By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
Two games, same team, two vastly different performances.
And two vastly different outcomes, which is why the Rochester Americans will be playing at least one more game this season.
On Wednesday, the Amerks played a game fit for a three-in-three weekend in November, not the Calder Cup playoffs. As a result, they weren’t even competitive, losing 5-0 on the road to the Toronto Marlies in Game 1 of the North Division play-in, mini-round.
On Friday night, faced with a win-or-go-home predicament in front of 6,359 fans at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial, they played like Calder Cup contenders and, buoyed by Devon Levi’s 27 saves, blanked the Marlies 4-0.
Dr. Jekyll, meet Mr. Hyde.
Of course, monsieurs Jekyll and Hyde need no introduction to each other. Personality conflict has been the Amerks M.O. much of the season. Only now, if they’ve actually settled on an identity, then a date with North champion Laval in the best-of-five division semifinals isn’t so far-fetched.
“You’ve seen us at our best, you’ve seen us at our worst,” said defenseman Ryan Johnson, who made an unexpected return after missing 12 games due to injury.
Johnson set up the second goal, by Carson Meyer, and scored the last, a 180-foot defensive-zone launch into an empty net that clinched the series-tying victory.
“It felt so good to be back,” Johnson said. “I thought we played such a good game.”
Konsta Helenius and Vsevolod Komarov scored the other goals as the Amerks opened a 2-0 first-period lead and played from a position of strength all night while the Marlies never really found their game.
“We challenged the group,” coach Michael Leone said. “If we don’t have work ethic, if we don’t compete and we’re not ultra-detailed in what we do, we have no chance to be successful.
“They know that, and they responded in a huge way. We live to fight another night.”
That fight will be on Sunday at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, when puck drop for the deciding third game of this abbreviated series will be at 4 p.m.
“We just have to keep playing the way we did tonight,” Levi said.
Levi was very much the goalie the Amerks have leaned on the previous two years during the playoffs, with his clutch saves prompting the customary “LEE-VI, LEE-VI” chants.
But he was quick to credit the entire group for the shutout.
“I think it was just a great team win,” he said. “I felt we played really well. They made my job easy.”
Getting the lead was also important. Helenius scored 13:20 into the game when his shot from the high slot caromed off defenseman Matt Benning and past goalie Artur Akhyamov.
Just 3:38 later, Meyer drove a shot from the top of the slot over Akhyamov’s glove at the Amerks led 2-0.
Johnson set him up after slicing between Logan Shaw and the boards in front of the Toronto bench to create an odd-numbered rush into the Marlies zone.
The second period was scoreless, with Levi making critical saves on Jacob Quillan at 15:20 and Ryan Tverberg at 16:45, and then Komarov scored the game-breaking goal 8:19 into the third period.
His wrister from the right point eluded Ahkyamov as Anton Wahlberg created a screen in the deep slot.
“It’s amazing (what happens) if you just play the game the right way,” Leone said.
He shuffled his lineup after Wednesday’s listless performance. Inserted were forwards Liam Valente, who joined the Amerks earlier this month following his collegiate season at Western Michigan, and Chris Douglas, who arrived in March after playing Canadian college hockey.
They joined Red Savage on the fourth line with Red Savage and Leone praised the trio’s work.
There’s no question that the Amerks are clearly still the underdog. The Marlies, as Leone pointed out, have 11 players on one-way NHL contracts. The Amerks: zero.
Still, it’s now a one-game series to determine which team moves on to play Laval.
“Our story is being written right now,” Levi said.
Said Johnson: “It’s going to be who wants it more,” adding that this group has continued to battle and believe. “Let’s do this,” he said.
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