF BUSY WEEK
Rochester’s offense was bolstered late Tuesday afternoon following the reassignment of Bjork from the parent Buffalo Sabres. On top of scoring the overtime-clinching goal on Wednesday night, the contest was Bjork’s first AHL game in three years to the day of his last AHL appearance when he recorded two assists for Providence in a 7-4 win over Belleville on Oct. 19, 2019.
Acquired by the Sabres in 2021 from the Boston Bruins, Bjork last appeared in the AHL during a brief seven-game stint with Providence in 2019-20. In 31 career AHL games with Providence and Rochester, Bjork has recorded 24 points on seven goals and 17 assists. Bjork has recorded at least one point in each of his four season debuts in the AHL, totaling five points (2+3) and eight shots overall. Dating back to the start of the 2019-20 season, the Wisconsin native has produced 10 points (4+6) in nine contests.
A 2017 Hobey Baker Award finalist at Notre Dame, Bjork is a three-time medal winner with the United States, including gold at the 2014 WJC18.
YOUTH MOVEMENT TAKES OVER ROCHESTER
With four points on two goals and two assists through his first four games of the season, Lukas Rousek is one point shy of the team lead.
Rousek, Buffalo’s sixth-round selection (160th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, notched his first career multi-point game on Wednesday against Belleville with a goal and assist. He appeared in only 19 games in his first season in 2021-22 after recovering from an offseason injury, finishing with four points on one goal and three assists. Following the regular-season, he ranked second among all Amerk rookies with two goals and finished third among all first-year players with six points in 10 Calder Cup Playoff contests during the Amerks’ run to the North Division Finals.
Isak Rosen paces all Amerks rookies with four points (1+3) while being tied for fourth in the AHL amongst all first-year skaters through the first four games. Rosen, the Sabres’ first-round selection in 2021 (14th overall), spent the 2021-22 season with Leksands in Sweden, where he made his debut in the Swedish Hockey League. He led all 17-year-olds with the Leksands U20 as he posted 35 points (21+14) in 38 games.
At age 18, Jiri Kulich, Buffalo's first-round selection (28th overall) in 2022, is among the youngest players in the American Hockey League. He shows three assists in his first four games of the young season, tying him for second in the league among AHL rookies in that category.
SCOUTING THE CRUNCH
Syracuse, who played its third of a season-opening three-game road swing last night, comes into the matchup winless through its first three games of the season, which includes consecutive shootout losses to Cleveland.
Back for his fifth season with Syracuse, Alex Barré-Boulet (0+7) paces the Crunch offense with seven points in three games. He leads the AHL with seven assists and is second in overall scoring behind only Ontario's T.J. Tynan, the AHL's reigning MVP of back-to-back years.
Entering this tonight, Barré-Boulet has an astounding 206 points (85+121) in 205 career games with the Crunch dating back to his breakout rookie season in 2018-19. The undrafted forward was named the AHL's most outstanding rookie and finished as the league's top goal-scorer that year with 34 tallies in 74 games, earning him AHL All-Rookie Team honors.
SERIES NOTABLES
Amerks defenseman Chase Priskie spent part of the 2020-21 season with the Crunch, notching seven points (3+4) in 15 games. In five games against Rochester that year, Priskie recorded three assists. Last night was his first game against his former team.
Rochester assistant coach Michael Peca spent the majority of the 1994-95 season with the Crunch, where he produced 34 points on 10 goals and 24 assists in just 35 games. It marked Peca’s one of two brief stops in his AHL career, the other being a nine-game stint with the Hamilton Canucks.
Crunch blueliner Ryan Jones spent the 2020-21 campaign with the Amerks, recording seven points (1+6) while being the lone skater to appear in all 29 games that season. Jones scored his first pro goal in Rochester’s 3-2 win over Syracuse on Feb. 20, 2021.
Rochester Americans vs Syracuse Crunch: Head To Head Stats
Summary
|
Description |
Result |
|
| Head to Head Record 2022-23 Regular Season | Rochester 1-0-0-0 | Syracuse 0-1-0-0 |
| Head to Head Record 2021-22 Regular Season | Rochester 4-6-2-0 | Syracuse 8-3-1-0 |
| Last 5 Years record between teams | Rochester 22-18-5-1 | Syracuse 24-15-5-2 |
| Rochester vs. Syracuse Last 5 Years record at Rochester | Rochester 9-10-3-1 | Syracuse 14-6-3-0 |
| Rochester vs. Syracuse Last 5 Years record at Syracuse | Rochester 13-8-2-0 | Syracuse 10-9-2-2 |
| Previous Meetings This Season | Syracuse 3 @ Rochester 4 (Oct 21 2022) Final |
How the two teams match up
|
Syracuse |
Rochester |
|
| Team Record | 0-1-0-2 -- 2 points | 3-1-0-0 -- 6 points |
| Division Ranking | 7th North | 1st North |
| Conference Ranking | 13th Eastern | 2nd Eastern |
| League Ranking | 26th | 3rd |
| Past 10 Games | 0-1-0-2 | 3-1-0-0 |
| Streak | 0-1-0-2 | 2-0-0-0 |
| Last Game | 4-3 L @ Rochester (Oct 21 2022) Final | 4-3 W vs Syracuse (Oct 21 2022) Final |
| Home Record | 0-0-0-0 | 3-0-0-0 |
| Away Record | 0-1-0-2 | 0-1-0-0 |
| GF | 12 | 13 |
| GA | 15 | 11 |
| PP (Overall) | (5/10) 50.0% | (6/19) 31.6% |
| PP (Home) | (0/0) % | (6/16) 37.5% |
| PP (Away) | (5/10) 50.0% | (0/3) 0.0% |
| PK (Overall) | (1/8) 87.5% | (5/15) 66.7% |
| PK (Home) | (0/0) % | (3/11) 72.7% |
| PK (Away) | (1/8) 87.5% | (2/4) 50.0% |
| PP vs. Opp. | (1/3) 33.3% | (1/4) 25% |
| PK vs. Opp. | (1/4) 75% | (1/3) 66.7% |
| Leading Rookie | Finley (1-2-3) | Rosen (1-3-4) |
| Most PIM | Goncalves - 4 | Murray - 6 |
| Team PIM/GM | 6.0/Game | 9.5/Game |
| Leading Scorers | Barré-Boulet (0-7-7) | Weissbach (3-2-5) |
| Raddysh (2-4-6) | Rousek (2-2-4) | |
| Robert (2-3-5) | Malone (1-3-4) | |
| Smith (2-3-5) | Biro (1-3-4) | |
| Ryfors (3-1-4) | Rosen (1-3-4) | |
| Last 5 Games | 4-3 L @ Rochester (Oct 21 2022) Final | 4-3 W vs Syracuse (Oct 21 2022) Final |
| 5-4 L @ Cleveland (Oct 15 2022) Final SO | 4-3 W vs Belleville (Oct 19 2022) Final OT | |
| 6-5 L @ Cleveland (Oct 14 2022) Final SO | 3-1 L @ Toronto (Oct 15 2022) Final | |
| 4-2 W vs Toronto (Oct 14 2022) Final | ||
| Leading After 1st | 0-0-0-0 | 1-1-0-0 |
| Leading After 2nd | 0-1-0-1 | 1-1-0-0 |
| Tied After 1st | 0-1-0-1 | 1-0-0-0 |
| Tied After 2nd | 0-0-0-0 | 0-0-0-0 |
| Trailing After 1st | 0-0-0-1 | 1-0-0-0 |
| Trailing After 2nd | 0-0-0-1 | 2-0-0-0 |
| Out Shooting Opponents | 0-0-0-1 | 3-0-0-0 |
| Out Shot by Opponents | 0-1-0-1 | 0-1-0-0 |
| 1-Goal Games | 0-1-0-2 | 2-0-0-0 |
| 2-Goal Games | 0-0-0-0 | 1-1-0-0 |
| 3-Goal Games | 0-0-0-0 | 0-0-0-0 |
Rochester Americans
| # | Player | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Linus Weissbach | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | Brandon Biro | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 44 | Tyson Kozak | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 81 | Brett Murray | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 96 | Anders Bjork | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 71 | Filip Cederqvist | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Jiri Kulich | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Isak Rosen | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 |
| 56 | Kale Clague | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 |
| 4 | Jeremy Davies | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 26 | Mason Jobst | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 51 | Aleksandr Kisakov | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 2 | Oskari Laaksonen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1 | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Sean Malone | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Chase Priskie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Ethan Prow | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Lukas Rousek | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Peter Tischke | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| # | Player | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60:00 | 3 | 3.00 | 0.850 |
Syracuse Crunch
| # | Player | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Darren Raddysh | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 46 | Gemel Smith | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -1 |
| 12 | Alex Barré-Boulet | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Gabriel Fortier | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | P.C. Labrie | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 85 | Daniel Walcott | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 72 | Declan Carlile | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Trevor Carrick | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 74 | Sean Day | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 54 | Lucas Edmonds | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Shawn Element | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 62 | Jack Finley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 |
| 39 | Gage Goncalves | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 20 | Ryan Jones | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 33 | Max Lagace | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Felix Robert | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 15 | Simon Ryfors | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 21 | Jack Thompson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 80 | Ilya Usau | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| # | Player | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Max Lagace | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 59:53 | 4 | 4.01 | 0.875 |