Written by Aidan Charde
Recap: Danbury Hat Tricks on Feb. 28 and March 1
The Rochester Jr. Americans drew closer to a first round bye and held onto the longest active win streak in the NAHL with a pair of wins over the Danbury Hat Tricks last weekend.
Compared to the past few series, it was a relatively uneventful weekend for the Jr. Amerks. Game one started in what has become typical fashion for the East Division leaders, getting a goal from forward Keanan Dewberry in a period where they outshot their opponent 16–5.
In the second, Rochester jumped out to a 3–0 lead with goals from forwards Adam Gionta and Jaden Dyke before the Hat Tricks snagged one of their own. But any thought of a comeback was quenched when Dyke scored his second early in the third frame followed by forwards Hugo Branthsson, who was making his return from a lengthy injury, and Landon Brownlee, making it 6–1, which held as the final score.
The Jr. Amerks did have to do work to kill five of six penalties, but it was the biggest challenge of the game as they limited Danbury to just 22 shots on goal while tallying over 40 of their own.
In game two, Rochester was held scoreless in the first period for the first time since Feb. 11, but it did not seem to slow them down much. 18 shots in the second period saw forwards Calle Karlsson and Owen King each score once, while Karlsson scored again late in the third period to truly put the game away. Once again, Rochester limited Danbury to a measly 21 shots on goal while registering 40 on Danbury’s goalie.
It was, at least, a notable weekend for Calle Karlsson, who scored his sixth goal in four games to inch closer to the Jr. Amerks single-season goals record of 31. Karlsson hit his 27th and 28th on Saturday, so needs just three more to tie it in the final 10 games.
Rochester stays on the road this week with a Saturday-Sunday series against the Northeast Generals before a pivotal three-week homestand.
Preview: Northeast Generals on March 8 and 9
WHEN: March 8 at 7 p.m. | March 9 at 4 p.m.
WHERE: Canton Ice House | Canton, MA
WATCH: NAHL.tv
FOLLOW: @JrAmerksNAHL
History
What was a close battle between teams last season has been nothing short of domination this year as Rochester holds a 4–0–0 record against Northeast with a +15 point differential this season. The last time they matched up, the Jr. Amerks set a franchise record with eight goals in a blowout win. Meanwhile, the Generals are looking to beat the Jr. Amerks for the first time since April of last year.
East Division playoff update
It was a best-case scenario for the division leaders last weekend, as the Jr. Amerks (72 pts) won both games while the Maine Nordiques (66 pts) and Maryland Black Bears (66 pts) each clinched a berth, but split a series against each other. The New Jersey Titans (58 pts) had the week off and lost last night, but held onto fourth place while the Johnstown Tomahawks (56 pts) won both games against the New Hampshire Mountain Kings (49 pts) to extend the gap. The Philadelphia Rebels (43 pts) took advantage of the Northeast Generals (42 pts) being off for a week to jump closer to a playoff spot while the Danbury Hat Tricks (41 pts) held onto ninth place after briefly being jumped by the Elmira Aviators (40 pts).
Karlsson surges into top tier
Calle Karlsson has been a very good player all season, but he has shifted into a new gear lately. Since Jan. 17, he has 24 points in 13 games, including four games with two goals and is on the brink of a pair of franchise records. One point in game one will tie the longest points streak in team history while he needs just three goals to tie the single-season goals record. His hot streak has him at 60 points on the season, currently tied for sixth-best in the NAHL.
Branthsson back like he never left
It can be hard to jump back into the game after an extended break, but it did not prove difficult for forward Hugo Branthsson, who scored three points including a goal in his first weekend back after 10 games out. He also broke his season-long scoring drought, which had dated back to Dec. 14, with a goal in the third period of Friday’s game.
Reese adds new element
Entering January, defenseman Jacob Reese had just two career points in two seasons with the Jr. Amerks. He is a strong defender, so it did not matter that he was unable to contribute many points to the squad, but he has recently added some offensive help to his game. Since Jan. 11, Reese has nine points — his first career goal and eight assists — including three two-point games. Rochester’s defenders have been much less involved in the scoring game this season compared to last, so it is a much-needed addition to the team.
Jr. Amerks hunting for home game
Rochester can clinch a guaranteed home series this weekend, but may need a little bit of help. The Johnstown Tomahawks won last night to stay just close enough, but a Rochester win and a Johnstown loss tonight would give the Jr. Amerks a top-four seed. Rochester can also clinch with two wins this weekend, regardless of Johnstown’s results. As a reminder, the top two seeds receive a bye while the third and fourth seeds host the sixth and fifth, respectively, in a best-of-three series at home. The winners will play the top two seeds in a best-of-five series that is played in both arenas.
Northeast holding on by the fingernails
The season might not be officially over for the Generals yet, but they enter the series losing five of their last six and plummeting to seven points out of a playoff spot. They hold one game in hand over the New Hampshire Mountain Kings, but with few games remaining and a brutal schedule that sees them play the top three seeds in the next five games, it may be false hope.
