Evan MacInnis had to smile after powering Rochester to victory.
By Kevin Oklobzija / Pickinsplinters.com
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — There are players who, when scoring a goal or celebrating a victory, can’t hide their enthusiasm. It’s just who they are.
Take Jack Quinn, for instance. He looks like the happiest player on the face of the earth when he scores a goal.
And then there is Ryan MacInnis. You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who exhibits less outward jubilation when the situation calls for glee.
For example, on Friday night, when his shot and/or pass from the right of the goal crease ended up slithering between the legs of Syracuse Crunch goalie Amir Miftakhov to tie the score 1-1 with just 42.9 seconds left in the second period, MacInnis didn’t even crack a smile.
Mr. Stoneface accepted congratulations from his Rochester Americans teammates but showed all the enthusiasm of a World Series of Poker player after drawing an off-suited eight-two.
“He’s a pretty even-keel guy,” his linemate, Amerks captain Michael Mersch said.
But even MacInnis was smiling after his second goal on Friday night, the one that came with just 6.4 seconds remaining and gave the Amerks a 2-1 victory over the Syracuse Crunch.
“I’ve never been a big ‘celly’ guy,” the sixth-year veteran forward said, “but the second one, I was pretty pumped.”
As he should have been. Not only was the goal the game-winner, it gave him 11 goals in 31 games for the season, already a career high. Six have come in his past six games.
It also enabled the Amerks to achieve a first for the season: Win a game when scoring fewer than four goals. They have already eclipsed the 20-win plateau with a 21-12-2-1 record through 36 games, but winning tight-checking, low-scoring games has not been their forte. Or even something they had ever done.
“Coach said before the third period that these are the type of games we need to learn how to win,” said goalie Mat Robson, who played his best game as an Amerk in making 25 saves.
Which is why Friday’s victory was extra special for the group.
“Most of the games we’ve had to score four, five, six to get wins,” coach Seth Appert said. “We talked as a group that part of the maturation process of a young team to become a great team is learning also how to win these games.
“And how you win these games is defensive details, it’s execution of systems, it’s not making many mistakes, things that aren’t always natural to a younger team.”
Friday’s renewal of the I-90 rivalry – the fourth meeting since Jan. 5, with the Crunch winning the previous three – was fast-paced but with little open space. There wasn’t a goal until 12:07 of the second period, when former Amerk Remi Elie set up Alex Green in the deep slot.
It’s the only time a Syracuse shot eluded Robson. Up from Cincinnati of the ECHL because three other Amerks goalies are with the parent Buffalo Sabres, Robson was sharp and in charge.
“That’s the calmest and most in control his game has looked with us,” Appert said.
MacInnis’ first goal tied the score in the final minute of the period. He was either trying to feed JJ Peterka at the left edge or shooting it at the goalie in hopes of a rebound.
Either way, the puck hit the stick of Miftakhov and caromed into the net. Work hard, get rewarded, Appert said.
“He had a real presence, he had a real assertive nature,” Appert said. “You create enough volume of high-quality chances and sometimes you get rewarded with good bounces.”
That was again true in the waning seconds. Ethan Prow set up MacInnis for a shot from near the hash marks to the left of the slot but Miftakhov make the save.
Mersch corralled the rebound at the top of the crease but, rather than attempting a low-quality shot, passed back out to MacInnis, whose quick shot hit defenseman Ryan Jones and ricocheted past Miftakhov.
“I felt like I was in too tight, I didn’t really have an angle, and I knew Mac was on his one-timer side,” Mersch said.
Considering the way MacInnis had played all night, passing was clearly the wise decision.
“He was the best player on the ice for us tonight,” Mersch said. “He was hunting pucks, pressuring them, making them make plays quick.”
And he was even smiling.