In the 10th game of the season between the Rochester Americans and Utica Comets there’s a lot on the line as they face off for the last time in the regular season. The Comets have lead the way so far with a 6-1-1-1 record against the Amerks.
“We want them to be scared playing against us come April 15th,” Colin Blackwell on a statement game vs the Comets tonight, a team they could eventually face at some point in the playoffs. Also added, “Trying to get the city to rally around us.”
“Every single game from here on out is a playoff game for us. We want to start playing our best hockey now and get that momentum moving past April 15th.”
Blackwell scored two goals in the Amerks last game and also said he’s been slowly getting the wind back and is at full speed now after missing 13 games due to an injury. Blackwell went on a playoff run last season with Danny O’Regan in San Jose and they’re ready for another one.
The team is going into the game tonight off a 4-2 win this past Saturday where they clinched a playoff spot that ended a four game losing streak, the worst of the season. We’ll see if the clinched playoff spot has flipped a switch to follow through on their keys to the game of keeping it simple, pucks to the net and the obvious playing 60 minutes.
Justin Bailey is back in the lineup after missing seven of the last eight Amerks games while called up with Buffalo. Playoff hockey as a pro is new for him after missing the post season the last two seasons with the Amerks. He said, “Now we have a chance to play for another couple of months and be around a really great group of guys we have in the locker room.”
“We need to put an emphasis on winning at home and getting the fans into it here. Obviously when you don’t win at home it’s not a good feeling,” Chris Taylor. “You have to win at home to be successful in the playoffs.”
Two new players joined the Amerks this week from St. Cloud State, Will Borgen and Judd Peterson. As of this morning it doesn’t appear that either will be playing tonight but they’ll get playing time before the end of the regular season. Here’s more info on both of them:
