GAMEDAY NOTES AND QUOTES: AMERKS LOOK TO STAY ALIVE IN GAME 4 AGAINST CRUNCH
May 4, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
Trailing two games to one, the Rochester Americans have their backs against the wall Saturday night as they play a must-win game four at Upstate Medical University Arena against the Syracuse Crunch.
GAME NOTES TEAM ROSTERS MEDIA KIT
“We won our first four elimination games last year,” said Amerks head coach Seth Appert. “But we’ve been in elimination games since mid-February, basically. That’s the way we’ve looked at it. We were in sixth place at that point. We knew we needed to play playoff-style hockey down the stretch in this tough, North Division, to earn the right to be here today. This group is battle tested and they’ve been in these moments in the past.”
BIG MURR SET FOR BIG RETURN
For the first time since April 3, Amerks forward and assistant captain, Brett Murray, will return to the lineup. Murray finished fourth on the team in goals (17) during the regular season and finished his 2023-24 campaign with 32 points (17+15) in 54 games.
“We don’t win the series against Syracuse last year without Brett Murray,” said Appert. “He willed us back into that series and dragged us into the fight. He means so much to our group. With a team like Syracuse, having a guy like that back in your lineup is important. You can’t replace Brett Murray.”
KNOW THE ENEMY
Tonight marks the 33rd meeting between Rochester and Syracuse since the start of the 2022-23 season. The intrastate rivals have met over 300 times since their rivalry began in 1994.
“We’re so familiar with them,” said Amerks forward Mason Jobst. “It feels like every game is tight checking and physical. It’s just hard to create offense against them. I’d say compared to last year’s playoff series against them it’s been pretty similar so far.”
The Crunch have a slight edge in goals on the Amerks, outscoring them 8-7 through three games thus far. Devon Levi was exceptional in game three with 60 saves, but Syracuse’s Brandon Halverson stopped 33 shots, including a 2-on-0 between Jobst and Isak Rosen in the first overtime.
“I’ve watched it a bunch,” said Jobst when asked about rewatching that chance. “I was just talking to our three goalies (Levi, Dustin Tokarski, Michael Houser) on the way over (to morning skate) about what to do different. If I went back in time, I wish I could’ve done it different.”
“It takes a good defense core to limit good chances, but their goalie has stepped up to make some big saves in crucial times.”
“You’re playing a team that’s really good defensively,” said Appert. “You’re fighting and scratching and clawing. We did some real good things (Thursday), but we did some things that we also need to work at and be better and that’s what we’ll work on today.”
SAFE IS DEATH
The Amerks are a win away from forcing a winner-take-all game five back at Blue Cross Arena next Friday. A loss, however, would see the 68th season of Rochester Americans’ hockey come to a disappointing close. While the Amerks want to play a structured game, they will look to avoid taking the safe route to their approach.
“Safe is death,” said Appert. “You don’t want to play a safe, cautious game. You gotta be good defensively against a team like this, but you don’t want to have a safe mindset. You don’t wanna play not to lose. You gotta play to win. You gotta attack this game. That’s when we’re playing our best.”
A year ago, Rochester trailed 2-0 in a best-of-five series with the Crunch. They would go on to win the next three as part of a seven-game winning streak in the postseason.
The battle to stay alive starts tonight.