RESILIENT AMERKS SHOW UP ON OPENING WEEKEND
Rosen, Kulich and Johnson each record three points as Rochester opens 68th season
Oct 16, 2023
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans opened their 68th American Hockey League season with two games over the weekend, capturing three out of a possible four points. Both games saw the Amerks trail early and emerge from multi-goal deficits to earn standings points in the always competitive North Division. While Rochester was unable to secure the win on opening night, falling 4-3 in overtime to Bridgeport, the team more than made up for it with a herculean effort Saturday evening in Toronto.
Down 4-1 after 40 minutes, the Amerks rallied to score four straight unanswered goals, including the overtime winner from Jiri Kulich, successfully stunning the Marlies in their home opener with a 5-4 win.
It’s that same kind of resiliency that aided the Amerks in their run to the Eastern Conference Finals a season ago. That team won six games when trailing going into the final period of regulation. It’s not Seth Appert’s preferred recipe for success, but it’s a good sign of the team’s character to start the 2023-24 season.
“We showed a lot of resilience as a group, and I loved the togetherness of our team” said Appert when asked about the first two games of the season. “So much of it starts with your leaders. (Michael) Mersch was so good on the bench when we were down. He was willing guys back together. You could feel some of the core guys that have been through a lot here pulling teammates into the fight with them and that was great to see.”
THREE’S COMPANY
Isak Rosen, Kulich, and rookie defenseman Ryan Johnson each registered three points through Rochester’s first two games. The trio of Sabres first-round draft selections rose to the occasion at critical moments in games. Rosen is the only Amerk with two goals on the season. His first came with three seconds remaining in the second period of opening night, helping Rochester erase its two-goal deficit. A night later, he scored the Amerks first goal of the game and assisted on Jeremy Davies’ game-tying marker late in regulation.
Kulich registered the game-winning-goal in overtime Saturday night and earned an assist earlier in the game. His other helper came on Rochester’s first goal of the season scored by Linus Weissbach Friday night at Blue Cross Arena.
“I think Kulich and Rosen were good and they both had three points in two games and helped us earn three points as a team, but they can be better. I want them to be similar to Jack Quinn. He was up and down his first year and my expectations for him were higher going into year two. Now my expectations have risen for those two as well. They need to be our best players and drivers for our team. Not just kids that add offense, but drivers of our identity and our competitiveness. That’s what they need to do to become NHL players.”
Johnson showed his skating prowess and ability to allude the opposition. His first professional point came on Brandon Biro’s go-ahead goal Friday night, slipping down the wall and chipping the puck out toward the slot for Brett Murray to slide it across for Biro. Johnson then recorded his first multi-point game as a pro with two assists in the third period against Toronto on Saturday, closing out the first weekend of the season leading all rookie defensemen in assists and tied for the league lead in points.
“I thought he had a tremendous opening weekend,” said Appert when speaking about Johnson. “He played a really aggressive brand of hockey which was really great to see.”
CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN
Twelve different Amerks recorded a point through the first two games of the season, with nine players already at multiple points. Like Johnson, fellow rookie defenseman Nikita Novikov has multiple points after converting with an assist in each game last weekend. Appert said following Friday’s season-opener against Bridgeport that Novikov may very well have been the team’s best defenseman throughout the game. The Russian born prospect has used his size and range (6-4, 209 lbs.) early this season, hunting pucks and creating plays to outlet Rochester’s attack up the ice.
Six Amerks with multiple points had multi-point outings in Toronto. Aleksandr Kisakov and Davies each tallied goals and assists, while Mersch posted a pair of assists. Johnson, Kulich, and Rosen round out the six in a game that saw Rochester pick up its first win in over four years against Toronto when trailing by three goals entering the third period (the last time was March 24, 2019).
Rochester’s nine players with two or more points is more than any other North Division team and tied for first across the AHL.
CREASE COMMANDERS
Both Devin Cooley and Michael Houser got starts on opening weekend. Each goaltender faced over 40 shots, with Cooley making 38 stops Friday night and Houser earning the win Saturday with a 39-save performance.
Houser and Cooley were each under fire in their respective first periods, facing 15 shots apiece. Houser had seen 30 shots through 40 minutes while Cooley saw 29.
“I liked both goalies. Those two did a really good job of steadying us and giving us a chance,” Appert said. “For example, I thought Houser had a calming presence going into the third period Saturday that made you feel like you knew he was going to keep it at four, so as long as we could get four goals we would at least earn a point and fortunately we found a second point there, too.”
Cooley made his Amerks debut after spending the last two seasons in Milwaukee. Houser collected his 48th AHL win and is in his fourth season with Rochester.
LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
Rochester continues its three-game road swing north of the border with back-to-back meetings against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell this week. Games are slated for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18 and Friday, Oct. 20. Fans can tune in live on The Fan Rochester 95.7 FM/950 AM and AHLTV.