By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
In a stare-down with elimination from playoff contention on Friday night, the Rochester Americans refused to blink and instead routed the Utica Comets 8-1 in their regular season finale.
JJ Peterka scored his second hat trick of the month and AHL Rookie of the Year Jack Quinn scored one goal and set up another as the Amerks sprinted to a 4-0 first-period lead, then shifted to cruise-control for the final 40 minutes.
And now they wait. While Friday’s victory over the North Division regular-season champions provided a sense of great satisfaction, in reality, it merely kept the Amerks playoff hopes alive.
Their season still can end without a visit to the post-season if the Toronto Marlies win or get to overtime in Saturday’s 3 p.m. game at Belleville.
That’s because the Amerks points-earned percentage of .5526 from a record of 37-29-7-3 gets them into fifth place only if the Marlies lose in regulation.
So for one day, the Amerks will become the biggest Belleville Senators fans in the Northern Hemisphere. If the Senators win in regulation, the Marlies will fall backward and into sixth place because of a .5486 points-earned percentage.
“Weird,” Peterka said when asked what it will feel like cheering for the Senators. “But we’ll keep our fingers crossed.”
If the Amerks do end up fifth, they will play either Belleville or Laval in the AHL’s new best-of-three play-in round.
The first game of the series very likely will be Wednesday, but where the series begins will be determined once an opponent is known. Either way, the Amerks will only play one home game in the series.
“It will be miserable tomorrow (waiting and hoping) because I think you saw a glimpse tonight – when we get some pieces back, especially on our D-corps – of what kind of team we can potentially be,” coach Seth Appert said. “I just want to keep coaching this team. I just love this group.”
The group includes two of the AHL’s brightest young stars, Peterka and Quinn. Before the game AHL President Scott Howson presented each with their All-Rookie Team crystal.
“That was great to be able to do that together,” Quinn said. “We’ve kind of been playing together all year and become really great friends. It was cool to cap it off like that, going out together.”
Quinn also received even more impressive hardware, the Dudley “Red” Garrett Plaque as Rookie of the Year. He’s the first Amerk since goalie Mika Noronen in 1999-2000 to win the award, and first Amerks forward since Donald Audette in 1989-90. The Sabres did have two prospects win the award when they stocked the Portland Pirates, Nathan Gerbe in 2008-09 and Tyler Ennis in 2009-10.
“It means a lot, it’s a pretty special honor to receive,” Quinn said. “I think it’s pretty special that one of us in Rochester could get it.”
Quinn finished with 26 goals, 35 assists and 61 points in 45 games. His 1.36 points-per-game average is third-best in the league.
Peterka, meanwhile, sits ninth overall in league scoring with 28-40-68 points in 70 games. No rookie produced more points.
“I’m so proud of both of them for how much better they got,” Appert said. “And JJ probably had a little extra in him tonight – maybe he thought he should have gotten the big award.”
“He might have; we’ll have to ask him,” Quinn said with a big smile. “I definitely wouldn’t be at the stage where I’m at without playing with him and hopefully I’ve been able to give him some things as well.”
Peterka said the award went to the rightful winner, however.
“Quinner played a fantastic season,” Peterka said. “At the end of the day, he really deserved it.”
Both rookies made sure they did all they could on Friday to keep the Amerks playoff hopes alive. Quinn started the scoring at 6:30, rifling a one-timer from the right circle past goalie Nico Daws. Just 2:51 later, Sean Malone scored a power-play goal and it was 2-0.
Then Peterka took center stage, scoring in a goal-mouth scramble at 12:55 and redirecting Casey Fitzgerald’s point shot at 15:56 for a 4-0 lead.
Josh Teves scored just 1:34 into the second period, and then Peterka completed his hat trick with a penalty shot goal only 32 seconds later.
“The last couple games (losses to last-place Cleveland), we had it in our hands and we didn’t play our best, so of course it’s a great way to help the team like that,” Peterka said.
Not all was glorious on Friday, though. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was forced to leave the game with a lower body injury after playing just 11:56.
He was hurt when Ryan Schmelzer drove to the net off left wing and continued into Luukkonen, who was scrunched between the Comets forward and the post. No penalty was assessed, and Luukkonen appeared to be questioning the referee as to why as he left the ice.
Appert didn’t have a report on his status, but did say, “It was serious enough to not be able to come back in the most important game of the year.”
Said Quinn: “It just sucks to see someone get injured. He’s a great teammate, a great friend of mine and everyone in the room.”
Aaron Dell, who was the Sabres backup in Boston on Thursday, entered and stopped 23 of 24 shots.
“He was completely dialed in when called upon,” Appert said.
Fitzgerald solid in return
Fitzgerald was returned to the Amerks after four months in Buffalo, where he played 36 NHL games (six assists).
He said coming back to the Amerks “was awesome, seeing the guys playing just like they did where we left off.”
Had Fitzgerald been sent back a week or two earlier, it’s possible the Amerks would have clinched a playoff spot since he solidifies the defense and allows the coaching staff to properly slot defensemen in the proper spots.
“When you look at the two years since Kevyn (Adams, the Sabres general manager) got hired, where we were then and where we are now, both in Buffalo and Rochester, there’s no reason for me to question those decisions,” Appert said. “As much as you’d love to have him, two years ago when we got hired, Casey Fitzgerald was not thought of as an NHL prospect and we’re so darn proud of him, how hard he works, how miserable he is to play against, how he’s gone from a guy who was mostly a healthy scratch as a first-year pro to a full-time NHL player this year.”
An oddity with goaltending
It’s quite rare to see all four goalies play in one game. It’s almost unheard of to see them all in the first period.
Luukkonen left after 11:56 and Dell finished the game. Meanwhile, Utica coach Kevin Dineen inserted backup Akira Schmid 15:56 into the game after starter Nico Daws allowed four goals on 14 shots.
Amerks team award winners
MVP and Rookie of the Year: Jack Quinn.
Rob Zabelny Unsung Hero and Most Improved: Brandon Biro.
Fairand/O’Neil Sportmsmanship: Ethan Prow.
Most popular player: JJ Peterka.
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