By Ryan Harr
Entering the final full week of the first month of the 2018-19 campaign, the Rochester Americans hold a 5-2-1-0 record through their first eight games. With 11 points, the Amerks sit atop the North Division standings and are tied for first overall in AHL.
The Amerks opened play last week with a 6-1 victory over the Utica Comets Wednesday night at the Adirondack Bank Center before returning to The Blue Cross Arena Friday night, where they earned a 5-4 shootout-win against the defending Calder Cup champion Toronto Marlies. Saturday night, Rochester earned a point in overtime against the Senators.
With a win against the Comets, Rochester upped its point streak against Utica to nine straight games as they boast a record of 4-0-2-3 during that stretch.
By defeating the Marlies Friday, it gives the Amerks four straight win over Toronto dating back to last season. Additionally, in 10 of the last 13 meetings between the two clubs dating back to the 2016-17 campaign, the team who has scored the first goal of the game has gone on to come away with the win.
Despite seeing their five-game win streak halted Saturday night in a 5-4 overtime loss in Belleville, Rochester extended its point streak to six games. The five-game win streak was the club’s longest since the team won five straight in April during the 2013-14 season.
Also, in Saturday’s overtime-loss, the Amerks maintained their all-time record to 3-0-2-0 while they have yet to lose in regulation in Belleville. The contest was the third straight game that went beyond regulation to decide a winner in Canada between the two clubs.
AMERKS RED HOT
After dropping the first two contests of the season, the Amerks have rallied to collect 11 of a possible 12 points, which was highlighted by the five-game win streak. Seven of the 12 points have come away from the Flower City in their four road games.
As the Amerks have notched points in all four contests away from The Blue Cross Arena this season, they boast a record of 22-8-9-3 in their last 42 games dating back to the 2017-18 season.
While their 49 road points finished tied for second-most in the Eastern Conference last season, their seven points this season are tied for third-most in the AHL.
“I am very happy with the team taking five of a possible six points,” said Amerks head coach Chris Taylor. “The two road games were not easy. Utica is never an easy building to play in. It was a tough trip to Bellville after playing against a team like Toronto.”
“Any time you can get five points during a three-game-week, you’re doing something right.”
STREAKS ON STREAKS ON STREAKS
The Amerks begin the week on a 6-game point streak (5-0-1-0), the longest active streak in the league, and there are several players who have contributed to the success by extending their own personal-streaks.
Victor Olofsson: leads the AHL in scoring and currently riding a six-game point streak that includes four multi-point efforts. The 23-year-old forward has recorded 13 points (5+8) during his last six outings
Zach Redmond: Owns the second-longest active point streak in the AHL, with a career-best seven-game point streak. His 12 points (4+8) currently leads the league’s defenseman.
Lawrence Pilut: Despite missing the last two games due to injury, ranks second behind only Redmond in points by a defenseman with 10 points (2+8) in six games.
Brendan Guhle: Matched a personal-best five-game point streak with a goal Saturday night. During his streak has tallied six points, which includes a goal in each of the last two contests.
Adam Wilcox: Was handed his first overtime loss of the season after starting 2-0-0 in his first two appearances in the blue paint. Also, shows a record of 4-0-2 in his last six games dating back to the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
Will Borgen: Recorded his first-career professional point (assist) during Friday’s win against Toronto before scoring his first goal Saturday night.
Scott Wedgewood: Owns a three-game win streak after starting his Amerks goaltending career 0-2-0.
Justin Bailey: Has notched an assist in each of the last two games.
Wayne Simpson: the AHL’s current leader in consecutive games played with 195.
Alexander Nylander: Had collected eight points (3+5) during his career-long six-game point streak, which ended in Saturday’s overtime-loss to Belleville.
ROOKIES LIT THE LAMP
Last Saturday night, Amerks rookie defensemen Brandon Hickey and Borgen each tallied their first professional goals in Bellville.
Borgen, 21, gave Rochester a 4-3 lead with 7:04 left in regulation as he recorded his first-career goal after tallying his first-career assist Friday night. The first-year blueliner, who appeared in eight games at the end of last season, gathered a puck from atop the right face-off dot and sniped a shot between the pads of the B-Sens netminder.
Earlier in Saturday’s contest, Hickey knotted the contest at 1-1 at the 12:48 mark of the opening frame with his first-career professional marker.
“Ports’ (Kevin Porter) sent the puck up the wall and it seemed to bobble up the boards”, recalled the 22-year-old defenseman. “As it was rolling, I just flung it towards the net. It was sort of a knuckle-puck that might have handcuffed the goaltender and it was not the prettiest goal, but I’ll take it.”
“I will tell everyone who asks how I scored it, it was bar-down,” joked Hickey.
“It was awesome that the two young guys got their first goals,” Taylor said. “I like to see the confidence in not only Borgen and Hickey, but all the defensemen. They are not afraid to jump into the rush and join the play. They trust that there will be a third guy high, so they can try to make a play.”
POTENT POWER-PLAY
During last Wednesday’s 6-1 win, the Amerks converted on their first three power-plays in the in the opening period before adding one more goal with the man-advantage midway through the third period.
The four markers while on the power-play were the most the Amerks scored on the road since Mar. 12, 2016 when they went 4-for-6 at Syracuse.
“The guys on the power-play unit have kept everything simple,” Amerks assistant coach Toby Petersen said last week. “They work together as one unit. They retrieve the puck, get it to the point, get a shot and repeat the process until they find success.”
SHORTHANDED BLUES
While the Amerks own the top-ranked power-play percentage in the American Hockey league with a 35.3 conversation rate, the shorthanded unit sits third from the bottom in the league as they have allowed 11 goals.
“We know where our penalty-kill is in the standings,” said Redmond. “It needs to improve if we want to continue the success we have had lately. We are doing everything we can to solve the issue.”
“We are giving up too many goals,” admitted Taylor. “We need to tighten up defensively moving forward and it’s something we worked on Monday.”
GOALS LEADERS
The Amerks currently lead the Eastern Conference in goals scored with 32, and along with the Milwaukee Admirals and Toronto Marlies, remain one of only three AHL teams to surpass the 30-goal mark so far this season.