GAMEDAY NOTES AND QUOTES: AMERKS, CRUNCH MEET IN WINNER-TAKE-ALL GAME FIVE
May 10, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
After a dramatic, emotionally charged rally from the Rochester Americans in Game 4 against the Syracuse Crunch last weekend, the stage is set for a do-or-die Game 5 between the North Division foes at Blue Cross Arena Friday evening.
“These are the days you live for as an athlete,” said Amerks head coach Seth Appert. “I’m just happy for our guys to have earned this opportunity. Now you want to take advantage of it, but you’ve got to earn these moments. You have to earn them through what you give each other through the season. You earn them through what you've given each other through this series. It's just this great, fun, passionate opportunity that sits in front of us tonight.”
SOLD OUT
Blue Cross Arena will be filled to the brim, with the Amerks announcing a sell-out earlier in the week, marking the first sell-out of an Amerks game since Game 4 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals against Hershey.
“It's exciting,” said Ethan Prow. “Especially knowing the runs we had in year’s past and the crowds that we've gotten. This town shows up. They treat us well.”
“We’ve definitely mentioned it in the locker room,” said Brandon Biro, who scored two goals in Game 4, including the game-tying conversion late in the third period. “We know that it’s going to be a great crowd tonight and they’re going to bring us a lot of energy. We just have to be able to manage our emotions. Sometimes the crowd can get you almost too amped and ready to go. We’ll use them to our advantage and we know they’re going to bring it, so we have to as well.”
“It’s not like this everywhere,” said team captain Michael Mersch. “There’s such a unique history with this team in Rochester. There are generational fans, you know, grandparents, parents, and kids who have all been watching the Amerks their entire lives. That’s not like that in the AHL everywhere. It creates a buzz around this city with the fans and it’s unique.”
Rochester has posted a 7-6 record in 13 playoff games at Blue Cross Arena during the Appert era (2022-present). All-time, the Amerks own a 6-3 record on home ice in winner-take-all games.
DÉJÀ VU
The Amerks and Crunch meet for a fifth game in the North Division Semifinals for a second straight postseason.
“Déjà vu, right,” said Mersch. “Obviously, they're a great team. It's been a great back and forth series. Tonight, either way, will be the final game of the season against them.”
This marks the 17th meeting of the season between Syracuse and Rochester (including playoffs) and 34th meeting since the start of last season.
“Not at all,” said Biro when asked about being surprised this series has reached a fifth game. “It’s been one-goal games against them all season, so for this to come down to one game with it being winner takes all; definitely not a surprise.”
“You knew it was going to be a chore to win this series,” said Appert. “They're a really good team. They're hard to play against. They have talented players. They're a big physical team. So, you knew it was going to be a battle. You can never predict how it's going to go, but I would say I'm not surprised that we're sitting here preparing for game five.”
Each of the four playoff games have been decided by one-goal, and each team has scored 11 goals. Both teams have split their two home games played to this point. The parallels are endless.
“We kind of knew what we were getting into when we play them,” said Prow. “These are two really good teams that have fought all year long. Playoffs are no different.”
FOCUSED ON THE PRESENT
The emotions exuded from game four feel like a distant memory just six days later. The Amerks kept their season alive in what Appert says was his team’s best showing of the playoffs, but it did not win the series. Rochester trailed 2-0 in their best-of-five series a year ago. For a second straight playoff run, their journey begins through Syracuse and the need for a come-from-behind series win remains.
“Our process this week has been the exact same as it's always been. Practices might have been shorter just because it's this time of year, but they were similar in nature and theme to how we practice.”
“We believe in what we do. Our guys believe in what we do, and we're just going to try to prepare to do it at our best tonight. I think what a coach can do in these moments, the best thing a coach can do in these moments is give the guys clarity and freedom of thought. Clear their minds, make sure they're very clear and how we need to play and how we want to play so they can just go out there and attack the game and not have thoughts running through their minds.”