Mersch brothers enjoy ‘special’ family moment in Amerks preseason victory

By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA

Six years separate Michael Mersch and Dominick Mersch, which is why the hockey-playing brothers had never played a game together.

Until Thursday night.

Michael Mersch, the Rochester Americans 30-year-old captain, and 24-year-old brother Dominick, a free-agent signee in the offseason, skated as linemates in the American Hockey League preseason game at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.

They left with a souvenir – and half a puck each – as the reward for teaming up on second goal in a 4-2 victory over the Syracuse Crunch. More importantly, they left with a lifelong memory, even if it was only the preseason.

“My mom (Nancy), my stepdad (Chris Burco) and wife (Jenna) were all here (from Park Ridge, Ill.),” Michael said. “That’s the main reason I play the game, to enjoy special moments like this.”

Mersch is beginning his fourth season with the Amerks. His brother just completed a college career at the University of Wisconsin and wore the Amerks sweater for the first time on Thursday night.

Dominick kept a rebound loose in the deep slot and Mersch then bulled his way into the crease to sweep it home for a 2-0 lead at 9:10 of the second period.

“I had a good kick, on the goal, I think they both were on their knees,” Amerks coach Seth Appert said. “We all know what our captain is, but Dom’s a darn good player in his own right. He’s here because of the type of player he is, not because of Michael. He’s like his brother, loud on the bench, pulling guys into the fight with him.”

The puck from the goal was given to the bench, and Appert said equipment manager Andrew Stegehuis cut it in half so the brothers could share it.

“With what our captain has meant to us the last couple years, to be able to share that moment with their family was pretty cool,” Appert said.

Share the wealth night

Besides Michael Mersch, Zack Metsa, Filip Cederqvist and Damien Giroux scored goals and 11 players had at least a point.

“Certainly something we believe we have this year is good depth,” Appert said. “(General manager) Jason Karmanos and Jeremiah Crowe, our head pro scout, did a really good job identifying players that fit our identity, that fit the way we want to play, that are the kind of people we want to have in our locker room, and I thought a lot of those guys did a really good job tonight, (Christopher) Brown, (Damien) Giroux, (Rilley) Fiddler-Schultz, Mersch’s little brother.”

The other Devin solid in goal

Fourth-year veteran Devin Cooley played the entire game and made 30 saves. He stopped the first 20 shots he faced and was especially sharp in the first period when the Crunch were in control.

“I thought he was excellent in the first period because we weren’t good in the first,” Appert said. “We easily could have been down by one or two at the end of one. He was really good and allowed us to get the lead and then take the game from there.”

Cooley played last season as the backup with the Milwaukee Admirals behind first-round draft pick Yaroslav Askarov. He compiled a 15-8-2 record with a 2.93 goals-against average and .909 save percentage.

“I like how hard he competes,” Appert said. “It’s never going to be for lack of effort or competitiveness, and I think that wins teammates over, when they know that guy in net is battling for them.”

The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Cooley is a 26-year-old native of Los Gatos, Calif., and Appert said he has been aware of him since he was 16 or 17.

“I always remember liking him because he’s big, athletic and competitive, and for a goaltender, those are good places to start.”

Familiar faces returning

Winger Brett Murray cleared waivers and is officially on the Amerks roster. Second-year forwards Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen, exempt from waivers, also were sent to Rochester by the parent Buffalo Sabres.

The trio won’t play in Friday’s preseason finale at Utica, will have the weekend to relax.

Since Murray had never gone through the waiver process, Appert said he phoned him about five minutes after the waiver period expired just to get a sense of how he was feeling.

“It’s always a hard day, it’s his first time going through waivers. You’re getting sent down, so there’s the natural disappointment with that; he had a very good camp. There’s a lot to process.

“I just couldn’t be more proud of the player that he’s turned himself into, because three years ago it wasn’t consider he was a guy that was an NHL player or knocking on the door to be an NHL player. It’s a real credit to him and he’s been a massive piece in our success here.”