TACO BELL WRAP-UP: AMERKS TAKE TWO OF THREE IN DIVISIONAL MATCHUPS
Mar 18, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
The Rochester Americans had three games over four days against competition within their division. The week began promising with a 3-2 win Wednesday in Syracuse, then continued with a 5-3 win on home ice Friday over Toronto.
Though the Marlies would answer back the next day by a 7-3 final, the Amerks still picked up four points in the standings, entering the penultimate week of March with 66 points to remain in third place with 13 games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season.
MILESTONES
In less than 24 hours, a pair of Amerks reached milestones worth celebrating. On Friday night, team captain Michael Mersch played in his 600th professional game. The 10th-year pro posted an assist in the contest and has 30 points (11+19) through 53 games this season. Through 600 pro games, Mersch has amassed 185 goals and 211 assists for 396 points.
“I’m just a way better coach because he’s our captain,” said Amerks head coach Seth Appert when asked about Mersch. “He’s an amazing teammate and leads with such humility and grace. He embodies everything we want our players to embody. His work ethic, character and the way he treats people with authenticity and he’s a heck of a hockey player on top of all that.”
“It’s something I don’t take for granted,” said Mersch. “I don’t take my role lightly with this team and I’m so grateful to be here. There’s ton of guys that have helped me. Whether it’s guys I was close with and played with a long time or players I had played with for only a few games. You learn ways to act. There’s tons of guys and coaches that have helped me and believed in me. Apps (Appert) has given me a second life here in Rochester.”
On Saturday afternoon, defenseman and alternate captain Ethan Prow skated in his 400th American Hockey League contest. Like Mersch, Prow also got an assist in his milestone outing.
“Ethan Prow is arguably right at the top of the toughest players I’ve ever coached,” said Appert. “It may sound odd because he’s more of a power-play, puck-moving defenseman, but what he’s played through is real toughness. The injuries he’s played through makes him just an ultimate winner and a great human and a great teammate.”
Prow has 220 points (50+170) during his AHL tenure. The Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, native has also played in 34 games outside the AHL, including four in the National Hockey League with Buffalo during the 2021-22 season.
“It goes by fast,” said Prow. “It’s cool to see those stats. I’ve had a lot of growing. I found what it took to stay in the lineup my first couple years as a pro. The more you can play with confidence, the more it shifts into a leadership role where you can connect with all aspects of the game. It’s definitely been a full circle moment for me and it’s awesome to say I’ve hit 400.”
NBS LINE
In each of the last four games, Appert has deployed a line consisting of rookie Viktor Neuchev, Graham Slaggert, and Amerks alternate captain Brandon Biro. The trio combined for six points (3+3) over the three-game week for Rochester. Biro and Neuchev each have points in four of their last five games.
“Biro really thrives with intelligent players,” said Appert. “You look at Neuchev and he’s a really smart and creative player. He made some strong adjustments in the second half of the year. He’s playing hard and his creativity and skill are taking over. Slaggert is an extremely intelligent player. Biro really enjoys playing with him (Graham). That’s really a compliment to Graham. There’s a reason he was a captain at Notre Dame. There’s more playmaking in there and more offense in there and there’s really good intelligence in there.”
“It’s a ton of fun playing with them,” said Slaggert when asked about his linemates. “I think we feed off each other’s energy. Beersy (Biro) and I think the game in similar ways. We talk a lot. Neuchev is a young Russian that has a ton of skill and it’s fun to be with him. He has such a good outlook and attitude. Those are just two insanely good players that make a lot of plays all over the ice and it’s been a lot of fun.”
CALL THE HOUSECAT
With injuries and call-ups, the Amerks have dove into their ECHL players’ pool once more. Forwards Olivier Nadeau and Riley Fiddler-Schultz were recalled ahead of Rochester’s three-game week. While Nadeau hasn’t drawn into the lineup since his recall, Fiddler-Schultz skated in two of the Amerks’ three games last week. Now goaltender Michael Houser has returned to the fray.
“He means more than you can explain,” said Appert about Houser returning to Rochester. “Whatever he means to us on the ice, which is a lot, he means way more in the locker room. He is beloved in that locker room. The more guys you can have like that in your locker room this time of year, the better off you are.”
COMING UP NEXT
The Amerks host a three-game homestand beginning Wednesday in their lone meeting at Blue Cross Arena with Hartford, followed by matchups with Toronto on Friday and Utica Sunday afternoon.
Wednesday will be the team’s final sensory-friendly nNight of the season. These games include lower music levels, no goal horn or flashing lights, and quiet spaces throughout the arena.
On Friday, fans can partake in pregame happy hour with $2 draft beers available from the Genesee Brewhouse inside Blue Cross Arena the hour before puck drop.
Bills Day, presented by UR Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital, will conclude the homestand on Sunday. For a third straight season, the Amerks will wear new specialty Bills-inspired jerseys that will be up for auction before the game!