Amerks Update | Facing changes on defense, Amerks host Syracuse tonight

The Rochester Americans return home tonight for two games this week at Blue Cross Arena.
They'll take on the Syracuse Crunch tonight at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.

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Sheahan joins the squad

The Amerks added their third veteran in as many days on Monday with the reassignment of forward Riley Sheahan on Monday. He joins Brandon Davidson and Matt Bartkowski as Rochester's latest roster additions.
Sheahan, who returned to the Sabres organization following a year away, hasn't appeared in a game this season as he began the campaign on the injured reserved. He posted 13 points (4+9) in 53 games during his previous stint with Buffalo in 2020-21.
The St. Catharines, Ontario native has amassed 194 points (74+120) in 635 NHL games between Buffalo, Detroit, Edmonton, Florida, Pittsburgh and Seattle. He also has 58 points (26+32) in 114 games with Grand Rapids and Charlotte at the AHL level, winning the Calder Cup with the Griffins in 2013.

Shuffling the D

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It's just seven games into the new season for the Rochester Americans and already 11 defensemen have suited up for Rochester. Lawrence Pilut, Kale Clague, and Jeremy Davies were all recalled by the Buffalo Sabres due to injuries at the NHL level.
But Rochester has dealt with injuries of its own: Chase Priskie (upper body) and Peter Tischke (lower body) were both ruled out in the same weekend.
"It was really exciting for about three games there," assistant coach Mike Weber joked after practice on Tuesday.
"Obviously, it's still very exciting in its own manner now. That's why you coach in the American Hockey League: you have to be on your toes."
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Weber and staff are familiar with scrambling to find players to fill out their lineup after the last two seasons impacted by Covid-19.
But they were very fortunate that a guy like Brandon Davidson was available.
"The more simple and direct you can play, it helps the forwards be more predictable with the puck," Davidson said.
It's clear that they had simplicity in mind when they signed veteran defenseman Matt Bartkowski to a professional tryout.
When asked what fans can expect from him, he responded: "Simple, hard-nosed hockey. That's it."
Read more here.

Scoring leaders

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With seven points each through the first seven games, Linus Weissbach (4+3) and Brandon Biro (2+5) are tied for the team scoring lead. Neither have gone more than two games without recording a point.
Weissbach, Buffalo's seventh-round selection (192nd overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft, notched his second career three-point (2+1) outing in the first meeting with Syracuse back on Oct. 21. The Swedish forward has produced at least one shot in five of the first seven games and leads all Rochester forwards with 15 shots on the campaign.
Biro also has at least one shot in five of the first seven games. He is tied for fifth overall amongst all Amerks forwards. Last season, Biro finished his second pro season notching 41 points (12+29) while also making his NHL debut with the Sabres at Montreal on Feb. 23.
Isak Rosen (2+4) and Jiri Kulich (1+5) pace the team's rookies with six points each while being tied for eighth in the AHL scoring race amongst all first-year skaters.
Rosen, the Sabres' first-round selection in 2021 (14th overall), spent the 2021-22 season with Leksands in Sweden, where he made his debut in the Swedish Hockey League. He led all 17-year-olds with the Leksands U20 as he posted 35 points (21+14) in 38 games.
At 18, Kulich, Buffalo's first-round selection (28th overall) in 2022, is among the youngest players in the AHL. He shows five assists in his first seven games of the young season, tying him for fourth in the league among AHL rookies in that category.
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | T-1. Linus Weissbach | 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 | | T-1. Brandon Biro | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | | T-2. Sean Malone | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | | T-2. Isak Rosen | 7 | 2 | 4 | 6 | | T-2. Lukas Rousek | 7 | 2 | 4 | 6 | | T-2. Jiri Kulich | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 |

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Goaltending leaders

| Player | GP | W | L | OTL | GAA | SV% | SO | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3.63 | .872 | 0 | | Michael Houser | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.48 | .929 | 0 |