GAMEDAY NOTES AND QUOTES: AMERKS BEGIN WEEKEND ON THE ROAD IN PROVIDENCE
Apr 6, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
With single-digit games remaining, the Rochester Americans (34-22-6-3) continue chasing a playoff berth Saturday night as they visit the Providence Bruins (38-19-5-3).
GAME NOTES MEDIA KIT LINE CHARTS
BRUISED AND BATTERED
Though the Amerks picked up their fourth straight win Wednesday night with a 6-1 final over Cleveland, the team lost multiple key players due to injury.
Amerks head coach Seth Appert confirmed ahead of the team’s morning skate in Providence that defenseman Joseph Cecconi along with forwards Tyson Kozak and Brett Murray are all out week-to-week with upper-body injuries. Murray, who ranks third on the team with 17 goals, is expected to be out longer than both Kozak and Cecconi.
The trio of Amerks join goaltender Michael Houser (week-to-week, lower-body) on the injured list, in addition to defenseman Riley Stillman, whom the team confirmed yesterday underwent a successful surgery addressing a season-ending lower-body injury.
“That’s a lot of injuries,” said Appert. “We’re banged up. Those three players (Cecconi, Kozak, Murray) are pretty significant players and valuable to our team, but we have good depth in our roster. This is going to challenge us a bit, but we have the players that can step up and accept that challenge.”
LEVI GETS THE NOD
Devon Levi will make his 21st start for Rochester this season. Overall, this will be Levi’s 44th game of the season, with the rookie goaltender appearing in 23 outings for Buffalo throughout the 2023-24 campaign.
Levi returned to Rochester Wednesday for his first game as an Amerk since March 15. The netminder didn’t disappoint, stopping 26 of 27 for what was his fifth consecutive AHL win. Levi owns a 12-5-3 mark on the season with the Amerks and his .928 save percentage ranks second among AHL rookie goalies.
“I thought he did a really good job Wednesday against Cleveland,” said Appert. “That’s not an easy situation. You find out that day around 10-10:30 in the morning that you’re going back to Rochester, so now you have to rush to get into your routine for the start that day, but then he goes out and has a great start like that. He did a really good job, and I could tell he was going to be ready. He sent me a text. I won’t say what the text said, but it got me very excited to know he was going to be our goaltender. He’s just so excited here. He embraces being an Amerk. He doesn’t look at it as being sent down from the NHL. He lives in the moment and he’s ready to help us with our playoff push. It’s great to see.”
Appert did hint that due to a short turnaround following Saturday, there is a strong chance Dustin Tokarski will draw the net Sunday afternoon in Bridgeport, though that has not been confirmed.
MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL
The Amerks may be facing their Atlantic Division doppelganger in the form of the Providence Bruins.
“They actually play similar to us from a structure standpoint. Their style is similar to us, so we’re playing a team that we may feel somewhat familiar with stylistically even though we don’t play this team that much. They’ve got a very talented forward group. They’re a heavy, nasty team to play against. It’s a fun place to play. They’ve got a great arena and usually draw big crowds on the weekend and it’s one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. This is going to be a really stiff test and a fun challenge for us.”
With 84 points, the Bruins have already secured their ticket to the Calder Cup Playoffs, but remain in search of clinching home ice advantage in the opening round. Providence has the fourth-most points of any team in the AHL and are led by forward Georgii Merkulov, who scored two goals and three points against the Amerks in the lone other meeting of the season back in December, when the Bruins skated out of Blue Cross Arena with a 6-3 win.