Rochester, NY- The Rochester Amerks started preseason action tonight against the Syracuse Crunch. The Amerks looked absolutely dominant racking up points and penalties. Coming off a crushing loss in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals the Amerks came out in their preseason opener with a spark in their skates and sticks beating the Crunch 4-2.
In the first period, the Amerks got an early power play with a tripping call on Ethan Prow. Later in the period, Zack Metsa put the Amerks on the board making it 1-0 to end the first. Goalie Devin Cooley had 14 saves just in the first period.
The second period was all Amerks as another penalty was called on the Crunch, shortly after it was brotherly love as Michael Mersch scored off the assist of his brother Dominick Mersch to put the Amerks up 2-0. The Amerks coming off a power play score off an Ethan Prow shot that was tipped in by Filip Cederqvist to make it three all Amerks heading into the third.
Michael Mersch is six years older than his brother Dominick spoke about how it was sharing the rink with his younger brother.
" I'm 30 years old. I've never played a game together it was a very cool experience. Super happy man and our team got a win and it was just a great night... That's one of the main reasons I like playing this game is because you get to do cool things like that and makes it all worth it." Mersh said.
To start the third the Amerks had a quick goal to go up 4-0 making that 11 different scorers for the Amerks today. Midway through the hird the Crunch finally got on board with back-to-back goals looking to mount a comeback. But a shot that would've flipped momentum was saved by goalie Devin Cooley in miraculous fashion as he dove cross-body for the puck. The Amerks would hold on to the lead securing the win.
Head Coach Seth Appert is feeling great about his depth and was impressed by some guys who contributed to scoring tonight.
"Yeah, I think that's something that certainly we believe we have this year is good depth... Not the prospects players that fit our identity that fit the way we want to play that are the kind of people we want to have in our locker room and I thought a lot of those guys did a really good job tonight. Brown and Giroux for the Scholtz and guys like that Merschs' little brother that gave us honest hard minutes and contributed on the scoresheet as well" Appert said.
The Amerks are back in preseason play against the Utica Comets Friday night to close out preseason play before their first official regular season game next Friday the 13.