By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
After making it look so easy to score goals in the opening game of the Calder Cup Eastern Conference finals, the Rochester Americans suddenly find themselves trailing the best-of-seven series.
That’s because goals have suddenly become very difficult to produce.
The Hershey Bears opened a 2-0 lead in the first 26 minutes on Saturday night and then used what Seth Appert thought was a style more suited for the National Football League to prevent an Amerks rally, winning 4-2 at sold-out Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
Two nights after shutting out the Amerks 2-0 in Game 2, Bears goalie Hunter Shepard was again sharp. He made 31 saves as Hershey took a 2-1 series lead in front of 10,746 fans.
This is, by the way, the same Hunter Shepard who allowed four goals on 16 shots in Game 1 and watched the final 33 minutes from the bench.
But Bears coach Todd Nelson said he wasn’t worried about how his goalie would react after the 5-1 loss in Game 1.
“He’s been spectacular for us all year,” Nelson said. “The way he rebounded is indicative of a person who is committed and focused.”
Logan Day, Sam Anas, Connor McMichael and Allaksei Protas scored for the Bears, who built 2-0 and 3-1 leads. Zach Metsa and Sean Malone scored for the Amerks, who outshot Hershey 33-25.
But the Amerks haven’t been able to use their speed as effectively as they had against in earlier rounds against Syracuse and Toronto, or as they did in Game 1 against Hershey. The Bears have made sure of that by tweaking what they do offensively and defensively.
“That’s why it’s fun coaching in the playoffs,” said Nelson, who played defense for the Amerks in 2000-01. “Both coaches are looking at ways to expose the other team.”
The Amerks found a way to do so to the Bears in Game 1 with their speed, taking advantage of wide gaps between forwards and defensemen to stretch the ice and put defenders in vulnerable positions.
“Their transition game is exceptional and their speed caught us a little by surprise,” Nelson admitted. “We knew they played fast, but we didn’t expect that.”
So Hershey adjusted, dialing back on the zealousness on the forecheck to make sure they always have adequate numbers ready to retreat to slow Rochester’s transition game through the neutral zone.
“The last two games they’ve been committed to being above us with numbers, probably forechecking less aggressively to stay above,” Appert said, “and when they have that many numbers above, you have to be willing to drive it deep or chip it deep and go retrieve it.”
Thus, it’s now the Amerks’ turn to alter the way in which they enter the zone and create offense, because speedsters like Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosen and Linus Weissbach are finding far less open space.
“That is a bit of the chess match,” Appert said. “We’ve done that every game of the playoffs and our guys have done a really good job of being able to make those adjustments. Now we need to make them without practice time, which is harder to do for younger players.”
It’s actually a style they’ll need to play if the referees continue to allow a more 1990s/early-2000s-style of defending by the Bears to continue.
“Unless the officiating changes in terms of what is being called, that is how we’re going to have to score,” Appert said. “That’s fine, we’ll score that way.
“With the way the game’s being officiated, you’ve got to score the way we scored because it’s tackle football out there, so you just have to get to the net and get screens, tips, rebounds.”
The Amerks first goal came on a Metsa wrist shot from the right point that hit Bears defenseman Dylan McIlrath as Rosen and Kohen Olischefski barged into the deep slot.
The second goal, by Malone, was created as Brendan Warren won a puck battle on the right-wing half wall and moved it behind the net to Michael Mersch. While still behind the net, he fired a shot into the pads of Shepard and the puck caromed to the right of the crease and Malone roofed a backhander.
“One thing about playing with Mersch is he’s predictable; you know he’s always going to get the puck to the net,” Malone said. “I was actually calling for a pass but he found a different way to get it to me.”
What hasn’t been predictable is the officiating. Appert clearly wasn’t pleased with the work of Justin Kea and Morgan MacPhee on Saturday. Each team had just two power plays when there seemed to be far more fouls committed.
The fans certainly thought so, starting “Ref you (aren’t good) chants” and even tossing empty bottles and other trash onto the ice.
Appert was asked about the slashing penalty assessed to Weissbach at 5:14 of the second period, which led to a power-play goal by Anas 22 seconds later for a 2-0 Hershey lead.
“I don’t know what a penalty is, so I can’t answer that,” he said.
I left the game with 2 thoughts, first you had to wonder what could have been if this game had been officiated correctly. I understand playoff hockey and letting them play but the Amerks biggest advantage of skill and speed was completely negated by the referees allowing even tackling and holding obstructions against our players. To me this is a huge disservice to the league and fans who should be allowed to see the best talent showcase its skills in a conference finals playoff series! I would argue even with the brilliance of Sheppard, and he has been spectacular, Hershey wouldn’t have a great chance of winning a 7 game series if these games were officiated as they are in the regular season. What a shame! Secondly, when you have chemistry like they had to get to 7 straight wins why change things up because you have the Buffalo golden boy draft pick available, a 19 year old who hadn’t even played 1 game in the AHL! Unfortunately since Savoie has been inserted the 7 game win streak has turned into a 2 game losing streak we have all the lines being juggled and the timely chemistry that we had built by having a stable lineup and line combinations is totally gone. Can’t blame Appert I’m sure Buffalo is calling the shots how disappointing that they can’t for a change prioritize winning at this juncture in the season when we have reached the conference finals and are drawing sellout crowds every playoff game. What a shame!
Agree with all Ted said, all year the team has been about competing and EARNING your ice time.
agree Phil. Savoie needs to sit it out now. Sabres of course won’t let that happen because afterall, with this organization, its development over winning yesterday today and tomorrow. Some know-nothing from Buffalo insists Savoie needs to play because he is ‘better than half the team’. Yeah, the team that had won 7 straight and was playing like a well oiled machine.
Do the right thing…put Cederqvist back in the lineup and let the kid watch. He had his two games in which the best you can say (Appert of course won’t say it) is he was pretty unremarkable and it messed with the chemistry of the lines. What a poor time to be doing this. There is still time to right the ship but it won’t be easy. The Bears are (sorry) the better team so if our guys are to come back, it will be a nice upset.
The officiating was the worst I’ve seen all season. Bears were tripping, tackling, mugging, slashing and doing whatever illegal stuff they could get away with all night long and both refs turned a blind eye to it all. That just shouldn’t be happening in a conference final series. Shame on the AHL for not catching this kind of refereeing.
Final point though. Amerks will not beat Hershey by playing the way they did for 40 minutes. Yeah, Hershey has adjusted…so we have to re-adjust. The timid offense, refusing to shoot the puck is never going to work against a good goalie. They managed to get into the zone, but then they made cute passes and ended up having the puck stolen from them. You bust in, fire away and either look for rebounds, screens or at worst an O_Zone faceoff. Hershey owned the game for 40 minutes before Amerks woke up and played the aggressive style that the coach says is the way they win games. It was simply too late and Shepard stood his ground. Subban was OK but not good enough.
Hershey took the crowd out of the game early, what we feared the most. After the first goal, you felt the air go out of the building. The refs did the rest.
The team scoring first in this series clearly has had the advantage. So Monday that becomes Job 1 for Rochester. They can still win a game but not with the way they have not adjusted to Hershey’s game. No offense to Buffalo (yeah lots of offense to Buffalo) but please let Appert put his regular lineup out there Monday. I doubt you will hurt Savoie’s feelings to sit him down.
Left the building feeling disappointed and unhappy with the game. Let’s right the wrong Monday and hope we get two different referees. (was Kea afraid of being called a ‘homer’ if he didn’t call penalties, having played here before?)
Oh yeah…and throwing stuff on the ice is never acceptable (except hats for hat tricks) Anyone doing that should not be allowed back in.