WEEK 14 ROUND-UP
A well-deserved AHL All-Star selection for Brandon Biro, a Mason Jobst hat trick and a weekend in New England
Jan 16, 2023By Suzie Cool
Another week down and another two games crossed off the Rochester Americans 2022-23 schedule. Week 14 saw forward Brandon Biro get the nod to the AHL All-Star Classic and a Mason Jobst hat trick overshadowed by a last-second heartbreaking loss to the first-place Toronto Marlies.
This week, the team welcomes the Laval Rocket back for the second time in as many weeks before they set out on a New England road trip.
We cover it all here, and more, with Amerks head coach Seth Appert in our Week 14 Roundup.
BIRO TAKING ON THE ALL-STAR CLASSIC
Last week, Biro was the lone Amerk to receive this year’s AHL All-Star nod, which is well-deserved after the season he’s strung together.
Biro currently paces the Amerks with 20 assists and 29 points through 27 games and his recent seven-game point streak to close out the 2022 calendar year was the longest of his career.
“He's (Biro) so well-rounded. I mean, he has been consistently our best player,” commented Appert when asked what’s helped Biro get the All-Star nod this season. “He is one of, if not our best, defensive forwards. He is our leading scorer. He is one of, if not our best, penalty killers. He is one of our best power-play players. So, that's pretty much every part of the game and his commitment to 200-foot winning hockey is extremely high.”
Despite missing six games due to injury, Biro has blazed his way atop the team's scoring lead following a productive December in which he led the team with 16 points on six goals and 10 assists in 10 games. Biro went on to record multi-point efforts in seven of his 10 appearances, including six straight between Dec. 9 and Dec. 30.
Dating back to last season, Biro has totaled 70 points on 21 goals and 49 assists over his last 74 games and hasn't gone more than two games without a point since Nov. 27, 2021. Since the start of the 2022 calendar year, Biro has posted 19 multi-point outings in 54 games, totaling 58 points.
“I can't say enough good things about him and I'm really, really proud of him and it's a well-deserved honor,” finished Appert.
THE HIGHEST OF HIGHS AND LOWEST OF LOWS
Saturday’s game against Toronto was quite the heartbreaker. Despite three-point efforts each from forwards Michael Mersch (0+3), Anders Bjork (0+3) and Jobst (3+0), the Amerks allowed three goals over the final four minutes, including the go-ahead goal in the closing seconds of regulation, in a heartbreaking 7-5 loss to the first-place Marlies Saturday at The Blue Cross Arena.
“We won on Wednesday (against Laval). We probably shouldn't have won. We lost on Saturday (against Toronto). We probably should have won,” Appert began when asked about the tough loss to Toronto on Saturday.
“I thought we outplayed Toronto for a majority of the game. Our line rush defense was sloppy. We've been working on it, but it's got to keep getting better. It wasn't good enough, the execution of it, the habits of it, and it's not just the defense. A lot of times it's the forwards, and those are things that we've been honing in on here for the last month, but it still needs a lot of work because we were a great offensive team that night (Saturday) and that should have been an easy victory.”
NEW ENGLAND RESET
This week, the Amerks are tasked with three games in four days and their first real road trip in the month of January.
On Wednesday, the Amerks host to the Laval Rocket for the second time in a week and look for the same results as last Wednesday’s 3-1 win.
“Obviously, our focus right now is on Laval,” started Appert when asked about the road trip that lies ahead. Even though we beat them on Wednesday, they outplayed us. They were excellent against us. They play a very demanding style of hockey. So, our focus is on Laval, but it will be nice to get on the road and play a couple of different teams after that.”
The weekend then brings the New England swing where Rochester will take on the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday at 7:00 p.m. before wrapping up the weekend against the Hartford WolfPack at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. Some nice Atlantic Division action after a tough couple of weeks against heavy, physical North Division opponents.
“It's fun to get on the road,“ continued Appert when talking about the trip this weekend. “It is nice to get on the road and spend some time with your teammates and go to dinner and things of that nature…and it's fun to play the other division.”
The Amerks close out their three-game homestand as they welcome back the Rocket to The Blue Cross Arena this Wednesday, Jan. 18 for a 7:05 p.m. face-off. All of the week’s action will be carried on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV.