TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS STAY HOT ON HOME ICE
Mar 25, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
Ten games remain for the Rochester Americans (31-22-6-3) in their 2023-24 regular season, and thanks to another dominant week on home ice, the red, white, and blue took another step forward in their quest to secure a playoff berth.
The Amerks started their week with a 6-5 win over Hartford, then earned a point in a 2-1 shootout final against Toronto, before putting a bow on things in front of nearly 9,000 on hand at Blue Cross Arena Sunday afternoon for a 4-1 win facing Utica.
HOUSECAT MAKES HIS PRESENCE FELT
Journeyman Michael Houser returned to Rochester for the first time since being reassigned to ECHL-Jacksonville in November. With Dustin Tokarski sidelined following Wednesday’s win, Amerks head coach Seth Appert gave Houser the starts both Friday and Sunday, and the veteran netminder did not disappoint.
Houser helped Rochester earn three out of four standings points while making 19 saves in both of his appearances. He posted a .950 save percentage across both starts, which includes his Sunday win, earning Houser the game’s first star honors and his first win with the Amerks since Oct. 28.
“He was excellent,” said Appert. “He’s exactly what you’d expect. That’s Michael Houser to a tee. The beauty of ‘Housey’ is that he’s seen everything. He has seen everything and anything imaginable at every level in pro hockey and he’s always ready. He prepares every day like he’s going to play that night in the NHL. He’s doing the reps of an NHL goalie. That’s why whenever he’s gotten opportunities, whether it’s here or up in Buffalo in the NHL, he’s always ready. I just think the world of him.”
“It’s awesome,” said Houser. “I love being in Rochester and love the guys in the room. I’ve been around for a little while, so I get the situation that I was in (getting sent down to the ECHL earlier in the year). I know it’s not easy, but anytime you’re in the ECHL, you’re always battling to get back to the AHL. You never want to look in the rearview mirror. You always want to look forward and strive for getting to the next league.”
DYNAMIC DUO RETURNING TO FORM
Ahead of their call-ups to the NHL in late November, forwards Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen were the one-two punch of the Amerks’ offense. Since returning the next month, however, the pair of All-Stars had struggled to regain their scoring touch.
There have been glimpses here and there, but up until recently, the consistency of Kulich and Rosen hadn’t surfaced like it did at the start of the season, but with a good week in the books, it’s possible they’ll be clicking at the right time as Rochester preps for the postseason.
Kulich had a four-point week (1+3) on home ice, while Rosen tacked three points (2+1) onto his season stats. Collectively, the second-year Swede has put together a nice dozen games, scoring five goals and 10 points over his last 12 outings. Kulich has played a strong two weeks, pushing six points (2+4) over his last five contests.
Appert has said repeatedly over the past several weeks that the two prospects have been playing some of their best hockey from a complete game perspective. With their offense returning to round out their arsenal of skill, Kulich and Rosen are expected to turn some heads in their march to the playoffs.
HOME ICE HEROICS
The Amerks have hit their stride on home ice. With only one game remaining in March and it being on the road, Rochester wrapped up its home slate in the month to the tune of a near-perfect 5-0-0-1 record, earning 11 of a possible 12 points. The team’s best crowd of the month came Sunday with 8,886 fans on hand. All told, 37,227 fans visited downtown Rochester throughout March.
Last week’s three-game slate saw heroics throughout. A see-saw affair Wednesday against Hartford had the Amerks trailing by multiple goals multiple times, then midway through the third, the Wolf Pack yielded a 5-4 advantage on the scoreboard before Kulich and Michael Mersch scored 2:02 apart to lift Rochester to the eventual 6-5 final.
On Friday, the Amerks were silenced for much of the game by Toronto’s Dennis Hildeby in goal, but Ryan Johnson threaded a stretch pass to Linus Weissbach with only 2:44 remaining to make it a 1-1 game and earn Rochester a standings point.
Even Sunday (while not feeling as dramatic given the 4-1 final) had its share of a challenge. The Amerks were facing a Comets team that had points in eight of its last 10 games. Add in goaltender Nico Daws, who spent the majority of this season in the NHL with New Jersey, and you’ve got your hands full. The Amerks held on to a 2-1 lead throughout the third period until Kulich and Rosen combined for a clutch goal to dismiss any thoughts of a Utica rally.
COMING UP NEXT
After all the success on home ice of late, the Amerks will look to carry that confidence onto the road, where they’ll play four of their next five games. This week sees just a pair of games drawn on the schedule, with Rochester wrapping up the month against the two clubs above them in the standings.
On Wednesday, the Amerks make their final visit of the regular season to Syracuse, who currently occupy the top seed in the North Division. Following that, the team will head to Cleveland for a Saturday matinee against the recently acquired Malcolm Subban and second-place Monsters.
Rochester trails Cleveland by five points and Syracuse by seven with all three eams left with 10 games on their schedule. The gap in points is there, but crazier things have happened. We’ll see if the Amerks can get themselves in the conversation for the top two spots in the North.