By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — When Jason Polin left the Western Michigan University campus in Kalamazoo in the spring of 2023 to turn pro, no one in college hockey had scored more goals.
In 39 games as a senior, he piled up 30 goals, which was a big reason the Colorado Avalanche signed the never-drafted forward to an NHL contract.
But while Polin never approached that goal total during his three seasons with Colorado’s AHL affiliate in Loveland, Colo., his new coach believes the fourth-year right winger will produce for the Rochester Americans.
Friday provided a pretty good snapshot of what Polin can do. He scored two power-play goals and assisted on a third as the Amerks routed the Syracuse Crunch 7-1 at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
Matteo Costantini, Carson Meyer, Red Savage Aidan McDonough and Trevor Kuntar also scored goals while Conor Sheary set up three as the Amerks improved to 2-0-0-1.
While new to the organization and having played his entire AHL career out west, Leone still knew what he was about. And not just because Polin spent his four-year NCAA career at Leone’s alma mater.
“I didn’t know the person, I knew the player,” Leone said. “He was playing for one of the best organizations in the NHL and he was always a call-up guy.
“He hasn’t scored at our level but I think he was kind of in a slot where he didn’t get the most opportunities to play in a top-six role and I think he’s going to score for us.”
After Costantini and Meyer scored in the final three minutes of the first period to stake the Amerks to a 2-0 lead, the Rochester power play put the game away in the second period by going 3-for-4.
Polin scored his first goal of the season just 28 seconds into the period, converting a pass from Sheary at the goal mouth.
After Savage scored at 8:45 following a Sheary steal, Polin scored again on a power play at 10:30. As Sheary wristed a shot on goal from the right point, Polin angled through the deep slot and redirected it past struggling goalie Olivier Rodrigue (just 13 saves on 19 shots).
The chemistry has formed quickly with Sheary, Polin and Matthew Peca, even though the Amerks really didn’t have a training camp.
“You get practice reps in, you hang out in the locker room, you try to get that bond with everyone,” Polin said.
He ended up in the Buffalo Sabres organization, signing as a free agent over the summer with the belief that there would be opportunity to earn playing time at the NHL level as well.
It also didn’t hurt that a former Western Michigan player (Leone) was coaching in Rochester.
“Always going to follow those Western guys,” he joked.
So far he likes what he’s seen being in Rochester.
“I’ve been getting used to the area,” Polin said. “I’ve tried to travel around and see the city itself. I can see the passion that’s here and it’s fun to show up to the rink every day.”
He is coming off a 10-goal, 11-assist season with the AHL Colorado Eagles. The year before, he produced 11 goals and 8 eight assists. During his three full seasons in the Avs organization, he played 13 NHL games and scored one goal.
“I see myself as a solid, two-way forward that can provide the offense,” Polin. “I can play on the kill, I can play on the power play, I believe I can be trusted on six-on-five.”
Said Leone: “He works, he wins battles. I’m really glad we got him. He does everything right all time and he helps you win.”
While the Amerks scored seven for the first time since October of last year, goalie Matt Villalta was again sharp (23 saves, the most important coming early when the Crunch had two first-period power plays).
Injury update
Forward Thomas Bordeleau, who sustained an undisclosed injury last weekend, sat out the game.
While Leone said he didn’t want to term the injury “week to week,” Bordeleau likely will be out until at least Oct. 21.
Amerks startaed Boyko in goal Saturday. He gave up 4 but this loss wasn’t totally on him. After building a decent 2 goal lead going into the 2nd period, the team folded. Some folks were using the ‘they were tired’ excuse because they played on the road the night before. If a pro team is already tired 6 games into a season, there are big problems that need to be addressed. When they routinely played 3 in 3’s for years, Amerks always had to travel from a road game on Saturday. A quick look at the results would indicate they did manage to win a lot of those Sunday games! Amerks did have ‘rested’ players on the bench also. And guys like Geersten who has been awful so far doesn’t need to play.
This is a very good Amerks team, with an A-List starting goalie. They are better than their record and I suspect as the season rolls on, they will be making a lot of noise. I don’t think the players will be using the ‘tired’ excuse for the 4-2 loss Saturday. They just didn’t play well enough after grabbing a 2-0 lead.