By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
Play the right way, coaches say, and you’ll get rewarded.
The Rochester Americans’ 4-3 victory over the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday night at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial is proof that it’s not just some coaching cliche.
Down 3-1 through 54 minutes, the Amerks scored three times in a span of just 2:42 to turn a sure loss into a satisfying comeback triumph.
“That was our best game, by a mile, it wasn’t even close,” Amerks coach Seth Appert said after his club improved to 3-1-1-0. “Even when we were down 3-1, with the exception of taking a couple penalties we didn’t have to take and getting a little confused on the kills, that was our best game.”
Jiri Kulich started the rally at 14:03 of the third period by scoring his fifth goal of the season – in just his fifth game. He drove hard to the left edge of the crease and fired home a perfect pass from Brett Murray.
Alexsandr Kisakov tied the score just 58 seconds later, posting up at the hash mark in the right of the slot off the rush so he could steer home a centering pass from Lukas Rousek.
Then Isak Rosen gave the Amerks their only lead of the game at 16:45. He mishandled the puck at first after a Kulich faceoff win but recovered to regain control before spinning around in the high slot and fire a shot through traffic that eluded goalie Spencer Knight.
Just like they drew it up. Sort of.
Kulich actually told Rosen where to position himself before the puck drop. “I trusted myself in the faceoff,” Kulich said.
While Rosen initially bobbled the puck, he stuck with it, corralled it, and then fired to score his third goal of the month.
“We stayed with a winning game plan and then guys made a couple big plays and got rewarded,” Appert said. “It’s a style of play that’s replicable, that you can win with at different times of the year, whereas the wins the first two weekends were more summer hockey wins that aren’t going to be replicable later.”
The kid line was good
Kulich and Rosen, both second-year forwards, played on a line with newcomer Matt Savoie, who joined the Amerks on Monday to start a two-week conditioning stint. The parent Buffalo Sabres must decide whether the 19-year-old is ready for full-time NHL duty, and will use the conditioning time in Rochester to help with the decision.
Savoie suffered shoulder and elbow injuries in the final prospects challenge game on Sept. 18 and just returned to full practice with the Sabres on Oct. 6. As a 19-year-old with junior eligibility remaining, he can’t play in the American Hockey League during the regular season, other than on conditioning. The choices or the NHL or returning to his Western Hockey League team in Wenatchee, Wash.
Savoie did play in two playoff games last spring with the Amerks in the Calder Cup conference finals but was ineffective at best. On Wednesday he looked much more at home, assisting on a first-period power-play goal by Michael Mersch.
“I liked him a ton,” Appert said. “He’s a guy you feel good calling his name. Whether the shift is good or just OK, he’s going to play the right way, he’s going to play fast, he’s going to be competitive, he’s going to hunt pucks. He just drips of a hockey player.”
Savoie was just glad he finally got to be a hockey player on Wednesday. Sitting out more than a month wasn’t easy.
“I was just excited every time I got to touch the ice because it had been so long since I’d played in a game,” he said.
His assist came when he moved down below the end line to take a Rosen pass, then quickly moved it to Mersch at the dot in the left circle.
“Vinny Prospal, (the assistant coach who works with the forwards) drew that up,” Appert said. “You like the offense he (Savoie) that showed with the pass but also the ability to take in information and be able to apply it is an underrated skill for a younger player.”
Kulich off to a hot start
Kulich was tied for the AHL lead in goals (pending West Coast game Wednesday night) with five. He produced 24-22-66 in 62 games as a rookie last season.
But even with a quick start, there’s no satisfaction.
“You said it, that’s just the start,” Kulich said. “I have to keep going and keep working.”
Great respect for a familiar foe
Former Amerks defenseman Casey Fitzgerald is playing with Charlotte, as is former Amerks forward Rasmus Asplund.
Fitzgerald played with the Amerks for 2 ½ seasons, including most of the first two of what is now a four-year tenure for Appert.
“Fitzy is one of the guys, to me, in my time here, that has been one of the most important Amerks that we’ve had,” Appert said. “We needed to establish our identity and our culture and what we wanted to stand for as a group.
“There were some guys that were guys that were really important in establishing what we want to be about as Amerks and Fitzy would very, very high on that list.”
Another injury
Rookie Victor Neuchev suffered an upper body injury when he was bowled over in open ice by Fitzgerald just 5:57 into the game.
Neuchev did not return and Appert didn’t have a status update.
Fitzgerald was assessed a minor for a check to the head.
Forwards Brandon Biro and Linus Weissbach missed the game due to injury.
Great game to see, Kevin!