By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
Six days earlier, the Rochester Americans were basking in the spoils of accomplishment, having just eliminated the Utica Comets from the Calder Cup playoffs.
There was jubilation. There was satisfaction. There were dowsings with beer.
And now, here they were on Wednesday night, trying to process how a triple-overtime thriller ended their season.
There was heartache. There was disbelief. There was the wiping of tears.
JJ Peterka seemed in denial. Some 40 minutes after the winning goal was scored by Jean-Sebastien Dea, the rookie winger still hadn’t taken off his skates or hockey pants, unwilling to accept the dream of hoisting the Calder Cup wouldn’t happen this spring.
VIEW MORE JOE TERRITO PHOTOS HERE.
But when Dea scored a power-play goal 1:51 into the third overtime, it gave the Laval Rocket a 6-5 victory and brought to a close the fourth longest game in Amerks history. It was also the first triple overtime game for the franchise since Game 3 of the 1999 Calder Cup finals against the Providence Bruins.
The Rocket swept the best-of-five North Division finals 3-0, outscoring the Amerks 15-7.
“Obviously we had some highs; we snuck into the playoffs, some overtime wins (four), going to battle with these guys,” veteran defenseman Ethan Prow said. “It’s a bitter pill to swallow but you cherish those moments.”
It’s just difficult to cherish those moments so soon after elimination. After all, weren’t the Amerks just officially crowned the American Hockey League’s underdogs of spring after ousting Belleville and then Utica? Wasn’t the end of a 17-year playoff advancement drought the signal this spring would be special?
Then along came the Rocket, and just like that, in three games, the Amerks were done.
“That’s the playoffs,” Amerks coach Seth Appert said. “They always seem to end abrupt, or you win it all. It’s obviously more fun to win it all, but when you don’t, they always seem to end abruptly.”
It was especially abrupt for goalie Aaron Dell, who faced 60 shots (the Amerks fired 39 at Laval goalie Cayden Primeau) and saw Laval score the tying and winning goals on power plays.
“He’s been there for us the whole time,” Prow said of Dell. “A great performance.”
The goal that forced overtime, scored by Jesse Ylonen, came with only 1:07 remaining in the third period. The winner came with Brandon Davidson in the penalty box for what appears to be an incorrect delay of game call, made 1:20 into the third OT.
Davidson’s clearing try appeared to ramp up off the stick of Ylonen and into the stands. The officials gather to discuss it but ruled it went cleanly out of play.
“You hate the way it ended,” Appert said. “That was the wrong call.”
The organization can quickly point how important a 10-game post-season run will be for the development of their prospects, and there’s a bunch on this roster.
Those young prospects, however, weren’t willing to process the totality of the three-week playoff ride just yet.
“Overall it was a great experience for all of us … but, yeah, it still sucks,” said Peterka, who scored two more goals, giving him seven (along with five assists) in only 10 playoff games.
Making Wednesday’s loss so bitter for the Amerks was the way they played. They vaulted to a 2-0 lead in the first eight minutes on goals by Mark Jankowski and Peterka.
Then they stumbled through a horrid four-minute stretch late in the second period, giving up four goals and finding themselves in a 4-2 hole going into the third period.
Yet Team Resiliency refused to roll over. Brett Murray scored on the first shift of the third period, just 13 seconds in. Only 1:19 later, the scored was tied 4-4 when Peterka guided home a Peyton Krebs centering pass.
And when Murray scored again, redirecting a Prow point shot at 8:35, the Amerks were ahead and the sellout crowd of 10,662 was deafening.
The Rocket tied the score with only 1:07 remaining in regulation on a power play. Jesse Ylonen fired home a shot from the left of the slot during a 6-on-4 manpower advantage, the result of a Murray slashing penalty in the offensive zone and because Laval pulled goalie Cayden Primeau for a sixth attacker.
The penalty was difficult to argue. Murray slashed the stick out of the hands of defenseman Xavier Ouellet.
“That was a bad penalty, a selfish penalty,” Murray said. “It’s tough.”
Once in overtime, the Amerks had numerous great chances, including one by snakebit Jack Quinn that was headed into the net but hit the knob of Primeau’s stick and stayed out.
“I think that’s what makes everything even worse,” Peterka said. “We had so many chances to win it.”
And just like that, it was over.
“I’m probably more disappointed that this particular group of men will never get to be a team again,” Appert said. “Tonight was fitting, down 4-2 in the third and no quit, put ourselves in position.
“We probably should have closed it out but we didn’t; credit to Laval.”
Said Peterka: “You don’t have that many chances to play playoffs and win a couple rounds so you just soak it in.”
Kevin’s 3 stars, sponsored by Salvatore’s Old Fashioned Pizzeria
1. J-S Dea, C, Laval … Two goals against his former team, including the winner.
2. JJ Peterka, RW, Amerks … Two more goals, dangerous always.
3. Jesse Ylonen, RW, Laval … Scored the tying goal with 63 seconds left.
Longest games in Amerks history
April 10, 1982 vs. New Haven, 1st Round, Game 3, GWG scored 14:08 into 4th OT.
April 16, 1967 vs. Baltimore, 3rd round, Game 1, GWG scored 4:18 into 3rd OT.
May 25, 2022 vs. Laval, 3rd round, Game 3, GWG scored 1:51 into 3rd OT.
June 9, 1999 vs. Providence, Calder Cup finals, Game 3, GWG scored :55 into 3rd OT.
One of the most offensively gifted and entertaining teams ever for the first time in a very long time this was a step forward for Amerks hockey this season and drawing 36,000 plus fans over 4 playoff games at home should immensely help attendance next year if Buffalo decides it is worthwhile to make the Amerks competitive with the top teams. In the end as exciting and offensively gifted this team was the defense was nowhere near good enough to win it all and wasn’t really built for playoffs style hockey. Seeing that they possibly grossed around a million dollars in ticket sales for the 4 playoff games I hope management finds it worthwhile to stock this team to be a serious contender next year. The defense needs to be much improved! Great to win 2 rounds and this season was probably a 9 of 10 for entertainment value but it would be nice to stack this team with veterans next year that can win it all!
Question for Kevin, In the 1967 Playoffs the Amerks won a triple overtime game. I have tried to find this answer on the internet but nothing is working. Who scored the winning goal for the Amerks in this triple overtime victory?
Murray’s penalty was a killer because 1) it was in our O-zone 2) it was blatant and 3) I truly believe after holding them off for 9 minutes with the lead, we would have closed the deal.
but the delay of game penalty in triple OT was a very chintzy (and incorrect) call. That penalty should be removed from the books and to make it in a great OT game was simply bush league. Again, it shows the AHL needs to be able to use replays in those situations, to get it right. That Laval scored on that PP was inevitable.
Make no mistake, Laval was the better team, but the Amerks deserved to win that one. The game had so many mood swings…from the 2 early goals by Amerks; to the ‘what just happened’ 4 goal barrage by Laval in the 2nd; to the Amerks quick 2 goal recovery in the 3rd; their subsequent lead and then the disastrous end of period penalty.
Dell was magnificent. During the 90 seconds leading up to the 4 Laval goals, the ice was tilted to the Amerks end and the onslaught was ridiculous. I have never seen a team control play for that long, 5 on 5 in my lifetime. they were a veritable machine out there.
Being a part of both 10,000+ crowds was exhilarating, bringing back memories of the days when we routinely filled the building and won a few Cups. I missed those days. I’m convinced that if Buffalo gives us a legitimate contender, we can lead the league in attendance again. Losing was awful, but the playoffs were a lot of fun. I was also in the house the night we lost to Providence in triple OT during the Finals. The game ended after midnight, or so it seemed and the hollow feeling of being there that long only to lose was just miserable. It also put us behind 3 games to none.
Amerks probably went about a far as they could go. I have to think Chicago (who doesn’t score goals, they score touchdowns) are the clear favorites to take it all. would be fun to see Laval’s speed go against the Wolve’s offensive power.