By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
Once a team that could create offense in an instant, the Rochester Americans are struggling mightily to score a goal, let alone the four or five that seemingly came so easily in October and November.
On Wednesday, only Lukas Rousek found the net, and that was on a third-period penalty shot, as the Amerks lost 3-1 to the Syracuse Crunch at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
Plain and simple, sizzle has turned to fizzle. The artistry that worked so well early is no longer effective as teams across the American Hockey League become more cohesive defensively.
“It’s not working,” Rousek said. “We need to score some dirty goals.”
Indeed, over the past 10 games, the Amerks have been outscored 36-23, which is why they are just 3-6-0-1 over that span. Even when they win, they’re allowing the opponent to earn the loser point. Their last regulation victory came on Nov. 18, a 7-5 victory at Cleveland.
“I think lately, some of it is goaltenders, that’s part of it,” Amerks coach Seth Appert said, referring to facing Malcolm Subban (Springfield), Louis Domingue (Hartford), Michael DiPietro (Providence), Jet Greaves (Cleveland), Magnus Hellberg (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) and Matt Tomkins (Syracuse) in the recent stretch.
“I (also) think it’s that time of year,” Appert said. “Teams start playing better defense this time of year. The points start mattering more. It gets more tedious to create.”
And the Amerks haven’t done nearly enough creating – goals or high-quality chances. Over the past 11 games, they have surpassed 30 shots just three times. Against the stingy Crunch, the Amerks allowed a season-low 15 shots but only had 23 of their own.
Three of those 15 shots against goalie Dustin Tokarski came in a span of 37 seconds of the second period. All three hit the twine behind him.
A telegraphed Riley Stillman pass for Mason Jobst was intercepted and turned into a goal at the other end by Shawn Element off a two-on-one fast break at 6:36, just as an Amerks penalty was expiring.
“We had a great kill, we had all the momentum in the building and we just made a bad play,” Appert said.
Just 23 seconds later, off a faceoff to Tokarski’s left, Mitchell Chaffee plucked the puck out of traffic in the circle and passed to Gage Goncalves in the slot. One nifty deke later, the Crunch led 2-0.
And then just 14 seconds after that, Joseph Cecconi couldn’t handle an errant breakout pass and Element one-timed a Gabriel Fortier pass into the net from the right circle (with a little help from the stick blade of Amerks winger Isak Rosen).
“We had a very good first period,” Rousek said, “but in a minute of the second period the game was almost over.”
Actually, it pretty much was over, as slumps continued for far too many forwards. Mason Jobst hasn’t scored a goal in 11 games. Michael Mersch has one in his past 15 games. Brett Murray has one in his past 11 games, though he was battling through injury for part of that stretch. Linus Weissbach has scored two in his past 12. Rookie Viktor Neuchev continues to show flashes of talent but has gone 11 games without a goal.
And Rosen hasn’t scored a goal in seven games since returning from a two-week recall with the Buffalo Sabres.
“He has not been as good since he has been back but I have full faith he will get his game going,” Appert said. “He’s probably putting pressure on himself to dominate and get back there.”
It could get worse for the Amerks before it gets better. The Hershey Bears come to town Friday night. The defending Calder Cup champions bring a 25-6 record to Rochester and have outscored opponents 105-66.
“This will be a good measuring stick game because right now they’re the best team in the league by a mile,” Appert said.
Appert said it’s also not the wrong time to face them, either.
“I think it’s always a good time to play great teams,” he said. “I think adversity and having adverse situations leads to a lot of growth in you as a player but also as a team collectively. We’re going to have adverse situations Friday because the best team in the league is coming into the building.”
Injury update
Defensemen Ethan Prow and Zach Metsa should be skating in practice Thursday, but not in contact drills. Prow will be out another one or two weeks, Appert said, but Metsa could be cleared sooner.
I have been watching Amerks hockey since 1960 and I have to say that last week our coach, who I do respect, made perhaps one of the most hard to fathom, dumb comments I have ever heard from an Amerks bench boss.
‘This is the best I’ve felt about our team all year’. ‘I loved the way we played tonite’.
All anyone can glean from those comments would be he isn’t at all interested in winning the games at the moment. Because, the team has been going very badly lately.They can’t win in regulation; they haven’t been winning much at all. They are playing uninspired hockey at home where they are now under .500.
If you feel really good about a team than can’t get their act together, then its hard to know where to go from there, as a fan.
He has praised all the goalies they have faced over the past 6 games. But how about our guys then? Is every goalie better than our guys? (ans: absolutely)
Of course you will lose when the other goalie consistently outplays your goalie.
He has to know that the forwards aren’t getting it done anymore. Yet in his post game tonite, he put the blame on the ‘d’.
The loss wasn’t Tokarski;s fault he said. (well maybe the 3rd goal…) You face 15 shots, and you allow 3 goals in less than one minute, on your home ice…what does anyone who watches the games have to think about our goaltending?
Coach sounded nervous in his interview tonite. He wasn’t quite as effusive about how great his team has been playing. Maybe he knows that come Friday night, it could be a very ugly game against the powerhouse Bears.
In summary, another ho-hum effort at home and another loss. Too many of those this month. A very large Wednesday crowd goes home unhappy again. Whats it gonna take to kick these guys back into the game again?
Because right now, from where the fan sits, this is NOT the best we have felt about this team all year. Hated the way we played tonite. Our goalie was once again outplayed.
things have to change. At least if winning matters
Ted can’t add anything more to what you said agree 100% with what you said! No regulation win since before thanksgiving with this loaded lineup is mind boggling our coach as good as he has been the past 2 years has lost this team, at least for now. Play at home, especially Wednesdays has been especially dismal and lacked any entertainment value we need a major shakeup in the lineup at least for now to send a message ! play the fringe players more ie Giroux even call up a few from Jacksonville if needed! I get the Amerks are a “developmental “ team but we are also a business if we aren’t then why not play the games in front of no fans and don’t bother keeping track of the score. We have drawn enough fans in our playoff runs the past 2 years that management needs to act fast on this sinking ship that considering the amount of returnees from last years team that was 6 wins away from a championship this is unbelievable we should be right up at the top with Cleveland right now!
Kevin–I hope you are covering this game for us tonite. Its the most important game of the 2023 portion of our schedule. Why? First the obvious. Its our oldest rival and the team than knocked us out last year.
2nd there will be a huge crowd and Amerks have stink stank stunk at home this season.
3rd the team is rudderless and has been for 6 weeks. Zero regulation wins; no wins at home all month; shaky goaltending; no scoring. They are a hot mess. An upset win would do wonders for everybody and might even get them excited again.
They aren’t supposed to win tonite and they know that. So get out there and prove them all wrong. Play like it really matters. When (if) you score a goal, look darned excited. None of this Kulich shrug of indifference. None of you are good enough to be in the NHL based on the record so far, so work hard and earn your promotions if and when they come.
Lastly, whoever is in nets–play your behind off.