By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
Now in his fourth season, and given essentially just a cursory look in training camp by the Buffalo Sabres, it’s getting to be put-up or move-on time for Isak Rosen.
Based on his performance on Friday night, it’s apparently put-up time. The right winger with the wicked one-timer seems quite eager to show his ceiling goes beyond being an American Hockey League All-Star.
Rosen scored a pair of power-play goals to stake the Amerks to a 2-0 lead, then goals by Tyler Kopff and Brendan Warren extended the lead to 4-1 before the Amerks relied on tenacious last-minute defensive-zone play to secure a 4-3 opening-night victory over the Toronto Marlies.
“I’m just trying to show I can be too good for this league and do it consistently,” said Rosen, who scored 28 goals and 55 points a year ago and has 62 goals in his three seasons.
“It’s more than just points. It’s being hard on pucks and being hard to play against and I’m trying to do better.”
The victory in front of 6,705 fans at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial was an appropriate kickoff to the 70th anniversary season.
The power play went 2-for-5, big hits led to two goals and there was a definite willingness as a group to play team hockey.
“What we were looking for from our group – the theme this year is a hunting mentality – I think they were great,” second-year coach Michael Leone said. “I liked the brand of hockey we played tonight.”
So, too, did Brendan Warren, an alternate captain now in his fifth season with the organization.
“I’m super proud of our compete level tonight. We’re going to be a tough team to play against.”
That track-the-puck, play-the-body mentality led to the game’s first goal. Newcomer Trevor Kuntar pursued the puck on the forecheck deep in the Marlies zone and bowled over Henry Thrun just as the defenseman got to the puck behind the net.
Marlies captain Logan Shaw immediately jumped Kuntar and started throwing punches. Referees Adam Tobias and Hayden Verbeek opted to assess fighting majors on each and an additional roughing penalty on Shaw, even though his actions were the rulebook and casebook definition of instigating.
The ensuing power play turned into Rosen’s first goal. Zac Jones, from the center point, passed to the right wing circle for Rosen, who lasered a one-timer into the top corner of the net on short side.
“There were hard hits and standing up for each other and I think that’s why we won tonight,” Rosen said.
Rosen scored again just 1:05 into the second period, again on the power play and again on a one-timer from the right circle.
This time Ostlund made a quick pass but the rest of play looked very similar: a one-timer zipping past goalie Artur Akhtyamov high on the short side.
“To be honest, I just wanted to shoot a lot,” Rosen said.
The lead became 3-0 at 5:54 when Kopff scored off a two-on-one fastbreak. A mix-up on a line change between Thrun and Cade Webber created the odd-man rush for the Amerks and Kopff kept it all the way, carrying in on right wing and firing a shot from the circle that clanked in off the far post.
Borya Valis cut the lead to 3-1 at 10:56 but the Amerks retaliated as Warren scored on a breakaway at 13:57.
The scoring chance came thanks to a jarring check by defenseman Jack Rathbone. He stepped up at the Amerks blue line and crunched David Kampf to the ice. An instant later, Warren was skating in alone to score.
The Marlies pulled to within 4-3 on goals by Shaw at 18:45 of the second period and Valis 5:39 into the third but the Amerks held on against a very potent Toronto team.
“I got their roster this morning and I was, ‘Holy smokes,’ ” Leone said. “It’s as good of a lineup as you’re going to see in this league. The third period they pushed a lot but I liked the way we competed.”
70th anniversary tribute
The Amerks wore special sweaters to commemorate those worn in the first season of 1956-57.
“It’s cool to wear these jerseys with all the history,” Rosen said. “The Amerks have one of the great histories in the AHL.”
The jerseys are up for auction through next Friday, which doesn’t necessarily please Warren.
“Rochester is really a special place to play and doing these throwback jerseys, they’re really cool,” he said, joking that because they’re being auctioned off he can’t keep his.
Mrtka’s future
Rookie defenseman Radim Mrtka, the ninth overall pick in this year’s NHL draft by the Sabres, looked quite at home playing his game.
“For an 18-year-old in the American Hockey League, he was great,” Leone said. “Some of his exits, his poise with the puck, he had a big block, he killed penalties. You would have never known it was his first pro hockey game.”
Where he is playing in two weeks or a month hasn’t been decided, however. The Sabres are trying to determine if he’s ready for full-time AHL duty or if it make more sense to have him return to his Seattle junior team in the Western Hockey League.
Great job once again Kevin! Good game to start the season!
I also loved the reception Don Stevens got when he announced the Amerks. Going to miss him.