Rochester Americans Face Utica Comets In Home Finale
The Rochester Americans, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, wrap up their 2014-2015 season this weekend with a trio of games to finish out the year.
It begins Friday night, as the Rochester Americans play host to the Utica Comets in the tenth and final meeting between the teams this season. It’s also the home finale game for the Amerks, who take off on the road for the remainder of the weekend.
The team will visit the Binghamton Senators on Saturday night before closing out the season Sunday with a 5 p.m. game against the Adirondack Flames.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-3Puck Prose
The biggest storyline for the Rochester Americans entering this weekend’s games: the introduction of 2014 second-overall draft pick Sam Reinhart to the AHL.
Reinhart will finally make his AHL debut on Friday after missing the past week of action. He was reassigned to the AHL after his WHL club, the Kootenay Ice, wrapped up their season.
Tonight should also see the return of defenseman Mark Pysyk to the Amerks lineup. Pysyk has been cleared to play after he collapsed several weeks ago while playing a game of pick-up basketball. He’ll now get the chance to return and finish out the season with the Amerks.
It won’t be an easy feat for the Amerks, however. The Comets absolutely have their number, winning each of the last five matchups between the teams. Utica defeated Rochester 5-1 in the most recent matchup earlier this month.
They’re also facing the best team in the Western Conference. The Comets, who have clinched the division, have 99 points this season and a record of 45-20-7-2. Conversely, the Amerks record is 28-39-5-1.
The Comets are 7-1-1-1 in their last ten games and have earned points in each of the last three games.
The Comets’ leading scorers include center Cal O’Reilly, who’s registered a team-high 50 assists on the season, with a total of 60 points overall. Right winger Brandon DeFazio has 43 points (21-22), while defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti has put up 40 points in 61 games. Alexandre Grenier also has 42 points in 65 games, so he’s another player to watch on the Comets side tonight.
The Amerks, meanwhile, enter tonight’s game coming off a pair of losses to the Toronto Marlies last weekend.
Rochester hasn’t played since last weekend, while the Comets are skating on fresh legs coming off a 6-5 overtime loss on Wednesday against the Senators.
The Amerks leading scorers are Philip Varone and Tim Schaller.
Varone has 43 points in 52 AHL games this season, while Schaller has 42 points in 62 games. Both also spent time up in Buffalo with the Sabres this season and will now finish out the year at the AHL level.
In the end, the Amerks are out of a playoff spot, so tonight’s game will be the last chance for the fans to see the team until October rolls around.
With tonight’s game being the home finale, it’s also Fan Appreciation Night at Blue Cross Arena.
Buffalo Sabres captain Brian Gionta, a Rochester native, will be signing autographs in the upper atrium from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. There will also be a number of prize giveaways, including the good old “jerseys off the backs” presentation. Team posters will be handed out to the first 7500 fans in attendance, and a 40 percent off sale will be available at the team store.
Tonight’s game also features an Amerks Happy Hour from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., as well as player awards for categories including MVP, most improved and sportsmanship, to be awarded prior to puck drop.
Tickets for Friday’s game can be purchased online here, or at the Blue Cross Arena box office.
Fans in Buffalo who can’t make the drive to the 585 for tonight’s game can also watch the game live on Time Warner Cable Sportschannel when the puck drops at 7:05 p.m.
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