GDT: AHL – Amerks at Griffins – Wed Dec 19 – 7:00PM ET

[Woodhouse]

AHL GDT: AMERKS (12-9-3) at GRIFFINS (13-9-2) – WED DEC 19 – 7:00PM ET – AHL Live, WHTK-AM, WOOD-AM

12.13 – Amerks rally to beat Lake Erie (D&C – Staff Reports)

12.14 – Babcock will rely on several Grand Rapids players if there is NHL season (MLive – Ansar Khan)

12.14 – Andersson expected to lead in third season with Griffins (The Times Herald – Paul Costanzo)

12.14 – Grand Rapids Griffins still can't make themselves at home (MLive – Peter Wallner)

12.15 – Alex Biega an offensive threat for Rochester Amerks (D&C – Kevin Oklobzija)

12.15 – Imagine that, the Amerks lose to the Marlies (of course) (D&C – Kevin Oklobzija)

12.16 – Marlies continue to have Amerks number (D&C – Kevin Oklobzija)

12.16 – Grand Rapids Griffins come up empty in second consecutive game (MLive – Peter Wallner)

12.17 – East Grand Rapids native scheduled to make debut Wednesday (MLive – Steve Kaminski)

12.18 – Rankin returns to Amerks' lineup (D&C – Kevin Oklobzija)
​

ROCHESTER AMERICANS (Beat Coverage)

Tonight's Lineup

71 Marcus Foligno - 19 Cody Hodgson - 28 Zemgus Girgensons
72 Luke Adam - 12 Kevin Porter (C) - 25 Mark Mancari (A)
91 Frederick Roy - 22 Phil Varone - 15 Evan Rankin
74 Nick Tarnasky - 92 Kevin Sundher - 29 Maxime Legault

3 TJ Brennan (A) - 34 Jerome Gauthier-Leduc
7 Brayden McNabb - 4 Alex Biega
2 Joe Finley - 13 Mark Pysyk

49 Connor Knapp
33 David Leggio

Roster Notes

Nick Crawford (bruise), Brian Flynn (LBI), Matt MacKenzie (UBI), Jonathan Parker, Drew Schiestel, Rick
Schofield (hip) and Corey Tropp (knee; season-ending) are scratched or out injured tonight for Rochester.


GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS (Beat Coverage)

NHL Affiliate & Notables

Detroit Red Wings: 7 Brendan Smith, 13 Gustav Nyquist, 19 Riley Sheahan, 27 Tomas Tatar, 28 Tomas Jurco.

Tonight's Lineup

27 Tomas Tatar - 18 Joakim Andersson (A) - 13 Gustav Nyquist
28 Tomas Jurco - 19 Riley Sheahan - 9 Francis Pare
10 Jeff Hoggan (C) - 29 Landon Ferraro - 11 Andrej Nestrasil
23 Triston Grant - 33 Luke Glendening - 15 Mitch Callahan

4 Nathan Paetsch - 7 Brendan Smith
5 Adam Almquist - 32 Brian Lashoff (A)
14 Chad Billins - 44 Brennan Evans

34 Petr Mrazek
30 Tom McCollum

Roster Notes

Louis-Marc Aubry, Gleason Fournier, Max Nicastro, Trevor Parkes and Brent Raedeke are scratched or out injured
tonight for Grand Rapids.​

A/V CLUB

12.13 – Highlights of Rochester's 7-6 win in Lake Erie last Thursday. <2:03>

12.14 – Highlights of Grand Rapids' 3-0 loss to Peoria last Friday. <1:37>

12.15 – Highlights of Rochester's 3-2 SOL to Toronto last Saturday. <3:50>

12.16 – Highlights of Grand Rapids' 5-0 loss in Toronto on Sunday. <6:00>


GAMEDAY CHAT

IRC Server: irc.esper.net – Channel: #sabres – FAQ: Sabres Chat​

Click to read more...

 

[Zip15]

Grand Rapids has been blanked in their last two games. That has me concerned that they may bust out tonight.

Also, sounds like Rankin is playing tonight:

Kevin Oklobzija‏@kevinoDandC

#Amerks injury update: RW Evan Rankin likely will play Wednesday, making only trip to home state to face Grand Rapids Griffins (more)...

I'd imagine Parker gets removed from the lineup if Rankin can go.

 

[Nibbler]

I wonder if our local boy McCollum will get the start for Grand Rapids in net.

 

[stokes84]

Nice top line. If we could turn line changes off, like in a video game, I would be happy.

 

[Nibbler]

Nice top line. If we could turn line changes off, like in a video game, I would be happy.

Line changes off, no icing, no penalties... NHL '95!

 

[Fly Boy]

I should be going to this game, eh let me rephrase that; I want to go to this game, but no one else wants to go with me.

 

[Sabreality]

I should be going to this game, eh let me rephrase that; I want to go to this game, but no one else wants to go with me.

why not just go solo?

 

[Fly Boy]

why not just go solo?

I probably will. I just got caught in a weird situation. I told my girlfriend I was going to the game tonight and she should come, because afterwards I was going to take her to a bar I had been telling her about. She said yes. Problem is that on Monday she made plans with a friend to hang out yesterday, but then she rescheduled to today (This was after I told her about the game and after she had told a different friend we would go on a double date with her).

Also a friend of mine said he was going to go about a week ago and said he would buy the tickets. I said yes but he forgot and he didn't even think we were going yesterday when I text him. Add onto that if his roommate came he is underage and we couldn't get into the bar. Adding even more, now his girlfriend is coming back to campus for the night and he might not even go.

This is where things get tricky. I would want to get there around 6-6:30 to watch warmups, but my girlfriend doesn't get off of work until 5pm or later. Frankly I need a ride to the stadium since my sister already took the car and went back to my parents for the holidays early. If none of them go that's fine I could take the bus down, but classes have ended so the buses only run every hour and they stop at 7pm. I could ride the bus downtown to get to the game, but not back (I am not paying for a cab to get back). Plus I would then have noone to go to the bar with afterwards.

Either way I've got about 5 hours to figure out whats going on or I probably wont be going to the game.

 

[sabrefan27]

Nice top line. If we could turn line changes off, like in a video game, I would be happy.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Rankin slide in that spot. He played well with Foligno and Hodgson earlier this year. Rankin has more offensive talent that Girgensons. But Girgensons wasn't out of place on that line, either.

 

[Jacob582]

why not just go solo?

You had to ask.

 

[AmerksPuck]

I probably will. I just got caught in a weird situation. I told my girlfriend I was going to the game tonight and she should come, because afterwards I was going to take her to a bar I had been telling her about. She said yes. Problem is that on Monday she made plans with a friend to hang out yesterday, but then she rescheduled to today (This was after I told her about the game and after she had told a different friend we would go on a double date with her).

Also a friend of mine said he was going to go about a week ago and said he would buy the tickets. I said yes but he forgot and he didn't even think we were going yesterday when I text him. Add onto that if his roommate came he is underage and we couldn't get into the bar. Adding even more, now his girlfriend is coming back to campus for the night and he might not even go.

This is where things get tricky. I would want to get there around 6-6:30 to watch warmups, but my girlfriend doesn't get off of work until 5pm or later. Frankly I need a ride to the stadium since my sister already took the car and went back to my parents for the holidays early. If none of them go that's fine I could take the bus down, but classes have ended so the buses only run every hour and they stop at 7pm. I could ride the bus downtown to get to the game, but not back (I am not paying for a cab to get back). Plus I would then have noone to go to the bar with afterwards.

Either way I've got about 5 hours to figure out whats going on or I probably wont be going to the game.

haha, thanks for the play by play...

 

[NotABadPeriod]

I probably will. I just got caught in a weird situation. I told my girlfriend I was going to the game tonight and she should come, because afterwards I was going to take her to a bar I had been telling her about. She said yes. Problem is that on Monday she made plans with a friend to hang out yesterday, but then she rescheduled to today (This was after I told her about the game and after she had told a different friend we would go on a double date with her).

Also a friend of mine said he was going to go about a week ago and said he would buy the tickets. I said yes but he forgot and he didn't even think we were going yesterday when I text him. Add onto that if his roommate came he is underage and we couldn't get into the bar. Adding even more, now his girlfriend is coming back to campus for the night and he might not even go.

This is where things get tricky. I would want to get there around 6-6:30 to watch warmups, but my girlfriend doesn't get off of work until 5pm or later. Frankly I need a ride to the stadium since my sister already took the car and went back to my parents for the holidays early. If none of them go that's fine I could take the bus down, but classes have ended so the buses only run every hour and they stop at 7pm. I could ride the bus downtown to get to the game, but not back (I am not paying for a cab to get back). Plus I would then have noone to go to the bar with afterwards.

Either way I've got about 5 hours to figure out whats going on or I probably wont be going to the game.

Take one of the STS. Problem solved.

 

[Nibbler]

I probably will. I just got caught in a weird situation. I told my girlfriend I was going to the game tonight and she should come, because afterwards I was going to take her to a bar I had been telling her about. She said yes. Problem is that on Monday she made plans with a friend to hang out yesterday, but then she rescheduled to today (This was after I told her about the game and after she had told a different friend we would go on a double date with her).

Also a friend of mine said he was going to go about a week ago and said he would buy the tickets. I said yes but he forgot and he didn't even think we were going yesterday when I text him. Add onto that if his roommate came he is underage and we couldn't get into the bar. Adding even more, now his girlfriend is coming back to campus for the night and he might not even go.

This is where things get tricky. I would want to get there around 6-6:30 to watch warmups, but my girlfriend doesn't get off of work until 5pm or later. Frankly I need a ride to the stadium since my sister already took the car and went back to my parents for the holidays early. If none of them go that's fine I could take the bus down, but classes have ended so the buses only run every hour and they stop at 7pm. I could ride the bus downtown to get to the game, but not back (I am not paying for a cab to get back). Plus I would then have noone to go to the bar with afterwards.

Either way I've got about 5 hours to figure out whats going on or I probably wont be going to the game.

Yet another example of how girlfriends complicate everything...

Single guy: "I'm going to the game tonight."

Guy with girlfriend: *See quoted post*

Chicks man...

 

[Fly Boy]

Ya, sorry for that guys. I'm just extremely frustrated right now. This was the one game I was looking forward to the most this year.

 

[Jacob582]

Ya, sorry for that guys. I'm just extremely frustrated right now. This was the one game I was looking forward to the most this year.

I give you permission to go solo. Enjoy the game.

I've taken a lot of people to their first hockey game and they fell in love. I've also gone to a few games solo (when I had RIT ST's, and a Sabres preseason game in Rochester - whoa, a while ago).

 

[BalticWarrior]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Rankin slide in that spot. He played well with Foligno and Hodgson earlier this year. Rankin has more offensive talent that Girgensons. But Girgensons wasn't out of place on that line, either.

He maybe better offensively NOW at ahl level,but offensive upside is definitley bigger for Girgensons.

 

[Rammstein816]

He maybe better offensively NOW at ahl level,but offensive upside is definitley bigger for Girgensons.

I think he's talking about just this game in particular. You may be right on that, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

 

[Woodhouse]

Tonight's scratches:

Griffins Game Day ‏@GriffinsGameDay
RCH scratches: Brian Flynn, Corey Tropp, Nick Crawford, Jonathan Parker, Rick Schofield, Drew Schiestel and Matt MacKenzie.

Link: https://twitter.com/GriffinsGameDay/status/281550066429349888

Griffins Game Day ‏@GriffinsGameDay
GR scratches: Brent Raedeke, Max Nicastro, Gleason Fournier, Trevor Parkes and Louis-Marc Aubry.

Link: https://twitter.com/GriffinsGameDay/status/281549644935335937

Knapp versus Mrazek in goal.

 

[Buffalo87]

I think he's talking about just this game in particular. You may be right on that, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

I agree right now, but we're probably in trouble if Girgensons tops out as an Evan Rankin in the offensive zone. Nothing against Rankin, he's been plenty good in the AHL but I'd like our 1st round pick to have NHL quality scoring upside.

 

[Woodhouse]

End of 1st period. 2-1 GR. Shots 15-6 GR.

1. GR Glendening, (1) (Grant, Callahan), 2:49 --- goalmouth scramble, rebound potted.
1. RCH Varone, (3) (Adam, Mancari), 8:17 (PP) --- nice pass from Adam sets up Varone.
1. GR Hoggan, (3) , 10:59 --- Knapp without stick, beat high.

 

[Fly Boy]

So far Girgensons, JGL and Foligno have been the best players. Zemgus just hasnt been able to finish. Adam rang one off the pipe and McNabb has blocked a couple shots. I cant stand Brennan. He comes up into the play and rushe the puck way to much. The second GR goal was pretty lame as Knapp had a defenders stick when his was ripped out from him. Should have been interfearence even before but what can you do?

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

You guys are in for a treat. You get to watch Nyquist and Tatar make 500000 fancy dangles and passes while in perfect scoring chances, including breakaways, instead of just shooting the puck!

 

[Fly Boy]

Finley just saved the teams ass.

 

[Rammstein816]

I agree right now, but we're probably in trouble if Girgensons tops out as an Evan Rankin in the offensive zone. Nothing against Rankin, he's been plenty good in the AHL but I'd like our 1st round pick to have NHL quality scoring upside.

The poster was speaking about right now for the Amerks at the AHL level. Offensive ability at the AHL level and offensive ability at the NHL level are not one in the same, so Rankin helps out the Amerks now more than Girgensons. I doubt anyone would debate that Rankin, an undrafted free agent on an AHL deal, has higher NHL upside than Girgensons, an NHL 1st round pick on an ELC.

 

[Rammstein816]

I'm trying to decide whether Brennan leading the team in goals is a good thing or a bad thing.