TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS OFF TO BEST START IN 14 YEARS
Oct 30, 2023
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
After three wins in four days last week, the Rochester Americans are off to one of the team’s best starts in recent memory. The Amerks have 11 points thanks to a 5-1-1-0 record through the opening seven games of the season for the first time in 14 years. Then, the 2009-10 Amerks started 5-1-1-0 and ultimately jumped out to a 12-1-1-0 to start to the year, a run that included a franchise-best 11-game win streak.
It’s early. There are still 65 games to play, but it’s an impressive feat for head coach Seth Appert and his players.
“I don’t look at those things and I don’t think many coaches do,” said Appert following Monday’s practice at Blue Cross Arena. “I just like that we looked like a real hockey team this week. I didn’t like a lot of what we were the first two weeks. This week, we looked like a hockey team. We played the right way for a majority of the nine periods. We managed the puck better. We played harder, played more intelligent, and defended much harder.”
“It’s really important,” added Amerks captain Michael Mersch when asked about getting off to a quick start this season. “To get the points early is important because you don’t want to be playing catch-up.”
DIFFERENT, BUT SIMILAR
Rochester began last week trailing 3-1 on Wednesday against the Charlotte Checkers before staging yet another improbable comeback, striking three times in a span of 2:42 with under six minutes left in regulation to stun their soon-to-be Queen City Outdoor Classic opponent (Jan. 13). The team followed its first win on home ice with a 7-4 outburst against Laval at Blue Cross Arena Friday night, capped off by a Mason Jobst hat trick. Then on Saturday, the Amerks ventured to the familiar unfriendly confines of the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica where the team leaped out to an early lead and held on for a 5-4 win.
“I thought every game felt similar,” said Appert. “We came back against Charlotte. We kind of ran away with it against Laval and then won a tight one in Utica, so there’s different elements to them. The Charlotte game was a huge game for us because we didn’t get away from playing the right way. It didn’t pay off until the last six minutes, but the guys stuck with it, and I think that gave them some confidence and belief and then I thought we doubled down on it over the weekend with playing that way. I thought it felt similar.”
VROOM, VROOM
Like their start to the season, the Amerks have been quick on the ice, using speed to get through the opposition’s defense and create chances that have ultimately resulted in Rochester boasting the second-most goals-for across the AHL. Additionally, the Amerks have tallied four or more goals in six of seven games to begin the season.
“We played faster, but when I talk about playing fast, it’s usually puck decisions more than actual speed of our feet. We have a fast team, but speed afoot doesn’t allow you to play fast. Speed of puck movement allows you to play fast. Part of what we did this week was we were really predictable for our teammates. Guys were in spots they were supposed to be. They moved the puck where they were supposed to move it and that allows you to move fast.”
THE SPECIALTY OF SPECIAL TEAMS
The Amerks closed out October going 8-for-25 on the power-play, good for a 32.0% success rate that is second-best in the AHL. Rochester has goals on the man-advantage in six straight games. Aleksandr Kisakov and Jobst each have two power-play conversions on the year to lead Rochester.
The Amerks are also one of only four teams in the league to have two or more shorthanded goals.
“Vinny (Prospal) and ‘Paetscher’ (Nathan Paetsch) do a great job and the power-play is humming right now. The penalty kill isn’t, but I thought there was more clarity to the penalty kill this week that Paetscher laid out for the guys. I think it’s putting them on a path to future success.”
“The power-play has been good. To have the luxury of having four different power-play quarterback options (Ethan Prow, Zach Metsa, Kale Clague, Jeremy Davies) has been good to see. They’ve done a good job, and the power-play has been pretty good over the last four years, but the one thing that’s been constant with the power-play is Brett Murray and Michael Mersch.”
The aforementioned power-play duo has combined to net nine points for Rochester this season. Three of Mersch’s five points have come on the power-play, while Murray has yet to find the scoresheet on the man-advantage, though the 6-foot-5 forward has created traffic and provided a net-front screen during power-play sequences, taking the eyes of the goaltenders and opening time and space for his teammates. Eight of Murray’s 23 goals last season came on the power-play, so it’s rational to believe No. 81 will find the back of the net on the man-advantage soon.
WEEK OF MILESTONES
Last week’s three games saw a plethora of player milestones achieved by several Amerks.
On Wednesday, Matt Savoie recorded his first professional point assisting Mersch on the power-play. Two nights later, Savoie netted his first professional goal.
“I was super happy for him,” said Mersch. “I think he’s hungry this year and he’s in a position where he’s trying to prove himself and make the jump. We’re fortunate to have had him last week and this week coming up. I wish we could have him here all year because he’s a great hockey player.”
Jobst registered his second professional hat trick Friday against Laval.
Brandon Biro jumped back in the lineup over the weekend, recording four points between Friday and Saturday. His second point Friday night marked the 100th of his AHL career, a feat Clague also reached Friday while subsequently tying a career high in points with three assists.
Clague and Davies enter the week tied for third in scorings amongst all AHL blueliners with seven points. Davies sits two points back of 100 for his AHL career, while also standing three games shy of 200 for his AHL career.
“He (Davies) is defending hard and physically,” said Appert. With his feet he’s taking space away. He’s in the rush and solving more problems with his mind. He used to solve all his problems with his competitiveness and his will, which I love about him, but he’s solving more problems with his mind now and that’s opened up more offense for him.
“We’re challenging guys like Clague to make more plays and break us out cleanly and attack through the neutral zone and not just live to fight another day and play safe all the time. That’s a transition and I thought the first couple weeks, Clague was going through that transition, and I thought this week he was excellent for us.”
HAVE WE MET
Including Saturday in Utica, the Amerks play six straight games facing either the Comets or the Syracuse Crunch. November starts when the Crunch and Amerks collide Wednesday at Blue Cross Arena for their first of 12 meetings with their North Division rival. It marks the first meeting between Syracuse and Rochester since the Amerks overcame Syracuse in the North Division Semifinals thanks to Lawrence Pilut’s game five overtime game-winner.
“It’s the way the schedule is in this league,” said Davies. “Two points is two points. You get to know the team very well and study their players. If we end up seeing them down the road in a playoff series, we’ll be prepared.”