Defensive lapse costly as Amerks lose opener in OT

By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA

The crowd, 6,720 strong, was amped and a banner signifying last spring’s Northern Division playoff championship hung from the War Memorial rafters, the first new pennant unfurled by the Rochester Americans in 18 years.

But while this Amerks roster is perhaps the most talented in two decades, there would be no rekindling on Friday night of last spring’s playoff magic.

The Amerks dug a 2-0 hole, rebounded to take the lead in the third period but ended up losing 4-3 in overtime to the Bridgeport Islanders in the season opener.

The Islanders needed just one rush in overtime to produce the winning goal. A lack of backchecking coverage by Isak Rosen gave Ruslan Iskhakov far too much free space high in the right circle and the Bridgeport centerman fired a shot past goalie Devin Cooley just 21 seconds into OT.

“It was a very poor defensive assignment by Isak Rosen, simple as that,” Amerks coach Seth Appert said bluntly. “It’s three-on-three, it’s not that complicated who’s got who, so that was a very poor defensive effort.”

The loss spoiled what had been a determined comeback. First-period goals by Dennis Cholowski, at 1:47, and Iskhakan, at 12:27, staked Bridgeport to the 2-0 lead.

“They were good on the forecheck and they were hungry on loose pucks,” Weissbach said. “We have to be that team that out-competes everyone for loose pucks.”

Weissbach helped sparked the rally by scoring off a Nikita Novikov pass 1:46 into the second period, then Rosen’s mid-air tip of an Ethan Prow point shot with 3.1 seconds remaining in the period tied it.

When Brandon Biro one-timed home from the right wing circle a Brett Murray pass at 8:46 of the third period, the Amerks had their first lead.

But the Islanders continued to attack and Jeff Kubiak eventually drew an interference penalty on Biro with 5:25 remaining, though the play was hardly unique. Chowloski made a long head-man pass into the Amerks zone and Biro had position in the space where Kubiak wanted to go and banged into the Islanders forward just inside the blue line.

“It’s never called … it’s not,” Appert said. “But they called it.”

Still, Appert said, that wasn’t the deciding factor.

“The refs (Alex Lepkowski and Casey Terreri) had no impact on the game,” he said. “I disagreed with that call but we need to execute the penalty kill.”

Biro also disagreed.

“It’s a play that happens 50 times a game,” Biro said. “I would probably do it again. That’s what you’re taught, stay in front of the guy.”

The Islanders used the power play to tie the score at 15:55, with Arnaud Durandeau redirecting from between the hash marks a Chowlowski point shot.

Overtime lasted for just 21 ticks on the clock. The Amerks moved the puck into the Bridgeport zone but couldn’t maintain possession, and the Islanders headed the other way.

Chowlowski moved into the Amerks zone on left wing, then dropped the puck for Iskhakov, who was essentially by himself as Rosen peeled off to the right. Iskhakov then fired through traffic and Cooley had little chance to find it.

While this was simply a lack of defensive coverage, the bigger problem for the Amerks on Friday was the Bridgeport forecheck. The Islanders played heavy and attacked with ferocity.

“As much as you talk about pressure and as much as you tell a team what’s coming and show them video and you try to simulate it in practice, they’re a big, old, heavy, heavy team,” Appert said.

“Practice doesn’t simulate getting punched in the mouth like they do to you. They’re a great forechecking team.”

Loud welcoming

The pre-game introductions drew a steady, thundering applause from fans and moments from last year’s run to the conference finals were re-lived.

“It was fun to see some of the highlights from last year,” Weissbach said, “and with the crowd tonight, it was nice to show the new guys what it’s all about to play here.”

Solid debut

Novikov assisted on the first goal and was not afraid to join the rush. The defenseman was a sixth-round pick of the parent Buffalo Sabres in 2021.

“I thought he was excellent,” Appert said. “If we go back and grade our defensemen for positive plays vs. negative plays, Nikita could very likely grade out as tops.”