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Posts Tagged ‘Buffalo Sabres’

Playing the What If Game with the Amerks Standings and Roster

February 4, 2012 - By Keith Wozniak

One of the biggest challenges for the Rochester Americans is an inconsistent effort in games they have the chance to win (like Friday night against the Abbotsford Heat) which can be attributed to young players and the expectations of players to put in a lot of ice time. The result? The Amerks have lost 15 combined games due to a one goal margin. That breaks down to six in regulation, six in overtime and three in the shootout. Considering the fact that the Amerks are only four points behind the division leading Toronto Marlies we can see how even a few more wins would put the season in a different light right now.

Assuming the Amerks had found a way to win at least half of those 15 losses they’d be the division leaders and be considered one of the top teams in the league in the standings. Add seven wins to the 20 that the Amerks currently have and they’d be tied with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and one win behind the league leading St Johns IceCaps who’re at 28 wins.

That’s a great way to look at things with the glass is half full attitude considering the injuries and [...]Read More

Tags: Buffalo Sabres ι Colin Stuart ι Corey Tropp ι Evan Rankin ι Injuries ι Luke Adam ι Michael Ryan ι Zack KassianCategories: Amerks

Talking with Joe Crozier at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with Video

January 30, 2012 - By Keith Wozniak

Joe Crozier is turning 83 years old and hockey is still an every day part of his life and when he was called and told he was being inducted to the American Hockey League Hall of Fame he said, “It was like winning another Calder Cup.” It’s almost impossible to put into words how amazing it is talking to someone like him about the sport. Anyone who says that “hockey is just a game” and thinks people are crazy for devoting time to it is an indication that they aren’t around the sport very much. It’s an every day part of life for a lot of people. It’s so much more than the 60 minutes played during a game. Hockey is the best sport on the planet (I’m biased of course).

(keep reading for video of the ceremony as well as the speech that Rich Crozier gave for his dad)

Joe is still very much in tune with what’s going on with the hockey community. He follows the Sabres and Amerks closely. ”The Amerks aren’t too far behind Toronto,” he said. He’s always watching the NHL Network. He always has tapes and dvd’s around as well. There’s no reason he [...]Read More

Tags: AHL ι All-Star Game ι American Hockey League ι ASG ι Buffalo Sabres ι Joe Crozier ι Keith Aucoin ι Zack KassianCategories: Amerks

Sabres Call Up Whitmore and Foligno from the Amerks

December 19, 2011 - By Keith Wozniak

Another day and more players called up to the Buffalo Sabres from the Rochester Americans. The Amerks returned from Texas today and good news awaited Derek Whitmore and Marcus Foligno as both players are on their way to join the Sabres.

Whitmore has played in 272 regular season games between the Portland Pirates and Rochester Americans and will finally get his shot at the show he has worked so hard for. In 29 games this season with the Amerks he has scored 13 goals and tallied seven assists. Whitmore puts everything he has out on the ice night in and night out and will do the same with the Sabres.

Marcus Foligno hopes to make his debut after only 27 games. In the 27 games played with the Amerks he has scored nine goals and tallied three assists. There’s no way that Foligno would have expected to get called up this early in his career but will be thankful for the opportunity. That’s not to say that Foligno wasn’t playing well but with the players above him in depth it just didn’t seem likely.

Assuming Foligno plays he’ll be playing in his first NHL game agains his brother Nick Foligno. [...]Read More

Tags: Buffalo Sabres ι Derek Whitmore ι Marcus Foligno ι TransactionsCategories: Amerks

Amerks Defenseman is now The Legend of Joe Finley with the Sabres

December 1, 2011 - By Keith Wozniak

After 5pm on Wednesday evening the Buffalo Sabres gave Joe Finley a call and let him know he was being called up from the Rochester Americans to the show just two days after signing an NHL contract with the team. Jordan Leopold was injured Tuesday night which created an opening for Big Joe to get called up. That’s when the trend #LegendofJoeFinley thanks to @LeopoldsIpod started in Twitter (A stick tap is also in order for @Philbbg who started #LegendofZackKassian that all of this really spawned off of). The hashtag was a trend all evening in Buffalo and his last name was a trend all night in Rochester as well which adds even more to the.. legen… wait for it… dary status of him as a hockey player. Barney Stinson is proud.

Finley has been talked about by everyone who’s been going to Rochester Americans games this season. We’ve all been impressed by the guy in just about every game played. You can read my article from Tuesday (Big Joe Finley Strong on Defense) about how he plays and his past which includes everything from coming back from injuries, throwing lawn mowers and hitting Bucky the [...]Read More

Tags: Buffalo Sabres ι Joe Finley ι Paul Szczechura ι Transactions ι Twitter ι Zack KassianCategories: Amerks

Amerks Fans, Share Suggestions I Can Deliver to Ted Black

November 14, 2011 - By Keith Wozniak

On Tuesday evening the Buffalo Sabres will are having a “Live Suggestion Box” hosted by Ted Black that I’ll be attending (along with others who write about the Sabres/Amerks) to continue the trend they’ve started. Everyone who has been invited is being asked to share what our readers are suggesting, what we’ve heard or what suggestions we have.

There’s a lot of great things that have happened since Terry Pegula purchased the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans, one of those things is that they continually listen to the fans for suggestions like this. They’re not only listening to suggestions but continue to make changes as they can to improve the overall experience.

So Rochester Americans fans, share with me any suggestions you’d like addressed and I’ll do my best to get it addressed. The questions can be related to just about anything. The arena, tickets, concessions, the front office, the merchandise, the toilet paper or whatever.. share it with me and I’ll share it with them. If there’s something you’ve submitted to the suggestion box that you don’t think has been touched on let me know.

If you’re a Sabres fan you can also leave suggestions, I’m sure many of the others in attendance will [...]Read More

Tags: Buffalo Sabres ι Ted BlackCategories: Amerks

Rookie Time Corey Tropp’s First NHL Goal; Sabres Win 6-5

November 9, 2011 - By Keith Wozniak

Corey Tropp created an instant highlight reel moment for scoring his first National Hockey League goal at 9:16 of the first period and also receiving a classic Rick Jeanneret call on the play. Jeanneret bellowed out, “Rookie time rookie time Corey Tropp guns it home, Buffalo has tied it at two.” The goal was also an important part of the Sabres win against the Jets in overtime, final score was 6-5.

Asked about the gold helmet that Tropp is seen wearing in this picture he said, “They put it on for me.. hopefully I can wear it once more this season or another time in my career.”

The helmet usually doesn’t have a visor on it but someone had one added to it for Tropp.

The journey for Tropp started Friday morning after the Rochester Americans skate when he was told that he wasn’t going to get on the bus with the team to Binghamton. News had come down that Patrick Kaleta was involved in a disciplinary hearing for that head butt and that he was likely facing a suspension so another player would be needed.

After Amerks practice last Friday morning Tropp said, “They told me that there [...]Read More

Tags: Buffalo Sabres ι Cody McCormick ι Corey Tropp ι Johnny Oduya ι Lindy Ruff ι Mark Flood ι Nathan Gerbe ι Ondrej Pavelec ι Patrick Kaleta ι Paul Gaustad ι Postgame ι Ron Rolston ι Tanner Glass ι TJ Brennan ι Tyler EnnisCategories: Amerks

Jay McKee Adjusting to Life Behind the Bench

November 1, 2011 - By Keith Wozniak

Here’s a great article from Matthew Coller on WGR 550 about former Rochester American and Buffalo Sabre’s defenseman Jay McKee who is adjusting to life behind the bench as a coach. It’s still way too early to say how he’s doing but from having watched many practices this season he’s always engaged and a big part of what goes on. The only issue some Amerks fans may have who sit near the bench is that Jay McKee is too tall and makes some seats “obstructed view” view at times. Tough issue to have isn’t it?

Read on…

Who better to teach the defense than McKee? He wasn’t just Mr. Tough Guy, he was also a leader. McKee was an alternate captain on the ’06 squad and remembered in Buffalo for leading by example.

“It is not my goal or intent to make all of the defenseman into shot blockers,” McKee joked with Sabres’ GM Darcy Regier at the press conference to announce his hiring. “As a player moving into the coaching aspect of things, there’s certainly a lot to learn.”

That’s where he stands now: behind the Amerks’ bench, towering over head coach Ron Rolston and assistant Chad Cassidy.

“There [...]Read More

Tags: Buffalo Sabres ι Coaches ι Jay McKeeCategories: Amerks

Portland Winterhawk Fan Praises Riley Boychuk

October 16, 2011 - By Keith Wozniak

Rochester American’s winger Riley Boychuck is a rookie that will have a lot of work ahead of him to move up the prospect charts but here’s one Portland Winterhawk (WHL) fan that gives him a lot of praise.

Boychuck is expected to be a gritty winger that isn’t going to be afraid to hit someone. He should be that player not afraid to dig the puck out of the corner and standing up for his teammates. Drafted in the 7th round in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft it’ll be interesting to see how he turns out.

He already has a tie to the Buffalo Sabres in winning the Paul Gaustad Fitness Award, has to be worth something!

Read on..

Carbs and all, he’s still physically fitter than thou: In 2011, for the third year in a row, Riley again won the Paul Gaustad Fitness Award. You can read all about it here. The photo that goes with that story is one of my favorites because it’s a good representation of who Riley is off the ice: polite, smart, well-spoken, confident and friendly.

So Rochester, here’s my advice to you: Portland has dispatched to you a gift that may take a bit [...]Read More

Tags: Buffalo Sabres ι Paul Gaustad ι Portland Winterhawk ι Riley BoychuckCategories: Amerks

Amerks Start the Season Tonight at Bulldogs

October 8, 2011 - By Keith Wozniak

The wait is finally over, the Rochester Americans will begin the 2011-2012 season tonight on the road against the Hamilton Bulldogs. The game is scheduled to start at 7:00pm in Copps Coliseum, you can listen to the game on 1280 WHTK or visit ahllive.com and pay $6.99.

A lot has happened in the off season. The Buffalo Sabres bought the Amerks (read here, and here, and here). Terry Pegula wrote a letter with the goal of winning a Calder Cup. They signed free agent goaltender Drew MacIntyre to lead from the net. Derek Whitmore and Colin Stuart were signed to continue to be leaders on the offense. Former Amerk and Buffalo Sabre Michael Ryan was also signed to add a scoring touch. Oh and season tickets are only $10 per game. There’s a lot more as well but that’s just a start.

As fans we’re anxious to get the season started and so are the players.

From today’s Democrat and Chronicle:

However, after a month of nothing but greaseboards, video and drills, it gets a little old. So forgive the Amerks if they’re just a bit anxious tonight for the first real puck drop of their [...]Read More

Tags: Buffalo Sabres ι Colin Stuart ι David Leggio ι Derek Whitmore ι Drew MacIntyre ι Gameday ι Hamilton Bulldogs ι Injuries ι Jeff Jakaitis ι Michael Ryan ι Paul Szczechura ι Ron RolstonCategories: Amerks

Amerks Goalie Drew MacIntyre Signed to Play for a Winner

October 5, 2011 - By Keith Wozniak

The first of many free agents signed during the offseason by the Buffalo Sabres were three players who will have a big impact on the Rochester Americans.

They signed goaltender Drew MacIntyre as well as forwards Derek Whitmore and Colin Stuart.

MacIntyre was one of the top AHL free agent goaltenders available so it was a surprise (based on previous years) to see a top player signed for an important position.

He’s played in 261 regular season and 53 playoff games in the AHL, 46 regular season and six playoff games in the ECHL, but only 2 NHL appearances. He knows the game. The only season he had more losses than wins was in 2004/2005 with the Grand Rapids Griffins, his first stint in the AHL.

Last February the Atlanta Thrashers traded MacIntyre to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Brett Festerling, a move that had MacIntyre playing for his fifth American Hockey League team in seven seasons. MacIntyre has played in the AHL Western Conference his entire career playing with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Manitoba Moose, Milwaukee Admirals, Chicago Wolves and Hamilton Bulldogs.

“I’ve been in the West the whole time,” he said. “I see all the same buildings, [...]Read More

Tags: Benoit Groulx ι Buffalo Sabres ι Chuck Weber ι David Leggio ι Drew MacIntyre ι Hamilton Bulldogs ι Jhonas Enroth ι Montreal Canadiens ι Randy Cunneyworth ι Ron Rolston ι Ryan MillerCategories: Amerks

Ted Black Delivered My Season Tickets, Excitement Building

September 30, 2011 - By Keith Wozniak

When the Rochester Americans posted on their Facebook page asking for reasons why people should be selected to get their season tickets delivered I jokingly responded, “Easy answer.. it’s a Friday.. Ted Black likes beer.. my fridge is stocked with Genny Light, a Rochester beer.” I didn’t expect to get a call or even expect him to be the one delivering my tickets but it was (easy article giving them praise?).

I’m a season ticket holder and as a customer I had no hesitation taking advantage of this perk! Rob Kopacz (Vice President of Business Operations) was also with Ted Black, was an honor to have a casual conversation with both of them. When they arrived I offered them a cold Genny Light as promised and we talked for a short time.

(Genny is not a sponsor in any way, I just love the beer.. Genny you can call me, I’m open to ideas!)

Reading the Tweets from the @Sabresdotcom, @Amerkshockey and @kevinodandc as these deliveries were made it’s hard not to get a sense of excitement for the start of the Amerks season a week from tomorrow in Hamilton. The front office, coaching staff and players were out in the community [...]Read More

Tags: Buffalo Sabres ι Genny Light ι Rob Kopacz ι Ted BlackCategories: Amerks

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