Rochester, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - After losing Game 1 of the North Division Final of the Calder Cup Playoffs to the Laval Rocket on Wednesday, the Rochester Americans put themselves in a must-win situation on Friday for Game 2 of the best-of-five series.
Facing the pressure, the Amerks got the job done with a 5-3 win on home ice to tie the series at 1-1.
You could tell the Amerks were rusty in Game 1, especially defensively after having 13 days off in-between series.
In Game 2, they were more themselves, giving up very little as goalie Devon Levi only saw 19 shots, making 16 saves. Levi is now 4-1 in this year’s playoffs with a goals-against average of 2.01 and a .931 save percentage.
Amerks head coach Mike Leone says forward Lukas Rousek has been playing injured, and maybe shouldn’t even be out there. But you could see the passion in his game, picking up a goal and an assist with his new linemates Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen.
It was a pass that only Rousek could complete that got to Kulich in the right circle on the power play to give Rochester a 4-3 lead at the 12:07 mark of the third period. Rousek feathered the pass through two or three sticks to put it right in Kulich’s wheelhouse.
Rousek scored the game-tying goal at 19:20 of the second period, but it doesn’t happen if Rosen doesn’t out-battle Gustav Lindstrom not once, but twice coming from the left wing wall to the crease to keep the puck alive.
Rosen had two goals and an assist, giving him four goals and five points in five playoff games this year. Rousek has four assists and five points now in four playoff games.
Leone couldn’t have been more proud with what he saw from his group on Friday.
"I thought from start-to-finish, we played an excellent hockey game. I thought we really tilted the ice, and even though they had those two goals, I thought it was a really good response," Leone said following the win.
"I thought we played with pace, pressured the puck, and we really leaned on them. And credit the group, we bought in, and it was an unbelievable effort from everyone on both sides of the puck."
Leone called it selfless hockey, which was very obvious on the ice. You look at the four goals before the empty netter by Rosen, they all were scored because multiple players were at the net.
Amerks defenseman Kale Clague opened the scoring on the power play, netting a goal in his fifth-straight game. He leads the AHL in scoring with nine points in five games, as well as goals with five.
The second goal was because Rosen was in front and tipped in Ryan Johnson’s shot.
The game-winner by Kulich was because Josh Dunne completely took away Jacob Fowler’s sight.
Kulich loved having Rousek, fellow countryman from Czechia, on his line, and wasn’t surprised that he squirreled the puck through to him.
"He’s always making those plays, so from my first year, I know just give him the puck and he’ll find you. I was not surprised," Kulich said following the victory.
Kulich has two goals and five assists for seven points in five playoff games. That puts him eighth in league scoring, but he’s not happy with himself.
"That’s why I’m here, to help the team win. But to be honest, I’m still not good enough. I have to step in more," Kulich said candidly.
Kulich did get better as this game went on, just like he did in Game 2 against the Syracuse Crunch. He knew that was the case Friday, but it still needs to be more.
"I had a couple of scoring chances that I fanned on the puck (on a 2-on-0 with Rosen), so I have to do more and get more scoring chances too," he said.
Fowler started Friday's game for Laval, because Cayden Primeau gave up four goals in Game 1. Fowler is now 3-1-0 in the playoffs with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage.
The series now shifts to Laval for three games, if necessary, and it’s now a best-of-three series. Game 3 is slated for Wednesday, while Game 4 is Friday and Game 5 (if necessary) is Sunday, May 25.