ROCHESTER – Seth Appert made an accurate prediction ahead of his first playoff game as coach of the Rochester Americans.
“It’s going to be violent,” he said following the morning skate.
Dangerously so.
Linus Weissbach, a seventh-round draft choice of the Sabres in 2017, lay motionless on the ice less than three minutes into the game Wednesday night after a vicious blindside hit by Belleville Senators forward Mark Kastelic sent Weissbach crashing into the boards.
Weissbach needed three people to help him to the bench, and he didn't return to the game. Tempers flared. These two teams played nasty, physical games in the regular season and this was no different. And the Amerks fell behind three goals because the Senators were opportunistic and received stellar goaltending.
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Then, the Amerks unleashed their high-octane offense, rallying to tie the score late in regulation before taking Game 1 in the best-of-three first-round play-in playoff series with a 4-3 overtime win over the Senators in front of 6,044 fans at Blue Cross Arena.
"It would have been an easy game to go away probably," said Appert. "Against a team that physical and that demanding, down by three. This group, I think the love they have for each other, the competitiveness they share with each other, is the reason why we made the playoffs with a makeshift lineup for 10 weeks.
"We were surviving on fumes and gutting out. ... I think that fight, that belief in each other, that love for each other, showed in the third period."
The Amerks hadn't won a playoff game since 2014. Their last series win occurred during the NHL lockout in 2005, when they advanced to the second round with Ryan Miller in net.
Lukas Rousek, Jimmy Schuldt and Casey Fitzgerald scored in the third period to tie it 3-3. JJ Peterka and Peyton Krebs had two assists apiece. The game went to overtime after Fitzgerald collected a cross-ice pass from Krebs and made a toe drag to cut toward the slot before scoring on a wrist shot with 3:57 remaining in regulation. The crowd roared as Fitzgerald celebrated with teammates.
Arttu Ruotsalainen scored the game-winner with 3:06 left in overtime, redirecting a point shot by Josh Teves.
"Just an awesome night," Fitzgerald beamed.
Cole Reinhardt, Dillon Heatherington and Rourke Chartier scored for Belleville. Aaron Dell made 24 saves in goal for the Amerks, who grabbed the North Division’s sixth and final playoff spot.
In addition to puck-swarming pressure on the forecheck, the Senators turned to intimidation. There were punches thrown after the whistle, the interference on Weissbach that didn’t lead to a penalty and multiple instances of Belleville’s Scott Sabourin going after Peterka.
"It's fun getting angry, going out on the next shift and you're buzzing," said Krebs. "You can use that energy to help you in a way instead of yelling."
The Senators scored three goals off Rochester mistakes, two of which occurred on turnovers in the Amerks’ defensive zone. The lead ballooned to 3-0 when an Amerks defenseman wasn’t in position to prevent Rourke Chartier from scoring on a rebound in front of Dell with 7:02 remaining in the second period.
The Amerks were the better team for most of the game, outshooting the Senators 14-8 in the second period. Rochester’s power play, which ranked ninth in the regular season, went 0-for-2 in regulation, but it didn’t impact momentum. Slowly, the Amerks started to control play and found space to make plays, beginning with Rousek scoring on a centering pass by Peterka.
"That gave us a huge boost," Ruotsalainen recalled. "That was the start of everything, I think."
Schuldt cut the deficit to one goal with his one-timer through traffic following another long possession for the Amerks, who ranked ninth in the AHL in goals per game. And the comeback was complete when Ruotsalainen found a way to redirect a shot.
The playoffs are an invaluable development opportunity for Sabres prospects such as Jack Quinn, Peterka and Krebs, but the Amerks aren’t satisfied with simply gaining experience against a rugged opponent.
“We want to win,” Quinn said. “The playoffs are a great experience, but at the same time, we want to show up and show we can win these games, win these series. On top of that, as a group, we’re focused on taking care of business.”
Here are other observations from the game:
1. Goaltending
Senators goalie Filip Gustavsson delivered a clutch performance, particularly with his work in the second period. He made consecutive key saves on Sean Malone, the latter of which occurred on a rebound in which Gustavsson had to quickly move his left leg pad over to cover the empty portion of the net. But Dell was the better goalie in the third period and overtime.
2. Ugly hit
Appert doesn't plan to challenge the AHL on its decision to not penalize Kastelic for the hit on Weissbach, who is expected to miss time. Appert explained that while the play was predatory in nature, and the type of hit that leagues are trying to eliminate from the game, it didn't fit the definition of interference because Weissbach had just passed the puck.
"I would imagine he's going to be out for at least a bit," Appert said. "He was struggling pretty good."
3. Player to watch
Rousek, 23, was overlooked this season because of a knee injury that limited him to only 19 games, but the 2019 seventh-round draft choice has the skill and skating ability to develop into an NHL player. He’ll need to add strength to win more puck battles, and there’s room to grow defensively. He played 161 pro games in Czech Republic before signing with the Sabres.
4. Around the boards
• Sabres winger Jeff Skinner is the team’s nominee for the King Clancy Award, which is given to the NHL player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community." The first-place winner will receive a $25,000 donation to a charity of their choice. Two runners-up will each receive $5,000 donations.
Skinner contributed $53 for each $50 donation to his “Bald for Bucks” campaign, raising over $100,000 in support of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
• Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was scratched with a lower-body injury that’s expected to keep him out for a few weeks.
• Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who joined the Amerks following the Sabres’ season finale, was not in the lineup and remains day to day with a lower-body injury.
5. Next
Game 2 of the series is Friday night in Belleville, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, will be played Sunday in Belleville at 3 p.m.
