By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
With an injury list that has ballooned to eight, the Rochester Americans depth is being tested greatly already.
So far, they’re passing with flying colors.
Rookie Liam Valente helped set up the first two goals and third-year depth forward Zac Funk scored the first goal while workhorse goalie Matt Villalta continued his stellar play as the Amerks defeated the Cleveland Monsters 4-1 on Wednesday night.
“In this league you’re going to get tested with depth,” Amerks coach Michael Leone said after his club improved to 6-4-0-1. “There’s some huge pieces out of the lineup. A lot of guys stepped up.”
That included the top guns on the top two lines. Center Riley Fiddler-Schultz scored his fourth goal, giving the Amerks a 2-0 lead in the final minute of the first period, and fourth-year veteran winger Jason Polin scored his team-leading sixth and seventh goals.
Throw in physicality and shot-blocking by the defense and it all added up to the Amerks best Wednesday night home showing in who knows how long. They were lackluster in both previous Wednesday home games this season and went 0-3-1-1 over the final three months of last season.
Valente helped provide momentum in the game’s 12th minute. He partially blocked a D-to-D pass by Corson Ceulemans deep in the Cleveland zone, then chased down the puck behind the net and quickly passed into the high slot to Funk.
His instant one-timer zipped past goalie Evan Gardner.
“He had a good forecheck and then he stayed on the puck and made a nice play,” Leone said.
Valente couldn’t help but know Funk was open.
“I saw him but I most(ly) heard him,” the 23-year-old native of Martsa, Sweden, said.
He joined the Amerks last April following the completion of his collegiate career at Western Michigan University, playing in two regular season and two playoff games. Considering the experience the Amerks have at forward this year, he’s been forced to bide his time and wait for opportunity.
The past two years at Western Michigan, he was a top-six forward and played on the power play. This season, he’s a bottom six skater getting limited minutes in the eight games he has played.
“I just want to keep improving and help the team,” Valente said.
His two assists at the ice at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial on Wednesday gave him three for the season. The key now is to continue to play with the same focus, intensity and attention to details.
“As a pro, you have to understand where you’re at (on the depth chart),” Leone said. “It’s carving out a role. He’s doing the small things; faceoff detail, tracking back into our zone, winning wall battles.
“But it’s doing it again and being repeatable.”
That’s what earns the trust of the coaching staff, which in turn leads to more ice time and a bigger role.
Special teams excellence
The Amerks power play had been 3-for-27 in a six-game stretch between Oct. 10 and 28 but now has gone 4-for-9 in the past two games.
Meanwhile, the penalty kill is on an impressive roll, denying opponents on 16 consecutive power plays.
Clamping down on defense
The return of veteran Dennis Gilbert brought more poise and physicality to the defense. He had been with the parent Buffalo Sabres since Oct. 12.
He also set up the goal by Fiddler-Schultz with a perfect goal-mouth pass from high in the right circle.
While the Amerks had only 24 shots, they also allowed just 24. That’s 10 consecutive games allowing 28 or fewer, and five straight allowing 24 or fewer.
“We’ve been doing a really good job limiting shots, pressuring the puck in the D-zone,” Leone said.
Another lost shutout
Villalta lowered his goals-against average to 2.00 and boosted his save percentage to .918 but lost his bid for a shutout for the third time late in the third period, this time when Oiva Keskinen scored with 6:44 remaining.
Forward Matthew Peca took the blame. He was bodied off the puck behind the Amerks net by James Malatesta, who then set up Keskinen in the slot.
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