By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA UTICA – JJ Peterka admits the physicality of the Calder Cup playoffs took him a bit by surprise. But as everyone learns, open ice that was prevalent in the regular season disappears with a championship on the line. Players that maybe didn’t play an in-your-face style now suddenly won’t pass up a chance to lower the boom. Guess what? Four games into … [Read more...] about Peterka’s hat trick powers Amerks to overtime win
Amerks squander early lead, drop series opener to Utica
BY KEVIN OKLOBZIJA UTICA – Just as the public address announcer at the Adirondack Bank Center proclaimed one minute remained, the human whiteout that was the sellout crowd of 3,917 began to chant, “We want the Cup! We want the Cup!” And while it may be a little early to start planning a Calder Cup parade in the Mohawk Valley – after all, Tuesday night’s 6-3 victory over … [Read more...] about Amerks squander early lead, drop series opener to Utica
Amerks finish off Belleville in OT for first playoff series win in 17 years
By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA Brett Murray picked the perfect time to finally end his personal drought-of-all-droughts and the franchise drought-of-all-droughts. Murray’s goal 17:39 into overtime on Friday night gave the Rochester Americans another 4-3 OT victory over the Belleville Senators, completing the 2-0 sweep of the Calder Cup North Division mini-round play-in series. The … [Read more...] about Amerks finish off Belleville in OT for first playoff series win in 17 years
Glory days returning? Down 3-0, Amerks rally for OT win in playoff opener
By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA Maybe, just maybe, this current iteration of the Rochester Americans is ready to put more than a decade and a half of playoff dread behind and bring the glory days of springtime hockey back to life. They sure made that statement on Wednesday night, rallying from a 3-0 third-period deficit for an improbable 4-3 overtime victory over the Belleville … [Read more...] about Glory days returning? Down 3-0, Amerks rally for OT win in playoff opener
Amerks head to playoffs without a key player
By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA (updated with playoff opponent) The Rochester Americans earned the final playoff berth in the American Hockey League on Saturday without even playing. Not all news was good, however. The Amerks will be without goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen when they face the Belleville Senators in the best-of-three play-in series starting Wednesday in downtown … [Read more...] about Amerks head to playoffs without a key player