Amerks lose as tune-up for the playoffs begins

By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA

Before the Calder Cup playoffs begin for the Rochester Americans, there is the formality of finishing the regular season this week.

And while the final three games don’t have massive importance — it’s pick your poison with either first-round opponent, the Syracuse Crunch or Toronto Marlies — the Amerks did crank up the intensity on Wednesday night.

“I’m sure everyone in the building could feel that,” defenseman Casey Nelson said of the playoff-type sense of urgency that prevailed for three periods against Syracuse at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.

If Wednesday had been a playoff game, the Crunch would be up 1-0 in the series after the 1-0 victory. But the Amerks would like their chances moving forward, that’s for sure.

They outshot Syracuse 38-18, attempted 75 shots by the team count, and generated as many as a dozen high-quality scoring chances.

Crunch goalie Connor Ingram was outstanding, however, and a fluke bounce led to the only goal against Amerks goalie Linus Ullmark.

Reid McNeill’s point blank shot missed wide left of the net but a lively carom put the puck back in front, Carter Verhaeghe chipped it across the slot and Matthew Peca slammed it home 1:22 into the third period.

“We had a lot of chances but give them credit, they play a fast game and they took advantage of their opportunity,” said Nelson, one of eight players reassigned on Sunday by the parent Buffalo Sabres.

In losing to the Crunch for the sixth time in the past seven meetings (1-5-1), the Amerks surely learned a few little lessons. Like the speed with which the Crunch play; they’re relentless. And they don’t ever pass on an opportunity to play the body.

“They’re committed to it,” Amerks coach Chris Taylor said. “They make our ‘D’ work and they finish their hits all the time. I thought we didn’t throw the body when we had the angle.”

The Amerks also didn’t get to the net enough to create traffic in front of Ingram, Taylor said.

That said, there was plenty to like.

“You get 38 shots and can still be better? I think that’s a good problem to have,” Taylor said.

Another good problem? Trying to decide which players won’t be in the lineup for Game 1 of the best-of-five first round series (on the road, either April 20 if it’s against the Crunch, or April 21 if it’s Toronto).

C.J. Smith returned from his lower-body injury, had three shots on goal and was right back in the thick of the offense. Defensemen Brendan Guhle and Matt Tennyson and forwards Kevin Porter and Alexander Nylander joined Ullmark and Nelson in the lineup from the contingent reassigned by the Sabres.

Ullmark last played on March 24. He had been out with a concussion suffered in practice in Buffalo. There was certainly no rust. More importantly, he said he’s eager for his first AHL playoff action.

“Oh my God, yes,” he said. “I may not look like I’m excited, but inside I’m very happy and very excited about it.”