Rochester Americans and Jacksonville Icemen 2023-24 Season Thread

[Sabre the Win]

The missed call sucked.

The Amerks sucked way more, and that should be the story. That's the worst I've seen this group play, and they're done if they play that way again.

Amerks deserved the loss, Levi did not.

At least Levi is getting those reps and seeing a ton of rubber. It's all I really cared about. He played a ton of hockey this year and looks awesome right now. I think he may be ready. He's gonna give UPL a good run for his money. Should be a fun competition to watch.

Considering Ruff already said UPL is his #1 goalie, I wouldn't be surprised if Levi is the full time starter in Rochester next season.

 

[misterchainsaw]

Which makes it only more bonkers; granted it was a blatant penalty

Honestly I watched it a couple of times and the more I watched it the more it looked like he just kinda lost his edge/balance as the Crunch player caught up to him. The forward usually gets the benefit of the doubt in that scenario though so I'm not surprised a penalty was called - but I was definitely surprised it was a penalty shot.

But honestly, when you're on your heels this much you tend to have to kill more penalties. Frankly it should have been a hook right before a goal, but you can never expect penalties to be called in OT. It's just kinda how it is. Not a great decision to try to beat the Syracuse D lined up at the blue line while your D changed...get it deep

EDIT: I also think the hook looked worse than it was live in going back. I was also wrong, the d wasn't changing. Just sleeping

 

[Chainshot]

My assumption for adjustments for Saturday would be players who don't deserve to be benched (Ostlund, Neuchev) are while guys who do deserve to be benched (all of Biro's line) stay in.

 

[DapperCam]

Considering Ruff already said UPL is his #1 goalie, I wouldn't be surprised if Levi is the full time starter in Rochester next season.

Goalies are voodoo, and UPL hasn't exactly been the most consistent. I think Levi will get a fair shake in training camp and preseason.

 

[Ace]

One game after an obvious missed puck touch we have man hooked for a takeaway leading to a full breakaway on a line change

Chefs kiss

No notes.

 

[Gabrielor]

The only Amerks on Sabres contracts I want back next year are cecconi and Murray.

Biro, weissbach. No thanks.

The young guys trying to break into the nhl roster did themselves no favors, except Levi of course, who I’m kinda expecting to be upl’s backup next year

 

[Ace]

I think anyone expecting Levi to be in Rochester next year needs to consider three things.

1. The Sabres need to win next year

2. What goalie are they going to bring in to play backup that is better than Levi?

3. Do you really believe Kevyn Adams will get them?

 

[Dingo44]

 

[Sabre the Win]

Do I need to go back and clip the Lindy Ruff press conference when asked who his goalie is he said something along the lines "I have 3 letters for you, U-P-L".

If that's the case, no matter how good Levi plays, I rather him play somewhere where he can play full time as the starter and get the lions share of starts. It's better for his development to play a full season in the AHL than 12 games in the NHL.

 

[misterchainsaw]

I'd like to see a better angle on the hook. If he's losing the puck before he cuts back and gets tugged, I'm not calling it either. It's looks to me that the initial stick contact (which is before the tug) is what jarred the puck loose and into the skates of the other defenseman. Either way, he's 1 on 4. It's a poor decision.

The Amerks penalties today were almost entirely blatant no-brainers. Hacking guys down at the skates, tackling and holding a guy down with your stick pressing into his head, dealy of game. They got exactly what they deserved tonight and if they feel hard done by and don't look in the mirror at their own games they're going to be making golfing plans after Saturday.

 

[Reddawg]

Tough to see Devon do everything possible to steal one but he can’t score goals and neither did most anyone else.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Do I need to go back and clip the Lindy Ruff press conference when asked who his goalie is he said something along the lines "I have 3 letters for you, U-P-L".

If that's the case, no matter how good Levi plays, I rather him play somewhere where he can play full time as the starter and get the lions share of starts. It's better for his development to play a full season in the AHL than 12 games in the NHL.

I'll say that as a #1, UPL would get 55 max and that means you have 27 games where you need the best goalie possible (especially if you care at all about a playoff push) So they will play Levi there if he is the second best option.

 

[Chainshot]

 

[Fly Boy]

Absolute stud. For better or worse I think Levi will be up next year. KA is so tied to him.

 

[Gabrielor]

He's right in his assessment of the last play by Wahlberg. Bad time to try that.

He's wrong in his assessment of which 'vet guys' to follow the lead of. Biro and Weissbach played about as bad as vets could have. They never had the puck, never won battles, took stupid penalties, and generated hardly any positive play. Neither has filled the shoes of Sean Malone last year.

Also, need more from Kulich/Rosen.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Amerks deserved the loss, Levi did not.


Considering Ruff already said UPL is his #1 goalie, I wouldn't be surprised if Levi is the full time starter in Rochester next season.

Im not sure Ruff watched a ton of Levi's game. I wouldn't be surprised if they give him 30-35 games in the NHL and the rest of the games go to UPL.

Interesting dilemma unfolding in net, but man- Levi's potential is an absolute elite player. Good problem to have!

Absolute stud. For better or worse I think Levi will be up next year. KA is so tied to him.

Rightfully so.

 

[JLewyB]

This game is all the evidence we need to see that Granato’s system and style was not going to work in the playoffs. The lack of physicality and aggressiveness is beyond frustrating. It was reminiscent of a bunch of Sabres games this year where we can’t get the puck to score. We let the crunch dictate the game. They always had an outlet in transition and we collapse to the middle in the D zone way too much.

its clear Appert was asked to mirror Granato’s system. The passive style limits our mistakes but it also limits our chances. Im done watching lazy hockey. Im glad Granato is out and Appert needs to change next year or he needs to go too. Im giving him the benefit of the doubt right now because I believe he’s just following the organization’s direction. Its going to be tough for him to all of sudden change course and get players to buy in.

 

[Dingo44]

I'll say that as a #1, UPL would get 55 max and that means you have 27 games where you need the best goalie possible (especially if you care at all about a playoff push) So they will play Levi there if he is the second best option.

Correct. If Comrie even won half his games we might have made the playoffs.

This game is all the evidence we need to see that Granato’s system and style was not going to work in the playoffs. The lack of physicality and aggressiveness is beyond frustrating. It was reminiscent of a bunch of Sabres games this year where we can’t get the puck to score. We let the crunch dictate the game. They always had an outlet in transition and we collapse to the middle in the D zone way too much.

its clear Appert was asked to mirror Granato’s system. The passive style limits our mistakes but it also limits our chances. Im done watching lazy hockey. Im glad Granato is out and Appert needs to change next year or he needs to go too. Im giving him the benefit of the doubt right now because I believe he’s just following the organization’s direction. Its going to be tough for him to all of sudden change course and get players to buy in.

I hope Lindy is watching these games as he mentioned he would and this helps him plan how he wants the Sabres to play next season and how much work he has to get them there.

 

[Chainshot]

He's right in his assessment of the last play by Wahlberg. Bad time to try that.

He's wrong in his assessment of which 'vet guys' to follow the lead of. Biro and Weissbach played about as bad as vets could have. They never had the puck, never won battles, took stupid penalties, and generated hardly any positive play. Neither has filled the shoes of Sean Malone last year.

Also, need more from Kulich/Rosen.

It felt like the Richards line was the only one that actually played playoff hockey consistently - that's the newest Amerk in Ostlund, a rookie in Neuchev, and a vet AHLer in Richards who wasn't always in the lineup. Biro's line was horrible. Jobst's line was intermittent and Wahlberg's rookie mistake cost them big. Kulich's line was probably their second best but they only had a handful of shifts later in the game where they were forechecking.

The lack of adjustments was on Appert. Woof.

 

[Gabrielor]

It felt like the Richards line was the only one that actually played playoff hockey consistently - that's the newest Amerk in Ostlund, a rookie in Neuchev, and a vet AHLer in Richards who wasn't always in the lineup. Biro's line was horrible. Jobst's line was intermittent and Wahlberg's rookie mistake cost them big. Kulich's line was probably their second best but they only had a handful of shifts later in the game where they were forechecking.

The lack of adjustments was on Appert. Woof.

Even if we're a hockey novice, re-watch this game and pay attention to the crunch players when the Amerks have the puck in their own zone. They knew EVERY lane we'd take, and ran a very aggressive high 1-2-2 forecheck.

Appert has to get them to move the puck faster in short spaces.

 

[Chainshot]

Even if we're a hockey novice, re-watch this game and pay attention to the crunch players when the Amerks have the puck in their own zone. They knew EVERY lane we'd take, and ran a very aggressive high 1-2-2 forecheck.

Appert has to get them to move the puck faster in short spaces.

I was particularly frustrated by the lack of contact from Biro's line and how much they would go east-west, even to players standing still, instead of dumping a puck into the corner and getting in on it with F1 and F2. There was a moment late in the game where Biro chips a puck into the LW corner and I think Myers plays the puck behind the Crunch net and Biro sort of tosses himself into the wall just past him. It was not a hit, not even close to the sort of thing someone in the playoffs ought to be thinking is enough. I had thought one of Biro or Jobst - and only one - should be back next year and right now it's not Biro.

 

[CowbellConray]

I'd like to see a better angle on the hook. If he's losing the puck before he cuts back and gets tugged, I'm not calling it either. It's looks to me that the initial stick contact (which is before the tug) is what jarred the puck loose and into the skates of the other defenseman. Either way, he's 1 on 4. It's a poor decision.

The Amerks penalties today were almost entirely blatant no-brainers. Hacking guys down at the skates, tackling and holding a guy down with your stick pressing into his head, dealy of game. They got exactly what they deserved tonight and if they feel hard done by and don't look in the mirror at their own games they're going to be making golfing plans after Saturday.

The hook is blatant in my eyes because you clearly see Wahlberg have to shift his center of gravity and raise his stick off the puck to accommodate for that adjustment due to the stick in the midsection.

If the crunch player sticks him but wal berg doesn’t adjust, I could see in OT letting that go.

I don’t fault Wahlberg for having good balance, but if he falls there it would just as no brainer as the trip weissbach I believe took. Unfortunately Wahlberg is a big dude so instead of falling he simply adjusts which makes him take his stick off the puck and springs the breakaway

 

[misterchainsaw]

The hook is blatant in my eyes because you clearly see Wahlberg have to shift his center of gravity and raise his stick off the puck to accommodate for that adjustment due to the stick in the midsection.

If the crunch player sticks him but wal berg doesn’t adjust, I could see in OT letting that go.

I don’t fault Wahlberg for having good balance, but if he falls there it would just as no brainer as the trip weissbach I believe took. Unfortunately Wahlberg is a big dude so instead of falling he simply adjusts which makes him take his stick off the puck and springs the breakaway

See, I don't think he has the puck at that point, which makes the hook incidental and not a factor in what happened on the play. I think the original reach knocks the puck off of the stick and towards the skates of the other d-man as he's crossing the blue line (before the stick gets into the body at all) then it happens to get tangled up as Wahlberg skates through it, which makes it look way worse than it was (and the angle involved makes it seem like it affected the play when it may not have)

Again, I'd like a better angle, but if the puck is already off his stick before the stick gets up into his midsection - I don't think it gets called even if he falls (or in the 1st or 2nd period, even)

 

[CowbellConray]

See, I don't think he has the puck at that point, which makes the hook incidental and not a factor in what happened on the play. I think the original reach knocks the puck off of the stick and towards the skates of the other d-man as he's crossing the blue line (before the stick gets into the body at all) then it happens to get tangled up as Wahlberg skates through it, which makes it look way worse than it was (and the angle involved makes it seem like it affected the play when it may not have)

Again, I'd like a better angle, but if the puck is already off his stick before the stick gets up into his midsection - I don't think it gets called even if he falls (or in the 1st or 2nd period, even)

We may just have different views, all good though. I do wish we had better angles though! AHL has to upgrade….

 

[Gabrielor]

YES