TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS SPLIT PAIR WITH COMETS
Nov 13, 2023
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans came out triumphant in a 4-3 win on home ice Friday night against Utica, but the Comets retaliated via a 6-0 outcome in their favor Saturday evening, forcing the Amerks to settle for a split in their weekend series.
JACKSONVILLE AMERICANS?
Five players from Rochester’s ECHL affiliate in Jacksonville were in the Amerks lineup Friday night, leading the way with three goals and four points, including the game-winning-goal scored by Damien Giroux in the third period.
Christopher Brown and Riley Fiddler-Schultz each found the back of the net during the first period Friday, while Dominick Mersch earned two-thirds of a Gordie Howe hat trick, posting an assist and dropping the gloves in his Amerks debut. He and Fiddler-Schultz each got credit for their first career AHL points.
“It’s exciting to get called-up and then see some familiar faces around,” said Fiddler-Schultz when asked about being in Rochester with his ECHL teammates.
“It definitely helps with the comfort level a little bit,” said Giroux. “But from the moment I got here, the coaching staff, the players, and the equipment and athletic staff have been so welcoming and made it a super easy transition.”
“You know you’re going to need your depth,” said Amerks head coach Seth Appert following Friday’s 4-3 win. “That was a really good effort by our group. We got contributions up and down the lineup. There was just a lot of really, really good stuff.”
LEADING ON AND OFF THE ICE
Amerks captain Michael Mersch has been sidelined since Nov. 1 with injury, though the captain is getting closer to full health and the Amerks are optimistic about his playing chances in Cleveland this week. Though the fourth-year Amerk hasn’t been able to help his team on the ice, Mersch has made it a point to lead by example in the locker room.
“I talked to ‘Merschy’ after the big win in Syracuse (on Nov. 4) and he said it was inspiring,” said Appert. “He was saying how inspiring it was to see our guys dig deep with a short lineup and find a way to win. He talked to our group Tuesday and talked to the guys about how inspiring it was to see them play like that. There’s no better person to say that than our captain. The guys that are here feel valued here and important here and that starts with our captain.”
MULTI-FACETED METSA
Rookie Zach Metsa has had a whirlwind of an experience to begin the 2023-24 campaign. The former Quinnipiac University captain began the year mostly out of the lineup due to the high volume of NHL contracted players on the Amerks roster. To start November, the 25-year-old was inserted back in the lineup, but as a forward; a position Metsa admits to having never played in his life.
“I’d probably play him in goal if I could,” joked Appert. “I just want to keep him in the lineup.”
“I don’t know if anybody’s ever done all three,” laughed Metsa. “Probably not, but we should go for it!”
Metsa returned to his natural position this past weekend and was rewarded with his first regular season AHL goal in the third period Friday night.
“It’s been a little bit of a crazy journey, but I’m just grateful to get the opportunity,” said Metsa. “I don’t care what position it is; I just want to be able to showcase what I’ve got. It’s a next man up mentality in this room and at this level you just have to be ready for when your number gets called.”
PK TRENDING UPWARD
Despite Rochester’s penalty kill remaining toward the bottom of the league rankings, the team has managed to turn things around of late, killing off 13 of their last 14 man-down situations. Additionally, the team has scored four shorthanded goals, including a breakaway shortie found by Fiddler-Schultz to open the scoring Friday evening.
The Amerks are on of just four teams with four shorthanded goals this season.
“I think that Nathan Paetsch, who runs our kill, made a really good switch,” said Appert when talking about the penalty kill Friday night. “It’s not a massive switch, but the penalty kill didn’t have really good numbers and we weren’t great early. I think the switch and the way he approached the switch resonated well with the guys. We’ve been a little more assertive and we’ve forced turnovers. It’s been working.”
WE’RE A-GO TO OHIO
Rochester’s season continues with a two-game set in Cleveland against a Monsters team that tied their best 10-game start in franchise history. Cleveland is now 7-3-1-0 and trail the Amerks by just one standings point.
The teams clash in their first of eight meetings this season on Thursday night, then follow-up with one another Saturday evening.