GAMEDAY NOTES AND QUOTES: AMERKS HOST SENS NEEDING POINT FOR PLAYOFFS
Apr 12, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
With their magic number reduced to one, the Rochester Americans (36-22-6-3) aim to become the third team in the North Division to clinch a playoff berth as they host another team with postseason aspirations in the form of the Belleville Senators (34-27-3-3).
The matchup pits the two hottest teams in the division against one another, with Rochester looking to extend its winning streak to seven games and Belleville trying to push to a fifth straight win.
“They’re tremendously dangerous,” said Amerks head coach Seth Appert. “I felt that way all season, not just now because they’ve won four straight games. They have a big, physical, mobile defense core. They’re old, they’re heavy, and they play a brand of hockey that is very demanding.”
METSA THE MAN (OF THE YEAR)
A night ahead of Friday’s game, rookie defenseman Zach Metsa was named the team’s winner for the AHL Man of the Year award. As a result, he is now a finalist for the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award, which the league will announce the winner of later this month.
“You can tell right away why he was a captain for a national championship team at Quinnipiac,” said Amerks head coach Seth Appert. “You can tell by the amount of work he puts in, the way he treats people, and going above and beyond in community service. He’s one of the first guys volunteering and when he’s at the events, he’s above and beyond with his engagement. He’s a great ambassador for our team.”
On the ice, Metsa has produced 22 points (6+16) in 49 games this season.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Metsa on being nominated. “I’ve always been taught by my parents and any team I’ve been on growing up that it’s important to give back and support those who support you. I feel like I just did my part to pitch in whenever I could.”
OOZING WITH CONFIDENCE
Riding their longest win streak of the season, the Amerks feel confident in their ability to beat anybody that skates across the ice from them.
“I think that (confidence) comes from winning and finding ways to win,” said Amerks leading scorer, Mason Jobst. “It just gets more important down the stretch. I think we’ve done that. We’ve been down a couple times and found ways to win. I think that’s what matters. Building that belief in yourself that whether you’re up a goal or down a goal, you can win the game. Credit the staff for always getting us prepared. I think we’ve just gotten better and better as the year has gone on. We have a really special team.”
“I’d say so,” said Metsa when asked if the Amerks feel they can beat anybody. “Especially now with how we’ve been on a roll. There just seems to be a confidence in the room that whatever happens, we can fight through it and find a way, which is exactly what you want in a team at this time of the year. You want to peak at the right time. It’s a great feeling because it’s what you look forward to and build towards throughout the entire year.”
POINT FOR PLAYOFFS
Devon Levi will make his 22nd start with Rochester in the hopes of helping the team punch their ticket to the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs.
The Amerks can lock up a postseason berth by either earning a point in tonight’s game against Belleville, or by Utica losing in any fashion (regulation, overtime, shootout) against Providence.
“I didn’t know that,” said Jobst. “We know how tight it is. Every point matters, regardless of how many it takes to clinch a playoff spot. We’ve just been taking it one game at a time for probably the last 20 games or so. That’s been our message in the room.”
Over those last 20 games, Rochester has gone 12-5-0-2. As a result, the team has given itself favorable odds to make the playoffs with only five games remaining in the regular season, though the Amerks are bracing for another challenge with two games on the weekend against a hungry Sens team.
“We know that these guys (Belleville) are fighting really hard to get in,” said Jobst. “They’re going to come at us really hard with a lot of desperation. We got to match that and be ready to go.”
“They’re fighting for their season,” said Metsa. “They’re a tough team to play against. They finish all their hits. They’re just going to have a little extra juice and jam this weekend because they’re trying to get in the playoffs and keep playing hockey. This is going to be a fun weekend and it’s going to feel like playoff hockey.”