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GAMEDAY NOTES & QUOTES: CONFERENCE FINALS | GAME 4

May 29, 2023

It’s a Memorial Day match-up for the Rochester Americans, who look to even the series against the Hershey Bears in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight. The Amerks opened the series with a win in Hershey, but the Bears bounced back for two wins of their own.

 

“None of this is surprising,” Amerks head coach Seth Appert said after Game 3. “They have a big, physical team. They’re well-coached. They’re the best defensive team in the league, so this isn’t a surprise.”

 

 

The Amerks had won seven-straight games, and scored 42 goals in those seven games. In Games 2 and 3 against the Bears, the Amerks ran into the second-best goalie in the league during the regular season: Hunter Shepard. Shepard tallied 20 wins and a .916 save percentage in 70 games for Hershey.

 

The Amerks found the back of the net twice on Saturday night, and they did so in the best way to beat a goaltender like Shepard. Zach Metsa scored his first professional goal from the point, with a double-screen in front of the net. Sean Malone won the rebound battle.

“We have to score more dirty goals to be able to get to them.”

The need for dirty goals with traffic in front of the net is also somewhat an adjustment to the officiating. “With the way the game’s being officiated,” Appert explained, “you gotta score how we scored because it’s tackle football out there.”

 

And Appert is confident his team can do just that, and says that he can tell the mood in the locker room this morning is very positive after a day to adjust and to practice yesterday: “Practice was business as usual. Meetings were sharp. Guys were into it."

“Energy in the room is excited and strong. We’ve got a stiff test from our opponent, we know that, but that doesn’t surprise us. We’ll be ready to go.”

 

This best-of-seven series has featured games every other day, and has more of an NHL Playoffs-style feel to it than the first two series. “It’s a tremendous experience for our team,” Appert said of the style of series.

 

And it gives the Amerks squad a quicker turnaround after the loss, which is a good thing. “You like to get right back in and play again,” he said. “[The guys] know that we did good things, but we have to do better things to beat a team of Hershey’s caliber.”

 

LINEUP NOTES

 

When asked if Matt Savoie, who appeared in the last two games for Rochester, will remain in the lineup, Appert simply responded: “We’ll find out.”

 

Appert moved Savoie to a line with Jiri Kulich and Lukas Rousek, but didn’t really like how they played together: “I think individually, they did some good things, but as a line they didn’t have a ton of chemistry, so that’s one of the reasons we changed some things up.”

 

It was a tall task to ask Savoie to make his debut in the Conference Finals against the best team in the East. “This is a big step,” Appert explained. “You’re still coming from junior hockey no matter how high you’re drafted, no matter how good you are. I think he’s done really well.”

 

Forward Filip Cederqvist did not suit up for the last two games, and defenseman Mitch Eliot took warm-ups but did not play. Josh Passolt, who joined the team and helped Rochester beat Syracuse, has five playoff games under his belt.

 

Rochester has fielded a lineup of seven defensemen and 11 forwards during the playoffs, so it is always an option. Whoever does play tonight, Appert knows they’ll be ready: “When you earn your opportunity to get back in there, you make sure that you’re ready so that you have to stay in.”

 

And when asked about Kulich not scoring in the last three games, after scoring in his first six, Appert stated: "I'm not worried about Kulich. He'll score."

 

 

WORTH MENTIONING

 

Saturday night's Game 3 attendance was 10,746, making it the second-straight home playoff sellout for the Amerks.

 

Sean Malone has scored in each playoff series for Rochester.

 

Pilut is tied for third amongst all AHL blueliners in scoring this posteason.

 

GAME INFORMATION

 

The puck drops at 6:05pm, and doors to Blue Cross Arena open at 4:45pm. Fans are encouraged to join Brian Duff at the Genesee Brewhouse from 3-4:30pm for a Pregame Pep Rally.

 

Fans can also enjoy Pregame Happy Hour, featuring $2 drafts and presented by the Genesee Brewery, at Blue Cross Arena for the hour before puck drop.

 

Tonight's game will be broadcast on MSG Network across New York state, and is available to stream on AHLTV from anywhere. Fans can also listen to Don Stevens and Brian Duff on The Fan Rochester.

 

The series will return to Hershey for Game 5 on Wednesday night, and if the Amerks win either of the next two games, Game 6 will be in Rochester on Friday, June 2. Tickets for the potential Game 6 are on sale now.

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