By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
Even though Rochester Institute of Technology was eliminated from the Atlantic Hockey playoffs last weekend, Myles Powell is still getting a chance to skate at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
Except it won’t be in next weekend’s AHA tournament. Instead, he has joined the Rochester Americans on an amateur tryout contract and could very well end up in their lineup in the near future.
“It’s been pretty crazy,” Powell said of the rapid pace at which the deal came together this week between the parent Buffalo Sabres and his agent, Steve Bartlett of Pittsford-based Sports Consulting Group. “I really wasn’t expecting it.”
Powell and the Tigers were bounced out of the AHA playoffs on Sunday when Sacred Heart won the deciding third game of the best-of-three series 2-0 at the Gene Polisseni Center.
“It’s still pretty fresh in my mind, getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs,” Powell said. “You don’t want to end your season as a senior in college but you have to move on from that.”
The 23-year-old Courtenay, British Columbia, native will quite likely need to endure some good-natured taunting since one of his new teammates is Justin Danforth, who completed a four-year collegiate career at Sacred Heart last spring.
Powell led RIT in assists (26) and finished second in team scoring with 39 points. He was a member of RIT’s AHA championship teams as a freshman and sophomore.
The 2014-15 Tigers became the first No. 16 seed in NCAA history to oust the No. 1 seed when they upended Minnesota State-Mankato (and current Sabres defenseman Casey Nelson) in the Midwest Regional semifinals.
Powell was quite sure he’d have the chance to sign with a pro team when his senior season ended, he just didn’t know where it would be.
“I’m just happy to get the opportunity here,” he said. “It’s a big jump but I think I’m ready.”
Two of his teammates signed tryout contracts in the ECHL. Defenseman Chase Norrish signed with the Colorado Eagles, reuniting with former RIT teammate Matt Garbowsky, and defenseman Matt Abt joined the Wheeling Nailers.
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